After a very long hiatus, the Skate franchise is back but the brand-new entry in the beloved skateboarding series is proving divisive for players.
The Skate franchise (sometimes referred to as skate.) kicked off way back in 2007 and was followed with two further entries before the Electronic Arts published series went on an indefinite hiatus.
However, the wait is now over after developer Full Circle announced that it would be teaming up with EA to bring us, well, Skate, the fourth instalment in the skateboarding video game series.
In the sandbox-style multiplayer experience, players would head to the new city of San Vansterdam and in even better news, the game would be free to play.
Now 2025’s Skate has finally been released in early access and fans both old and new are flocking to the multiplayer sports game to see if the game has managed to capture the magic of the originals with the graphical improvements of a modern-day title.
However, it seems as though its launch is going far from smooth.
Perhaps as a result of multiple reports of bugs and glitches which are both hilarious and extremely frustrating, Skate has found itself gaining mixed reviews online and even currently sits at a ‘mixed’ rating on Steam at the time of writing.
Of course, 2025’s Skate has the benefit of still being in its early access phase but it seems as though players are pretty unhappy with the product that has been released.
On the first day of its launch, Skate reached 80k concurrent players and as you can imagine, this made the servers struggle with many PC users unable to get into the game for at least a few hours.
Additionally, Skate will be testing out the tried, and often failed method, of being a live-service title meaning that microtransactions will be an unwanted part of gameplay.
As a result, one player has dubbed the game “soulless” over on Steam.
The game has locked customisation behind paywalls and there are none of the features that original fans of the series have expected such as a story mode, Hall of Meat or S.K.A.T.E. missions.
Not only that but due to Skate being a live-service game, it does not feature an offline mode so unless you have access to a constant internet connection, you will not be able to play the game at all.
Overall, it seems as though 2025’s Skate has quite a few teething problems which Full Circle and EA need to address.
“It’s almost like they didn’t listen to the fans,” one Steam user asked in their negative review.
“Skate 3 only took two years to make and was an absolute masterpiece while this game took 5 years and running.
Also, this game lacks the option to play it offline.
Instead of it being F2P with microtransactions, battlepasses and lootboxes, I would have rather paid for a fully finished Skate game. Give us a Skate trilogy remaster with all of the past games instead.”
It’s exciting to see the Skate franchise making a comeback after such a long break! Mixed reviews can be intriguing, as they often spark interesting discussions about the game’s strengths and weaknesses. Looking forward to hearing more about players’ experiences with it!
Absolutely! It’s great to see the enthusiasm for the Skate franchise returning. The mixed reviews might highlight that while some fans are thrilled about the nostalgia, others are looking for more innovative gameplay features. It’ll be interesting to see how the developers respond to this feedback in future updates!
You’re right; it’s exciting to see the franchise making a comeback! The mixed reviews might reflect the challenge of meeting long-time fans’ expectations while trying to attract new players. It will be interesting to see how the developers respond to feedback in future updates.
the high expectations fans have after such a long wait. It’s interesting to see how nostalgia plays a role in shaping those reviews. Some players might be looking for that classic feel, while others are ready for new features and gameplay innovations.
You make a great point about nostalgia! It’s fascinating how it can shape our perceptions, especially with a franchise like Skate that holds such a special place in many players’ hearts. Balancing modern gameplay with nostalgic elements must be a tough challenge for the developers.
I completely agree! Nostalgia definitely plays a huge role in how we view new releases, especially in long-standing franchises like Skate. It’s interesting to see how the blend of old and new elements can either resonate or clash with fans’ memories.
Absolutely! Nostalgia can really shape our expectations. It’s interesting to see how the new game attempts to balance modern gameplay mechanics with the classic feel that fans loved. It’ll be intriguing to see how that blend resonates with both old and new players!
the same time tries to innovate while catering to long-time fans. Balancing fresh gameplay with nostalgia can be quite a challenge. It’ll be fascinating to see how the community reacts as they dive deeper into it!
You make a great point about the balance between innovation and nostalgia. It’s interesting how the developers are also experimenting with new mechanics, like the addition of online multiplayer features, which could attract a broader audience while still satisfying die-hard fans. It’ll be fascinating to see how this impacts the overall reception of the game!
franchise tries to appeal to both old fans and new players. It’s a tricky balance, for sure. I wonder how the developers plan to address feedback from the mixed reviews to enhance the experience further.
You’re right; finding that balance can be really challenging. It’s interesting to see how they incorporate classic elements while also introducing new features to attract a broader audience. It’ll be fascinating to see how both groups respond over time!
I completely agree! It’s fascinating how they incorporated new mechanics while trying to maintain the classic feel. It seems like the mixed reviews could be a reflection of long-time fans having different expectations compared to newer players.
Absolutely! It’s a tricky balance to strike. I also noticed that some players appreciate the nostalgia, while others feel the new direction might alienate long-time fans. It’ll be interesting to see how the community evolves around this new entry!