EA's New Skate Game Breaks Record With Over 1 Million Playtest Sign-Ups

On July 25, 2025, Electronic Arts confirmed via the official Skate game forum that more than one million players had signed up to take part in the game’s closed playtest. According to EA, this is the highest number of playtest sign-ups in the company’s history. This announcement arrives ahead of the game’s scheduled Early Access launch, which is expected to begin later in 2025.

Skate, officially titled with a lowercase “s” and period as “skate.”, is being developed by Full Circle, a studio established by EA to guide the franchise’s return. Full Circle is based in Vancouver and includes developers from the original Skate series created by EA Black Box, including Deran Chung and Cuz Parry. Daniel McCulloch, former general manager of Xbox Live, serves as Full Circle’s general manager.

Originally announced in 2020, Skate is the first major entry in the franchise since Skate 3 was released in 2010. EA confirmed that the game is not a direct sequel and will instead reintroduce the series through a live service model. The game will be free-to-play and expected to launch on PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S. A mobile version is in development, but there is no confirmation of a Nintendo Switch release.

Playtesting for Skate began in 2022 on PC, with console playtests starting in September 2024. In a post titled “Into the Grind,” EA stated that invites to the closed playtest have been sent “daily, every weekday,” and that all invitations will be distributed by the end of July 2025. Another round of invites was confirmed for June 2025. According to EA, players who sign up as “Skate Insiders” have the opportunity to access early versions of the game and provide feedback throughout development. Insiders who join ahead of Early Access will receive an exclusive in-game skateboard and sticker pack.

The game is set in San Vansterdam, which was described as a “living skating world” in developer updates. According to Full Circle, the city will continue to grow and change over time. The game will not feature an offline mode, and an active internet connection will be required. Full Circle explained that “the game and city are designed to be a living, breathing massively multiplayer skateboarding sandbox.”

In terms of gameplay, Skate will feature the same Flickit control system, allowing players to perform tricks using analog stick inputs. The developers have confirmed the inclusion of mechanics such as wallies, slappies, boned ollies, variable speed flip tricks, and held flip tricks, all of which were discussed during “The Board Room” developer videos, with Full Circle stating their goal is to offer an “ever-expanding toolbox of choices.”

Player customization will include genderless character options. All clothing items will be available to all players, and deck customization will support stickers and color choices. Full Circle confirmed a collaboration with Vans, and certain outfits, such as a black skeleton suit and a golden skeleton suit, will be unlockable. The method of unlocking all items has not been fully detailed, though players can access clothing through an in-game store.

Skate uses two in-game currencies: San Van Bucks and Rip Chips. According to developer posts, San Van Bucks can be used to obtain content, and Rip Chips can be earned through challenges and progression. The currencies are, effectively, used to access items from “Product Boxes.” In an April 2025 update, Full Circle stated that Product Boxes do not contain loot boxes and will not offer paid gameplay advantages. The team wrote, “The bottom line – there will be ‘cool’ things for you to earn and customize your character without having to spend real cash.”

The same post addressed the use of real-money transactions during the playtest. Full Circle stated, “We know that using real money during a playtest is a little unusual, but we think it’s the best way to properly assess and adjust the system before launch.” The studio confirmed that all aspects of the economy are being tested for fairness and that the system is subject to change.

Earlier in development, in 2022, a datamined reference to “Swag Bags” was reported by users online, suggesting randomized cosmetic rewards were under consideration. While the developers have consistently stated there will be no paid loot boxes in the final game, the presence of chance-based cosmetic systems using real money during playtests has been part of community discussions. There have been no reported regulatory actions or official classifications of these features as gambling.

Community-driven content is also a core focus of the game. Full Circle has confirmed the presence of in-game activities, including Challenges, Pop-ups, Throwdowns, and Community Events. 

The city of San Vansterdam will also feature vertical movement options. According to “The Board Room,” players can “flump” up walls to reach new areas. A replay editor is included at launch, with more updates planned. Though Full Circle has acknowledged player interest in handheld PC support, the current Early Access version is not playable on Steam Deck.

A story element has been teased in the form of M-Corp, a fictional conglomerate introduced in June 2024. In a video update, comedian Tim Robinson appeared as Richie Dandle, a corporate spokesperson promoting “Knob Day,” a fictional campaign that adds knobs to skateable surfaces. The update concluded with the message “M-Corp abandons city,” suggesting future narrative content tied to the in-game world.

The Early Access launch of Skate is confirmed for 2025, but EA has not yet provided a specific date. In a September 17, 2024 post on X (formerly Twitter), the official Skate account stated, “we're incredibly stoked to announce that skate. will be launching in Early Access in 2025. we'll share more details on what to expect in the coming months.”

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