Yes, Skate Will Require An 'Always On' Internet Connection

EA's much-anticipated revival of Skate will necessitate a continuous internet connection, a detail that has been officially confirmed in an updated FAQ on the game's official blog. Developer Full Circle has provided a straightforward response to the possibility of offline play: "No." They elaborated that Skate is designed as a "living, breathing massively multiplayer skateboarding sandbox" that thrives on being always online and continuously evolving. This setup will allow for dynamic changes to the city, live events, and other in-game activities that enhance the player's experience.

The requirement for an "always on" internet connection means that even players who prefer to skate solo or avoid multiplayer elements will need to be connected to the internet at all times. Full Circle emphasized that this connectivity is essential "to deliver on [its] vision of a skateboarding world." They noted that this shouldn't come as a surprise to those who have participated in their playtests.

In September 2024, Full Circle kicked off its Always-On Playtest, aiming to test the game in a persistent live environment with servers running 24/7. This phase is crucial for ensuring the game's online features work seamlessly before its broader release.

Skate's early access is slated for 2025, though an exact date hasn't been set yet. The project was first announced at EA Play way back in 2020 and described as being in its very early stages. Since then, Full Circle has engaged the community through closed community playtests of early builds and, more recently, introduced microtransactions.

Players can use real-world currency to purchase a virtual currency called San Van Bucks (SVB), which can then be spent on cosmetic items within the game. Full Circle is keen on testing Skate’s microtransaction system to ensure a "positive experience when purchasing items from the Skate store." They acknowledged that using real money in a playtest setting is unusual but necessary to fine-tune the system before the game's launch. They reassured players that any money spent during the playtest will be converted into SVB and credited back to them when the game transitions to Early Access.