Skate 4: Everything We Know So Far

Since the start of the series back in 2007, fans have fallen in love with the realistic and physics-based gameplay that Skate brought them. However, after Skate 3, the series went dormant, with many fans longing for more content. Well, two years ago, EA came out with great news that they’d be working on Skate 4, and since then, fans have been eagerly waiting and looking for any news about the upcoming game. This guide will discuss everything we know about Skate 4 so far!

Release Date               

We’ve been waiting for a long time for Skate 4, and even after its confirmation, it’s been 2 years. But seems like we still have a long way to go before the game gets released or before we even get a confirmed release date.

When the game was revealed in 2020, it was in its early stages of development. But then, in 2022, we were teased about Skate 4 coming “soon.” This teaser came from the publisher’s CEO, Andrew Wilson, in EA’s Q3 2022 earning’s call.

And then, in March 2022, a leaker claimed that “playtesting has been going on for months.” So, although the game has come quite far in its development, we still have no exact idea about when the game will be released.

Developers         

Just a few months after the reveal of the upcoming Skate, EA announced that it had formed a new studio that would be solely responsible for the development of the next Skate Game. Full Circle is a Canadian studio and hired a lot of roles for the development of the game. Some roles are still open, which might suggest that the game is still in early development. Here is everything we know about the development team of Skate 4.

You’ll be glad to know that some of the original developers behind Skate are part of the new dev team. The studio is being led by former Xbox Live general manager Daniel McCullock. The creative leadership is given to Chris “Cuz” Parry and Deren Chun. Both were part of Black Box, the previous studio behind Skate, before their shut down in 2013.

Fans are excited to see Chris Parry returning to the franchise as he had become an iconic figure among the Skate franchise. Time and time again, he has been credited as being the driving force that made the game as authentic as it is. And as he seems very excited about the current project, we can rest assured knowing that the game is in good hands.

Trailer

As the game is still quite early in its development, there isn’t an exact trailer just yet. But we did get some gameplay footage that has been marked as “pre-pre-pre-alpha.” The video is titled “Still Working On It,” where just the visuals alone are enough to judge that the game is still in its early stages.

But despite being pre-pre-pre-alpha footage, the developers showed off some impressive tricks that you can pull off in the game. But of course, the character models and the environment still need to be worked on, as indicated by the grid boxes and untextured meshes.

This is Skate 4 pre-alpha footage. This is in line with what I've heard about where the game is at from multiple people. They're trying to get the feel right, which is probably the most important aspect of a Skate game. https://t.co/AXNV2Agk6z pic.twitter.com/nUINhghxLg

— Jeff Grubb, No. 3 games journalist (@JeffGrubb) April 20, 2022

Furthermore, after the release of the “Still Working On It” video, apparently, a cracked version of an internal development build of the game was accidentally released. Players that got their hands on it uploaded clips on Twitter and Reddit.

However, the developers at Full Circle said that the build that was released was an earlier version, even before the footage that they released. So, anything that they see in that game build should be considered as an even lesser representation of what the game might actually look like. 

Playtests 

Throughout the development of Skate 4, we’ve been told that the game would be influenced by the feedback given by the fans. EA has said on its official page that although they’re “very early” in the development of the game and to ensure that they can build the best game possible, they want the feedback of the fans. Well, that seems true, as there are Skate 4 playtests that you can sign up for on the official EA page.

The sign-up page states: “As a skate insider, you have the chance to play early versions of the game and provide feedback throughout our development journey. We need to scale access to Skate. gradually as development progresses to ensure a smooth experience, and that means we can’t guarantee how soon you’ll get to play.”

Apparently, the playtests will initially only be available for the PC. And you need to keep in mind that the game has a long way to go. So, there’s no actual estimated date of when you’ll get to playtest or how it’ll all go down.

The FAQ section stated that you need to be 18+ to be eligible for the playtest. But even then, they don’t know when you’d get called on, as it said in the FAQ: “we can’t guarantee how soon you’ll get to play. We will be inviting players to participate in playtesting based on varying factors defined by our goals for testing at that time in development. Stay tuned to our social channels for more information as invitations go out!“

Platforms

PC_confirmation.exe pic.twitter.com/ubLRKoCw9P

— skate. (@skateEA) August 26, 2021

Previously the Skate series was mainly on consoles, but it seems like this time, there’s going to be a change. Here’s everything we know about the Skate 4 platforms!

EA has indeed confirmed that Skate 4 will be released on PC. It was announced through a creative tweet on Skate’s official Twitter. Considering it’s been a while since the next generation consoles have been released, we can assume that the game will also release on PS5 and Xbox Series X.

But will it release on the old gen consoles (PS4 and Xbox One)? That’s hard to say, as EA has been unpredictable with their platform releases. Games like FIFA have had last-gen versions. But then again, the newer games like Star Wars Jedi: Survivor is going to be exclusively for the new-gen consoles. So, we’ll have to wait for EA’s confirmation about the last-gen consoles.

But one surprising news is that the game will have a mobile version as well. Dan McCulloch, Full Circle’s general manager, said, “we’re pretty early on mobile, but we want to get the controls and everything to feel great.”

And supposedly, there will be crossplay and cross-progression across all platforms and console generations. These are big promises, but if all of these rumors are true, then it could turn out great for the fanbase as they’ll be able to play with a number of their friends without platform restriction.

Skate 4 Gameplay

Skate has always been known to let you create your own style of skating. While many other games focus on button mashing or trying to chain a bunch of button presses to come up with a cool trick, Skate focuses just on using the analog stick. Through the stick, you’re able to control your skater’s feet and have more control.

But due to the technicality of just using the analog stick, it can be a little harder to learn. But when you get past the learning stages, you’re able to freely move around the parks, and the tricks just flow out of you.

That seems to be the approach that the developers are taking with Skate 4 as well. Parry said that “it’s going to feel like a Skate game… it’s not going to be something different.” So, you can expect the same old accessible yet authentic playstyle.

But of course, since Skate 3, there have been various technical leaps, and even the skateboarding community has evolved. So, you can expect to see more features, places, and overall improvements in the game in accordance with how things have changed.

Skate 4 Location

Skate and Skate 2 took place in the city of San Vanelona, which was inspired by California. Whereas Skate 3 also took place in a fictional California-inspired city called Port Carverton.

Well, this time around, the game will take place in San Vansterdam. It is also another fictional California-inspired city. The world has been built completely from the ground up and will, of course, have plenty of skate parks and will be designed to do all sorts of cool tricks.

Customizations

The one question that many players have is that, will there be customization in the new game? Well, here’s everything we know about customization in Skate 4.

Parry and Chung have expressed that they feel as if they were ahead of the curve with Create-A-Spot mode and other customization features of the Skate games. There was definitely customization in Skate 3, even if it was just putting a bunch of benches and ramps near stairs or rails to create long-lasting chains.

And it seems like the customization will definitely return in Skate 4. Full Circle mentioned “CollaboZones,” which are basically areas where you can create your own skate parks. Moreover, you can share them with other players as well.

The CollaboZones mode was actually used in an early playtest. According to the developers, it’s something that many of the players found interesting and would often dive into. So, you can definitely expect them to focus more on this mode.

Skate 4 Will Be Free To Play But With Microtransactions

You read that right; Skate 4 will actually be free to play. What that means is that just like games such as Fortnite or Apex Legends, there won’t be any upfront cost of you playing the game. But of course, there will be microtransactions, so here’s everything we know about microtransactions and free-to-play in Skate 4. You can also read more about it here: Skate 4 Will Be F2P With Microtransactions But No P2W 

EA is known for its questionable microtransactions, which is why many fans are still skeptical about the free-to-play model of the game. But the developers have assured us that the microtransactions in the game will not be pay-to-win. These cosmetics will purely be related to cosmetics and convenience based.

Additionally, the Skate series has never had any attributes to the game that help you win games better. For example, there are no stats or maxing out certain parts of your characters. Victory purely depends on your skill. If the upcoming game is following a similar philosophy, then these microtransactions don’t really have a way of turning it into a pay-to-win game. 

However, there have also been rumors that a data mine showed that loot boxes are present in the game. You can read more about it here: Skate 4 Data Mine Finds Loot Boxes Despite Developers Saying Otherwise. Are these going to be purely cosmetic related, or will they have P2W attributes? We’ll have to stick around to find out more.

Other Skate 4 News

There have been various other leaks regarding Skate 4. So, here’s everything we know about Skate 4 from leaks and rumors.

60-Player Multiplayer

The Skate series has always been famous due to how well it replicates the communal and social aspects of skateboarding. You’re able to skate with your friends and come up with interesting challenges, and overall have friendly competitions. Well, Skate has provided that thus far, and Skate 4 seems to be going in a similar direction.

Skate 4 will consist of a multiplayer in which 60 players can be on a server at the same time. Hopefully, that will lead to an overall lively feel, just like one might experience at a skatepark.

Actual Name

Throughout this entire article, we’ve referred to the upcoming game as Skate 4. That is what the majority of the players know the game as. Considering it is the fourth installment in the series, that seems like the most logical name.

In fact, some fans wanted the game to be named Sk4te as it feels more artistic. But the game will neither be called Skate 4 or Sk4te; it’ll be known as “Skate.” Simple as that. Perhaps with the new studio and a reboot, they want a fresher start, but that is the name that they’re going with.

Skate 4 Live-Service

There have been rumors that Skate will follow the live-service model. Well, in a live stream, the developers confirmed the rumors. Rather than focusing on more sequels, it’ll focus on creating the current game better. These improvements will be made by constantly adding on to the game and adding changes such as to the map or adding more mechanics.

Session Markers

In the same live Stream that the developers announced free-to-play and live service, players noticed the session markers. It seems to be a feature that lets you mark a spawn point at the spot where you’re standing.

Essentially whenever you press up on the pad, you’ll be taken to your session marker from anywhere on the map. The transition is smooth and doesn’t require a loading screen. It basically feels like when you’d be skating from the same spot to land a trick in real life.

That is everything we know about Skate 4 so far! The game is looking promising with some things such as f2p and live-service approach concerning many players. But we’ll have to stick around to see how that turns out!