Electronic Arts' (EA) upcoming Skate game isn't the Skate 4 everybody wants it to be.
The popular gaming publisher recently revealed that its next Skate game will just be known as Skate and that it will be a free-to-play game with microtransactions, per the company's 20-minute livestream.
The Skate series has gone through quite the hiatus, with the release of the third and latest entry so far into the series being on April 19, 2010, per Electronic Arts (EA).
'Skate' Details - Name, Features, And Microtransactions
EA mentioned in its 20-minute livestream that its next Skate game would not be called Skate 4 or, as Kotaku's Ari Notis joked, Sk4te. The game publisher simply called the game Skate, and it will take place in the fictional California-inspired city of San Vansterdam.
You may remember that a leaked version of the game's earlier build mentioned that the game would take place somewhere in "Fun City," but it seems that EA dropped the idea somewhere along the way.
The game will follow a free-to-play model and would feature full crossplay and cross-progression across all of the available platforms it can be played on.
Unfortunately, this means that there will no longer be a Skate 4, Skate 5, or any other sequel as EA is making the game's transition from a standalone game into a live-service one, just like Bungie's Destiny.
Chris "Cuz" Parry, the game's creative director, announced as such in the livestream, saying that EA won't be "pumping [sequels] out all the time."
However, while both games have microtransactions, EA decided to use implement microtransactions differently through cosmetics rather than items that give players an edge over others, meaning that EA doesn't want Skate to be a pay-to-win game, like what initially happened in EA's Star Wars: Battlefront 2.
Players worrying about the game hiding some parts of San Vansterdam behind a paywall wouldn't need to; EA assures players that they will have full access to the city without needing to pay for them.
The game publisher also assures players that other players can't pay for any item or buff to get a competitive edge over other players.
Kotaku explains that victory can be attained in EA's latest Skate game through skill alone, as getting a win s purely based on a player's grasp of the game's flick-based control scheme.
Isabelle Mocquard, EA's head of product management, said that EA is taking inspiration from games like Apex Legends or other popular titles that are free-to-play where "spending money is totally optional, and it's mostly about cosmetics and convenience," per Engadget.
Since EA is taking the live-service route for the Skate series, it will support it with additional gameplay features, balance changes, more content, and seasonal events.
Skate Availability And Release Date
EA's Skate game will be available for last-gen and next-gen gaming consoles, PC, and mobile phones in the future. However, the company didn't disclose a specific or general release date.
However, EA is inviting Skate fans to a playtest "pre-, pre-, pre-alpha software" for them to provide feedback to help the company improve the game as much as possible.
Early versions of the game will be available to more players through an insider program.
