Skate 4 will be a free-to-play live service game, this was announced by developer Full Circle in a recent video.
Well, the above line is actually inaccurate as the game will be entitled simply “skate.” when all is said and done. This is because developer Full Circle doesn’t see their game as a sequel or a reboot but rather as the future of the series that will constantly evolve over the years. They’re in it for the long haul (via IGN).
Full Circle has stated they want Skate to be a constantly evolving and community-driven game, so free-to-play was the natural choice given their goals (via The Verge).
Despite the game being free-to-play, Full Circle has laid down the terms of this model in advance. According to the developer, there will be “No pay to win, no areas locked behind paywalls, no paid loot boxes and no paid gameplay advantages.” With this in mind, it’s likely the monetisation of the game will come primarily from cosmetics.
The game is still in very early pre-alpha, but a build from September 2021 has surfaced online. Full Circle has warned against accessing this build as it was never meant for external use.
Skate’s closed playtest is currently ongoing and there have been several alleged leaks already with some of the reported features looking promising.
One feature Full Circle showcased in their video was CollaboZones. These are areas built by players that can appear in other players’ worlds. The video featured a huge pachinko board that you could skate down as an example of a CollaboZone.
The new skate. certainly looks like it’s going in a different direction than previous instalments, but creative director Deran Chung assured The Verge that their game is going to feel like a Skate game.
Skate has no release date as of yet, though players have speculated that Full Circle is targeting October 2023 due to the closed playtest reportedly containing a lot of Halloween-themed assets.
Jack Coleman
@PantsAreCrusty
Jack is a BSc Graduate in Government and Political Science and a lifelong fan of video games who has dabbled in every genre. With a particular fondness for fantasy RPGs and narrative experiences, Jack likes to explore storytelling in gaming at a deeper level (or at least convey how cool a game is to you). He's also played League of Legends for 8 years, unfortunately.
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