‘Skate’ confirms Steam release and console playtests

EA has confirmed that Skate will be available via Steam, with a series of console playtests also due to take place later this year.

READ MORE: Free-to-play games aren’t necessarily zero cost – here’s why

Originally announced in 2020, Skate is currently being developed by Full Circle and will act as the sequel to 2010’s Skate 3.

The game still doesn’t have a release date but EA has confirmed Skate will be released on PC first, with a number of playtests taking place over the past few years. Now the studio has confirmed that Skate will also be available via Steam.

“In addition to the platforms already confirmed, we are stoked to announce Skate will be available on Steam for PC players,” said a post on social media as developers also confirmed a release date before 2050.

The official Skate twitter feed also confirmed that console playtests will begin this year as the game inches closer to launch on Xbox, PlayStation and PC. To sign up for the closed playtests, head here.

Back in 2022, EA announced that Skate would be a free-to-play title, supported by microtransactions that won’t offer “”gameplay-altering advantages”. General manager of Full Circle Dan McCulloch, described it as “an authentic evolution of the Skate franchise that can be enjoyed by all players for years to come.”

In the same presentation, creative director Cuz Perry said the fourth entry in the Skate franchise isn’t a sequel, remake, reboot or prequel. “We’re going to do this, we’re going to listen to what you guys say over the course of time, and put the features that you guys want into it,” he explained.

In a 2022 earnings call, EA executive VP and COO Laura Miele said Skate’s free-to-play model was designed to speak to Gen-Z and Gen Alpha players. 

“Back in the day Skate was ahead of its time. A lot of the core motivation around our Skate experience was around creative self-expression and social connection and competition. We are bringing that to life in the biggest way we possibly can.”

In other news, Children Of The Sun, a third person shooter created by René Rother and published by Devolver Digital, has released a free demo.

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