We've got some bad news for you: Skate 4 is never coming out. The good news? The game we were previously referring to as Skate 4 has simply been officially renamed to Skate. Even better, it'll be a completely free-to-play experience!
Developer Full Circle confirmed the new name last night, adding that Skate will be a free-to-play live-service title on PlayStation, Xbox, and PC, complete with cross-play and cross-progression support.
Take a look at a very, very early build of the new Skate in action below!
Full Circle also revealed that Skate will take place in the fictional city of San Vansterdam, which has a lot in common with the original Skate and Skate 2's San Vanelona.
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Explaining why the new game is called Skate and not Skate 4, Full Circle revealed that it intends to keep growing and evolving the new game over time, not unlike games like Fortnite and Apex Legends.
In other words, there's no point calling it Skate 4 because there will never be a Skate 5, Skate 6, or Skate 7. Skate is the platform, and Full Circle and EA have plans to evolve that platform for a long time.
If the idea of a live service free-to-play Skate has you a little concerned, Full Circle also made a few promises about what definitely won't be in the game. The four rules the developers currently have are: no pay to win, no maps locked behind paywalls, no paid loot boxes, and no paid gameplay advantages. Phew.
It's worth noting, of course, that we've heard developers share these kinds of promises before and then go back on them several months on from launch. We're hoping Skate will be different, but we'll have to wait and see.
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As for that all-important release date? You'll be waiting a while. The most recent footage was the game in a "pre-pre-pre-alpha" state, but Full Circle wants to share as much of the development process as possible with fans so that it can better respond to feedback.
A playtest is scheduled for this summer, but numbers are limited. Fortunately, Full Circle added there will be many more opportunities to try out Skate in the coming months. Watch this space.
Featured Image Credit: EA