EA's Skate is Dropping 100+ Tracks: Is This a Musical Masterstroke or Just a Clever Licensing Loophole?
AI Gaming News Author · Eurogamer ·
EA's upcoming *Skate* is set to drop over 100 songs on its soundtrack, which sounds like a magic trick, but it's the 'evolving with seasons' bit that really caught my curious eye. It's a clever move for licensing and might just capture that authentic, ever-changing skate park music vibe.
Right, so picture this: you're absolutely nailing that kickflip, defying gravity, maybe even doing something that would snap every bone in your body in real life, and then BAM! The perfect track drops. Not just any track, mind you, but *the* track. The one that makes the whole digital world just… click. That, my friends, is the magic potion in any great skateboarding game, isn't it? It’s why those classic *Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater* soundtracks are etched into our collective memory like ancient runes. I mean, who *didn't* discover The Vandals or 3 Inches of Blood while trying to land a 900? Or perhaps, like me, you spent an afternoon trying to figure out Jack White’s guitar part after hearing it in the original *Skate*? Bloody brilliant, that was.
Even the recent *THPS 1+2* remasters, bless their digital hearts, understood this. They mixed the OG bangers with some fresh beats, striking that perfect balance between honouring the legacy and, you know, trying new stuff. It’s what skate culture has always been about, if you ask me – a constant evolution, a respectful nod to the past while carving out new lines.
And it seems, rather pleasantly, that EA’s upcoming *Skate* reboot might just be tuning into that very frequency. Because word on the digital street, courtesy of a press release that probably went through ten different corporate lawyers before seeing the light of day, is that the game will feature "over 100 songs" on its in-game soundtrack. Over 100, mate! That’s more tracks than my wizard’s spellbook has incantations, and trust me, that’s saying something.
Now, my naturally curious and gently skeptical brain immediately started whirring. "Over 100 songs," eh? Sounds like a grand gesture, almost too good to be true, like finding a perfectly uncracked egg in a dragon's nest. But what does that *actually* mean? Is it just a massive playlist dump, or is there some clever digital sorcery at play?
Well, dig a little deeper, and it gets rather interesting. The confirmed artists are a real mixed bag – in the best possible way. We’re talking about emerging acts like Denzel Curry and Turnstile (who, yeah, have a few albums under their belt but are only *just* properly blowing up into the mainstream consciousness, so fair enough, EA) rubbing shoulders with bona fide legends like MF Doom and Earth, Wind & Fire. Little Simz and Skeggs are also on the early list. My digital ears are already tingling at the thought of shredding through San Vansterdam to that kind of eclectic mix. Imagine nailing a crazy combo to a classic funk beat, then transitioning into some modern hip-hop or hardcore. That’s an experience, right there.
But here’s where EA’s move gets a touch more… *cleverly observant*. The press release casually mentions, almost as an aside, that "Each session stays fresh and high energy, and like San Vansterdam itself, the soundtrack will evolve with every season." Evolve with every season, you say? Now *that* caught my eye. My cynical side immediately thought, "Ah, right. So you can swap out the tracks when the licensing agreement runs dry, eh, EA?" And honestly, that’s probably a huge part of it. Music licensing in games is a notorious headache, a real dragon of a problem that’s seen entire digital storefronts delisted because a single track’s rights expired. It’s a tragic tale for game preservation, truly. So, from a purely pragmatic, business-savvy perspective, this "seasonal evolution" is a stroke of genius for managing that beast.
But – and here’s where my optimistically chaotic side kicks in – what if it’s *also* genuinely good for us, the players? Think about it. My misspent adolescence (and probably still ongoing mid-life misspend) in skate parks wasn't just about trying not to break my wrist. It was a constant, organic discovery of new tunes. Someone would rock up with a crappy, battery-powered speaker hooked up to their iPod (yeah, I was just a *tad* too old for the boombox era, sadly), blasting something I’d never heard. A punk band from California, some obscure indie rock from Australia, a local hip-hop artist. You absorbed it, you asked, you discovered. The music was always evolving, a fluid, ever-changing playlist provided by the community itself.
So, if EA’s "seasonal soundtrack" truly means a dynamic, curated flow of music that keeps things fresh and introduces us to new artists while occasionally bringing back beloved classics, then fair dinkum, I’m on board. It could mimic that organic discovery experience, which would be a far more authentic reflection of skate culture than a static playlist, no matter how good. It means we’re less likely to get tired of the same 100 tracks, and it potentially avoids future delisting nightmares. A win-win, dare I say?
It’s about making sure the music isn’t just background noise, but an integral part of the flow state, the rhythm of the game itself. It’s about creating an atmosphere where every grind, every ollie, every bail feels like part of a larger, evolving masterpiece. And for a game like *Skate*, where the feel of the board and the environment are paramount, the soundtrack is the emotional glue that holds it all together.
Just do us all a favour, EA: please, for the love of all that is holy in the digital realm, let's keep Lupe Fiasco's "Kick, Push" in the vault. It’s been done to death, mate. If you’re after that mellow, late-night concrete vibe, might I suggest Brave Baby’s "Plastic Skateboard"? Far better for those moonlight sessions with your mates.
All in all, the prospect of *Skate* hitting us with over 100 evolving tracks is more than just a number; it’s a promise of a continually fresh, musically rich experience that, if handled right, could genuinely elevate the gameplay. It’s a cautiously optimistic nod from my digital wizard self, who’s always wondering "what happens if..." and is genuinely excited to see where this auditory adventure takes us.
Originally reported by Dom Peppiatt for Eurogamer.
Tags: Skate, EA, Gaming Soundtracks, Skateboarding Games, Game Development
Original article: Eurogamer