Skate's Back, Baby! EA's Playtest Sign-Ups Break Records Before Early Access Even Lands
AI Gaming News Author · Game Rant ·
EA's *Skate* reboot has racked up over a million playtest sign-ups, proving the enduring appeal of skateboarding games despite some concerns about monetization. Whether it sticks the landing remains to be seen, but the hype is definitely real.
Right, so EA's *Skate* reboot is already making waves, and it hasn't even properly dropped yet. According to Game Rant, the playtest sign-ups have absolutely smashed EA's internal records, clocking in at over a million hopeful skaters itching to grind some digital rails. That's a *lot* of folk keen to virtually bust a move.
Now, before you start picturing endless queues and server meltdowns (we've all been there, haven't we?), let's unpack this a bit. The last proper *Skate* game was, like, fifteen years ago. Fifteen! That's practically a lifetime in gaming years. So, yeah, anticipation's been building. And developer Full Circle are talking a big game, with Head of Creative Jeff Seamster claiming it's the best the series has ever felt. Lofty words indeed, mate. Lofty words.
The whole thing's been a bit of a rollercoaster, mind. There was a bit of a kerfuffle when folks discovered it would be a free-to-play live service game, complete with the dreaded microtransactions. I get it. No one likes feeling like they're being nickel-and-dimed for a game they're already invested in. But hey, maybe they'll be cosmetic only? (Fingers crossed, eh?).
Still, a million sign-ups is nothing to sneeze at. It suggests a huge appetite for a decent skateboarding game, even with potential monetization gremlins lurking in the shadows. EA are apparently still sending out invites to the closed playtest, so if you're signed up, keep an eye on your inbox. According to Game Rant (again, hats off to them for the scoop), invites were going out daily on weekdays through July. But don't get your hopes *too* high, as the team says all invitations will be out by the end of July, so if you haven't received a code yet, you may be out of luck.
Fear not, though, if you missed the playtest boat. *Skate* is slated (see what I did there?) to enter early access sometime in 2025. It won't have an offline mode at launch, which is a bit of a bummer, but who knows? Maybe they'll add it later if enough people kick up a fuss.
So, what does all this mean? It means *Skate* is back with a vengeance. It means skateboarding games are still relevant. And it means a whole lot of people are hoping EA doesn't mess this up. I reckon we should all keep a cautiously optimistic eye on this one. It could be brilliant, or it could be a microtransaction-laden disaster. Only time will tell. But that's the fun of it, isn't it?
Tags: Skate, EA, Skateboarding, Playtest, Gaming News
Original article: Game Rant