Skate 4 is on the way, but when exactly it will be released and how remains a question for many diehard fans.
After more than a decade since the franchise's last mainline entry (2010's Skate 3), Electronic Arts (EA) is ready to mongo-push its way back into the kickflipping franchise with a new entry.
Originally announced back in July 2022 as Skate. (colloquially known as Skate 4), the latest entry into the series - coming from the new EA studio, Full Circle - is said to reinvent the beloved gaming franchise.
When Is Skate 4 Coming Out?
Despite having been in development for more than four years, no release date has been announced for Skate 4.
The last fans heard on the topic of a potential release date was during a 2022 EA earnings call where the company simply listed the title as "coming soon" (via PCGamesN).
According to EA CEO Andrew Wilson - at the time - Skate 4 is "launching soon," but that was more than two years ago, with no release date in sight:
“It the very center at the design of 'Skate.,' which will be launching soon”.
In 2023, during another quarterly earnings call, the game was left off EA's fiscal year release calendar (via Comicbook.com).
That would mean the game is not in the cards until at least after March 31.
At this point, gamers have been able to get their hands on Skate 4 - by way of Full Circle's extensive pre-release playtest schedule - for more than two years.
In June 2023, a new trailer for the game, aptly titled 'Still Working On It,' showed a more finished look at the game than has ever been seen publicly up to then.
This could mean EA and Full Circle are getting close to release, potentially angling the game for a full release sometime in 2024.
The last Skate title, Skate 3, hit the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in June 2010, and Skate 4 could follow suit, feeling like a perfect summer game for fans to explore.
Or if the team needs a little bit more time, the title could potentially wait a few months until somewhere around September to celebrate the 14th anniversary of the first title in the series.
In short, while nothing has been made official yet, Skate 4 seems highly likely to be released sometime in mid-2024.
Will Skate 4 Have a Story Mode?
A sweeping story has never been a major focus in the Skate franchise, and that also seems to be the case when it comes to Skate 4.
The previous Skate games have usually followed the player as their playable character goes from a fledgling street skater to one of the biggest names in the sport, completing various challenges and competitions as they rise the ranks.
There has been talk of challenges and such for gamers to complete, but it is looking less and less likely Skate 4 will have even a thinly veiled narrative to connect it all.
The focus for Skate. seems to be on user-to-user interaction rather than a gripping single-player experience. That is not to say there will be no 'story' content made by the development team.
One of the title's Board Room development diaries from April 2023 provided a first tease that there will be some sort of story in the game, but the development team "[was] not ready to talk about it [then]."
So, it seems the game will feature some sort of story content; however, what that looks like remains to be seen.
Seeing as Skate 4 is being branded as an "authentic evolution" (via the game's announcement trailer) of the franchise, primarily focusing on online multiplayer, user-generated content, and experiencing skate culture with friends around the world, one can expect the story content in the game to be similar to that of an MMO (a la Destiny or World of Warcraft).
This will likely include an ever-growing collection of developer-made objectives, missions, and activities to be enjoyed either alone or (preferably) with fellow skaters.
Will Skate 4 Be Crossplay?
From day-one Skate 4 will be crossplay across Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5, and PC.
Since the game's initial reveal, a major focus on collaboration no matter where one plays has been put on the title.
This will come to fruition on-screen by way of crossplay and cross-progression no matter what platform Skate. is played one. This will allow for a seamless experience of playing with friends despite perhaps being on a different console from one another.
Game director Cuz Parry told fans in the very first Board Room development diary, that it was the Full Circle team's mission to allow gamers to "play on their favorite platforms the way that they like to play," and the best way to do that is in this shared skating world where everyone can play together:
"So, we want the whole world to fall in love with what we love. Skateboarding, the culture, and the game. Yeah, and to build-off of that, we really want folks to get the most value out of their playing experience as possible, and be able to play on their favorite platforms the way that they like to play. And so 'Skate.' will be full cross-play and cross-progression."
How Much Will Skate 4 Cost?
Unlike past games in the Skate franchise, Skate 4 will be released at no cost to gamers looking to jump in.
Yes, this is going to be a completely free-to-play experience akin to Fortnite or Fall Guys.
This is an unprecedented move for the Skate. series but one that pairs with the vision for this latest vert-shredding game.
EA and the developers at Full Circle have remained adamant this is not going to be the first Skate game in a line of more to come, but an ongoing, platform instead (via The Board Room Episode 1):
"It’s not a reboot, a prequel; it’s not any of that. It’s not a remake or a remaster, whatever ‘re’ you can do. This is it, it's 'Skate.' We're in this for the long haul. That means we’re not an iterative title. There won’t be a 'Skate 5' through '10.''We won’t be pumping them out all the time. We’re going to do this."
This free-to-play model will allow for a low barrier to entry, bringing in a larger player base over time:
"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. Okay, and one more time for the people in the back, it’s 'Skate.' It’s NOT 'Skate 4.' Just 'Skate.' Period. That’s why we put a little period after it."
According to Full Circle general manager Dan McCulloch (via Rock Paper Shotgun) there will be microtransactions though for players to purchase. However, there will be "no pay to win items], no map areas locked behind paywalls, no paid loot boxes, and no paid gameplay advantages."
Head of product management on the Skate team Isabelle Mocquard added that these small purchases will be all about "cosmetics and convenience," not letting these smaller purchases get in the way of the Skate 4 experience.
Skate 4 has no official release date, but players looking to dive early can sign up now for playtests on Electronic Arts' website.
