EA’s long-awaited Skate game arrives today, bringing back the popular skateboarding series after a 15-year break. The free-to-play game enters early access on September 16, 2025, with a simultaneous global release.
Players worldwide can start skating at specific times: 10 AM PT, 1 PM EDT, 5 PM GMT, and early morning on September 17 for countries in Asia and Oceania. The game will be available on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and PC through Steam, Epic Games Store, and the EA App.
“We’re super stoked to open the doors for all of you on September 16,” the development team at Full Circle stated in their early access announcement. The early access version isn’t the final product but offers players a chance to explore while developers gather feedback.
The game takes place in San Vansterdam, a fictional city with four distinct neighborhoods for players to explore. Each area has its own unique atmosphere and skating challenges. Players can customize their skaters with different clothing, gear, and boards while earning two types of in-game currency: “Rip Chips” from completing challenges and “Rep” for progressing as a skater.
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Skate supports cross-play and cross-progression from day one, allowing friends to play together regardless of platform. Players can also continue their progress when switching between devices.
EA received over one million playtest sign-ups for Skate, the largest in the company’s history. The game aims to be different from competitive gaming experiences. “We think that Skate can be that secondary place for people just to hang out, relax, and be with their friends,” said Mark Renken, EA’s creative director.
The early access version includes the full San Vansterdam map, character customization, multiplayer features, and a licensed soundtrack. Players can skate solo or with friends in either mission-based challenges or the “Quick Drop” mode, which lets them place skating objects in real-time to create new spots.
While the game launches today as free-to-play, it will offer optional cosmetic purchases. EA emphasizes these purchases are “cosmetic only and are not required to participate in the game.”
Full Circle has already outlined future updates coming in seasonal content drops. Season 1 begins in October 2025 with themed events like “Skate-o-Ween” and quality-of-life improvements. Season 2 follows in December with new gameplay tricks, party voice chat, and an improved replay editor.Mobile versions for iOS and Android are in development but won’t be available during the early access launch. The release date for these versions has not been specified.