Skate.’s Comeback: Pure Thrills Underfoot, Friction Everywhere Else

Skate.’s Big Return: Pure Thrills Underfoot, Friction Everywhere Else

Fifteen years after Skate 3, Electronic Arts and its purpose-built studio Full Circle finally delivered Skate. into free early access on September 16 across PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S. That one line could have been an instant homer: beloved series revived, playable, and free. And in many ways it is. From the very first kick-push, the weighty board physics, intuitive momentum, and “Flick-It” control DNA that defined the franchise are back in full force. But after a dozen or so sessions, it’s equally clear why the community is split right down the middle: dialed-in riding meets divisive presentation, thin core content, and a live-service skin that feels at odds with the series’ underground roots.

Key Takeaways

• Free-to-play early access across old and new consoles plus PC—zero barrier, maximum curiosity.
• Core handling and animations hit the sweet spot; skate feel lives on despite the studio shake-up.
• Art direction, absence of classic modes, and pricey cosmetics leave fans cold.
• Season 1 launched October 7 with events, a lighting update, a skate.Pass, and 90s soundtrack—good for engagement, but it doesn’t restore missing content.
• Full Circle’s publicly shared roadmap teases S.K.A.T.E., Hall of Meat, and spot battles in future seasons, but no firm dates.

From Black Box to Full Circle: A Brief Resurrection Tale

Back in the heyday of mid-2000s skating games, EA Black Box was the crown jewel behind Skate 1–3, blending simulation-grade board physics with a gritty, documentary-inspired aesthetic. Black Box closed its doors in 2013, and the series went dark. Fast-forward to 2021, when EA announced Full Circle, a studio born precisely to bring Skate back. That news thrilled long-timers—but also set nerves jangling. Could a new, all-digital team recapture the DIY soul that made the originals cult classics?

On paper, Full Circle’s roadmap looked sensible. The studio spent two years rebuilding the animation engine, retooling the “Flick-It” controls for modern hardware, and prototyping a city that would feel both familiar and fresh. Closed playtests throughout 2022 brought in veteran skaters and hardcore sim fans to vet the core handling. Community videos from early 2023 showed off analog-precision manuals, pressure-sensitive grinds, and buttery kickflips that landed with satisfying weight. Everything pointed toward a triumphant return.

Under the Feet: Why Core Handling Still Shines

Play a few minutes of Skate. and you’ll immediately sense the lineage. Weight shifts feel tactile: lean back too far on a nose manual and you’ll scrape out; carve too aggressively and your wheels will chirp. Linking a manual into a nollie backside 180 still sparks that little thrill in the brain—just as it did in 2007. The release animations blend seamlessly: a kickflip into a roller transfer transitions cleanly without the clipping or stutter found in many modern skating sims. If you’ve ever marveled at the nuance of Skate’s original analog control scheme, this is your fix.

Even the ragdoll bails have a tactile punch. Slam onto concrete, and you’ll see limbs sprawl, boards fly, and dust kick up in an instantly shareable clip. I posted a half-pipe crown slide fail on Twitter and saw it looped back as a meme within hours. The physics engine genuinely gives each yard-sale bail a visceral edge, preserving the franchise’s trademark blend of triumph and comic failure.

Community Pulse: The Split Screen of Sentiment

The Steam review graph sits nearly flat—around 46% Positive out of 7,000+ reviews at time of writing. Some fans cry review-bomb, but the gripes go beyond knee-jerk nostalgia. On Reddit, one user lamented, “I love the way the board feels, but the city looks like a pastel mobile game, and the editor is so barebones it feels pointless.” Another Steam player wrote, “A paid deck skin costs 300 Tix (roughly $5), and a full outfit bundle can hit 1,500 Tix (~$25). I get they need revenue, but pricing leaves a bitter taste.”

That tension—between hardcore fans seeking a full-featured revival and EA’s service-driven roadmap—is the story’s beating heart. The question is no longer “Does Skate feel like Skate?” (it does) but “Is this what Skate should be in 2023?”

What’s Missing: The Classic Modes Ground Game

Veterans aren’t just nitpicking; they’re naming modes that defined the series and are absent in this build. No S.K.A.T.E. (the Horse-style trick challenge), no spot battles, no deathrace, and crucially, no Hall of Meat feature for glorious fail reels. Those game types did more than pad playtime—they shaped the culture around the series, turning solo sessions into friendly rivalries and community content. Without them, the city of San Vansterdam feels more like a photo filter sandbox than a living, breathing skate plaza.

Missing modes are on the roadmap, full stop. Full Circle’s site teases icons labeled “S.K.A.T.E.,” “Spot Battle,” “Hall of Meat,” and even “Multi-player Progression” under future seasons. But there’s no timeline attached. In other words: early access is selling hope alongside a playable core.

The Live-Service Layer: Culture Clash or Necessary Evolution?

Skate. is free-to-play, and with that comes a service-game skeleton. Cosmetics are everywhere: branded decks, helmet skins, icon patches, even finger-tap trails. Store prices hover in the range community members peg at $4–$7 for deck skins and $15–$25 for full outfit bundles. For a studio that once prided itself on authenticity, the shop tabs feel jarring—especially when styles skew toward cartoony silhouettes rather than underground deck art.

Season 1 launched October 7 with a sweep of quality-of-life and engagement hooks: a global lighting pass that adds moody dusk zones, a skate.Pass (battle pass) with a 30-tier reward track, and two limited events—Skate-o-Ween and the Maple Harvest circuit—each granting themed boards, zombie-inspired helmets, and a handful of throwback 90s tracks like Ice Cube’s “Check Yo Self” and Bad Religion’s “21 Century (Digital Boy).” All of this is fine for short-term engagement, but it doesn’t restore the soul-modes that cemented Skate’s identity.

Editor Woes: Building Spots or Fighting with Limitations?

The revamped level editor is a selling point on the roadmap, yet in practice it feels anemic. You can drop quarter pipes, rails, and ledges across the city grid—but you can’t adjust rail angles beyond 45° increments, and there’s no option to import custom meshes or adjust gravity for launch ramps. Compare that to skate scenes built in Skater XL, where community creators cobble together brutal multi-tier vert setups and seamless transitions. Here, everyone’s city looks… a bit too cookie-cutter.

One Redditor summarized it: “I spent an hour designing my perfect stair set—ended up scrapping it because the pieces didn’t snap cleanly. Why can’t I rotate a bank ramp by 7°?” It’s a nitpick for sure, but for die-hard spot builders, it’s emblematic of early access’s rough edges.

Early-Access Roadmap: Tease or Promise?

Full Circle’s official roadmap highlights four upcoming seasons, each iconed with modes and feature tags: S.K.A.T.E., Spot Battle, Hall of Meat, Photo Mode expansions, and a new progression loop. Season 2 is slated to arrive this winter (Dev blog says “December 2023”), Season 3 in early spring, and so on. They’ve confirmed cross-play support, customizable skate crews, and deeper social hubs by Season 4. But history cautions us—early-access schedules shift. The challenge will be sustaining momentum until those marquee modes land.

Who Should Dive In Now?

For casual skaters or newcomers curious about the series’ signature feel, Skate. is a no-brainer: free download, instant thrills, and a community churning out clips on social channels. If you just want to nail lines, film a quick run, and mix tracks in a laid-back cityscape, there’s real value here.

For die-hard veterans chasing a full-fat Skate 3 successor—with intense S.K.A.T.E. challenges, deathrace mayhem, multi-player progression, and editor depth—you may want to ride this wave from the shore for a bit. Wait for Season 2’s spot battles or Season 3’s Hall of Meat reveal before committing your time and Tix.

Final Verdict & Next Steps

Skate. recaptures the soul of analog-precision skating better than anyone dared hope. Yet at launch, the series feels caught between two worlds: a living skate plaza in need of its cultural cornerstones, and a service game eager to monetize that same culture. Full Circle needs to deliver on missing modes, expand the editor, and dial back overt monetization to win back skeptics.

Here’s what to watch for:

• Season 2 (Winter 2023): Spot Battle and expanded Photo Mode.
• Season 3 (Spring 2024): Hall of Meat, custom trick editor, and new progression loop.
• Cosmetics pricing tweaks or bundled deals to ease community friction.

If Full Circle hits those marks, Skate. will truly rise from early access to the full-featured, culture-rich skate sim we’ve been waiting for. Until then, dip in for the core thrills, but keep an eye on the roadmap before emptying your wallet on digital decks.

TL;DR

Skate. nails the board feel and welcomes everyone with free early access, but its art style, missing staple modes, and aggressive cosmetics dull the return. Season 1 adds lighting tweaks, events, and a battle pass—yet the series only truly returns when S.K.A.T.E., Hall of Meat, spot battles, and deeper editor tools arrive.