EA's Skate to introduce new soundtracks with each seasonal update

Developer Full Circle announced in its latest blog post, The Grind, that EA’s fourth installment in the Skate series is set to feature a dynamic soundtrack that will evolve with each new season of content.

Skate 4 is slated to launch in Early Access by the end of Summer 2025 and will introduce a live-service model with seasons lasting approximately three months each. Each new season will introduce new updates to the game’s world, features, and soundtracks. In the blog post, Full Circle stated:

“Yes, Skate will have seasons and seasonal content. The world, game features, in-game events, and even soundtracks will be updated to celebrate each season.”

EA is likely to introduce new soundtracks with each new season, as old songs will be phased out and replaced with new ones as their licenses expire, which is a smart move.

Full Circle also announced that each new season of Skate 4 will introduce a Skate Pass, featuring both free and paid tracks, as well as rewards such as new cosmetics, customization items, and activities to keep players engaged. 

These seasonal updates will also include new music to allow you to vibe and nail tricks, as the game’s audio shifts under the game’s open-world city, San Vansterdam. Considering skateboarding culture is deeply tied to music, the decision to implement an evolving soundtrack could maintain the game’s appeal as time goes on.

As with live-service games, the game will require a permanent online connection, which Full Circle justified in April 2025 as a “living, breathing massively multiplayer skateboarding sandbox.” The studio further elaborated, “The simple answer – No to offline play. The game and city are designed to be always online and evolving. You’ll see bigger things evolve, like changes to the city over time, as well as smaller things, like events and other in-game activities.”

While the always-online requirement is intended for dynamic updates to San Vansterdam like environmental changes, live events, and new music add-ons, this move has still sparked concerns amongst Skate fans with unreliable internet connectivity or those who planned to play it on the go previously.

On the flip side, Full Circle’s playtests of Skate 4, which began in 2024, have been generally well-received, with playtesters praising the game’s fluid skating and vibrant world design.