Skate. sees early access fans praise gameplay but slam live-service, missing game modes, and broken trick system

EA and Full Circle’s Skate reboot, skate., is finally out in early access on Steam, but the game has been bombarded with a storm of criticism from players who have deemed it a “soulless cash-grab” amid its free-to-play live-service model.

Released on September 16, 2025, the game quickly drew a peak of over 80,000 concurrent players on Steam on launch day, overwhelming servers and causing instability and crashes, effectively barring players who had been waiting to play the game after its 15-year hiatus since Skate 3.

The initial reviews are in, and Skate. Currently holds a “Mixed” rating, with 50.1% of 9,210 total reviews positive, according to SteamDB. The core skating mechanics, built on the improved Flick-It system and physics-based gameplay, have been praised by players for feeling authentic, specifically in freestyle sessions.

Yet, the bulk of the negative reviews stem from the game’s live-service trappings, which many players feel have diluted the game’s charm. There is no offline mode, no story campaign, and no iconic game modes like Hall of Meat wipeouts, S.K.A.T.E. mode, or Death Races for that matter.

Players have also mentioned the monetization practices of EA, pushing virtual currency purchases for customization options, like character outfits, skate decks for real-world brands, pretty much barring players from their favorite cosmetics behind paywalls in this free-to-play game.

While the game mechanics have been praised for their realism, the art style has been lambasted for being cartoonish and Fortnite-esque, a stark contrast from the gritty realism of Skate’s prior entries. This pretty much makes San Vansterdam’s open-world city feel less immersive.

Players have noted inconsistencies in physics, where they’ll fall off a grind for no reason or be launched full speed ahead. Despite testing multiple controllers and inputs, some analog tricks feel less responsive. To further add fuel to the fire, the game lacks many trick types, such as Dark Slides and just one Lip Trick with no variations.

Further complaints from many players report that missions or challenges could not be completed as the game would not detect or register the trick being performed.

Despite the backlash, some players have praised the off-board exploration system and cross-platform play. It's important to note that Skate. is still in early access, with Full Circle committing to a one-year development period before the game is officially released around September 2026.