On Thursday, Full Circle released the third installment of their popular “The Board Room” series, which takes a behind-the-scenes look at some of the upcoming features in EA’s latest iteration of the Skate series. And while there is still no official release date for Skate 4, there was some new information to excite fans for the next generation of skateboarding. Here’s everything we learned in episode 3 of “The Board Room.”
No Console Playtesting Or Release Date…Yet
With EA taking their time developing the latest installment of Skate, it’s no surprise that the game is still very early in development with no release date in sight. For now, gamers can probably expect Skate 4 to release in 2024 — if not later. But nothing is set in stone. However, some lucky gamers have already got their hands on the pre-pre-alpha — that is if you play on a PC. For those looking to playtest Skate on consoles, you’ll have to wait a little bit longer. But the developers have assured us that it is coming, and that they will have more details on this in the future. For now, if you’re interested in playtesting Skate, You can sign up here.
There Will Be No Paid Loot Boxes
One of the biggest takeaways in previous installments of “The Board Room” was Full Circle saying that the game would be free. This raised some eyebrows among the community and had many fans wondering if EA would go the traditional route we’ve seen with some of their other games by adding loot boxes. Then, in the early stages of playtesting, gamers saw different loot boxes pop up, raising even more questions about how EA would handle the situation. In episode 3, we were once again reassured that there would be no paid loot boxes and that gamers would not have to pay to succeed in Skate. How these loot boxes will work and what they will do for gamers — besides unlocking new skateboards and gear — is anyone’s guess. But everyone can breathe easy knowing there is no plan to have paid loot boxes.
Lots Of New Activities And Challenges
While the gameplay will make or break a game, story and activities can also keep people coming back for more. In Skate 4, there will be four primary activities and challenges for gamers to consume, which EA defines as the following:
- Challenges – short solo experiences that rotate in and out periodically. Unlike previous games, these Challenges will change so that replaying challenges will force you to think of new ways to tackle them.
- Pop-ups – Dynamic events around the city that are meant to be co-operative experiences.
- Community Events – Come one, come all type events for the whole community to participate in together.
- Throwdowns – Customizable and user-initiated. Throwdowns allow players to gather together, build friendships (or maybe rivalries), practice or show off.
But like the art of skateboarding, the most fun is had when you’re skating in groups and pushing one another to better yourself. That is where the pop-ups, community events, and throwdowns will come into play and allow gamers from all over the world — regardless of their skill set — to compete and skate with one another. This, to me, is a game-changer, especially throwdowns, which are customizable and allow gamers to let their creativity run wild. I’m also looking forward to the pop-up events and how the entire city of San Vansterdam is utilized.
Lastly, for those who have enjoyed single-player story modes in previous Skate games, the developers assured us there would be a story in Skate, which is ever-evolving. This is excellent news for those who like to watch our character progress and work our way through the ranks. There are even different modifiers that skaters can unlock along the way, including slappys and firecrackers. Unfortunately, no details are known yet about what the story will be like, but I’m keeping an eye on that as the game’s development progresses.
Flumping Is Not A Crime!
New to the Skate series is the art of flumping, which is defined as a hybrid between flicking and jumping. In years past, you could get off the board and run around the environment. You could also climb to high spots when necessary. But now, gamers can take this art to an entirely new level. In the highlights shown throughout the presentation, gamers were swinging from poles and jumping off high buildings, only to call for their board midair before sticking the landing.
Some parkour elements were added, where skaters were doing flips and other Jeff Hardy-like maneuvers. This adds an entirely new dynamic to the Skate franchise and could lead many gamers who have no interest in skateboarding to pick up the sticks and give it their best go. There will also be climbing challenges and even the ability to play tag with your fellow community members. Overall, this is a feature that I didn’t think I would love, but after seeing it in action I’m sold. I really do think this could be one of the things that helps push Skate to new heights.
Bottom Line
All in all, Skate 4 is starting to shape up to be every bit as good as we hoped when Full Circle first announced they would be making a new installment of the game. Story mode is back, and with no paid loot boxes, gamers should be happy with the game’s direction. Add in some new features like real-time activities and challenges, along with the art of flumping, and the next generation of skateboarding sounds as good as I imagined.
Published: Apr 21, 2023 04:33 pm