New Skate doesn’t have a release date but it does already have microtransactions

EA’s highly anticipated Skate reboot doesn’t yet have a release date, but its early access build does already include microtransactions.

It’s already been five years since EA announced a new Skate game was in development. A new studio – Full Circle – was formed for the project, and they’ve been steadily making progress on the free-to-play pivot ever since.

Although select players have been getting hands-on time with the new title since 2024, there’s still no concrete release date on the calendar. It’s expected to launch, at least in some capacity, later this year, but there’s no further clarity beyond that.

In the meantime, devs are continuing to update the early access build with new content, gameplay tweaks, and more. In the latest update, as first reported by Insider Gaming, the new Skate now features microtransactions in its pre-release state.

EA’s new Skate game gets microtransactions before a release date

With Skate’s latest early access update, Full Circle has now implemented a microtransaction model. Players can opt in and purchase the San Van Bucks digital currency, which in turn, can be used to acquire a range of cosmetics.

Accompanying the news, Full Circle claimed this change will help ensure players have a “positive experience when purchasing items from the Skate store.”

As it’s still early days yet in the game’s development pipeline, microtransactions come with a caveat. As new updates roll out, progress will occasionally be reset. When the proper early access launch arrives, every account will be wiped for a fresh start as more players file in.

Any money spent on digital currency in this early period will eventually be converted back into San Van Bucks, but refunds into real money won’t be happening.

Of course, this is far from the first time a game has included microtransactions during an early access period. Look no further than Star Citizen as a prime example. But it is nonetheless a first for the beloved skating franchise and a big pivot for its future under the free-to-play model.