It is clear to see why so much excitement surrounds the upcomingSkate, given that fans of the franchise have waited 15 years since its last mainline release. After such a long gap between titles, it makes sense that EA and Full Circle have opted for a full franchise reboot. Following the iconic legacies of the series' past entries, some serious expectations are being placed on the upcomingSkate. Reboot or no, it is going to be difficult for the next game to escape the high standards of the franchise’s history.
Rumors and reports aboutSkatehave been circulating for quite some time. However, fans are now starting to see solid gameplay overviews of the game, giving a better idea of what players should expect from the title. This early footage of theSkatereboot has led to a mixture of praise and criticism, with the art style of the game standing out as a particular point of conversation. The cartoon-like player models of the game are very different to what many fans were expecting to see, leading to a debate that might be quite hard for the game to fully shake off.
Skate’s Art Style Changes Might Be Too Big of a Risk
A lot of the currently available footage of theSkatereboot comes from the game’s closed alpha early playtesting.Skateinsiders have been releasing footage and deep-dives into the game’s current state, with full early access to the title being expected to launch over the coming months. This closed alpha footage seems quite removed from what fans initially saw of theSkatereboot when its earliest trailers were revealed in 2022. Above all else, the art style of the game’s approach to character design has been the center of a lot of attention.
It seems clear thatSkateis taking a much more cartoonish approach to its characters, as opposed to the more gritty and realistic character designs of the series' past. While it is true that pastSkategames did not hold back in terms of allowing players to craft wacky character designs, the core style ofgames likeSkate 3was grounded in a sense of realism. Fans are already suggesting that this new art style is tied to the game’s free-to-play nature, with EA wanting to appeal the title to as many potential players as possible.
Skatewill reportedly feature full crossplay for all of its platforms, including mobile platforms like Android and iOS.
Other criticisms have also surfaced in relation to this, withmicrotransactions already being present inSkate’s very early current state. Besides the character customization art style, the world of the upcomingSkateseems more in line with series tradition. TheSkatereboot will take place in the sprawling open world city of San Vansterdam, which takes more direct inspiration from pastSkatesettings like San Vanelona.
Skate’s Comparisons to Fortnite Are Far Removed From the Franchise’s Origins
The more realistic design approach of San Vansterdamonly highlights the more cartoonish art style ofSkate’s characters, only furthering the discussion around the divisive change. Thankfully, more positive sentiment is surfacing around the game’s current mechanics, with theSkatereboot seemingly aiming for the same weighty, responsive, and satisfying board mechanics that made its predecessors so successful.
It always seemed likely thattheSkatereboot’s free-to-play approachwould lend itself to some controversy. The game’s character design seems to be one of the most noticeable products of this, with some players already likening the art style to the likes ofFortniteand its own monetization practices. Of course,Skateis still in a very early development state, and the final product of the game may end up looking very different to what fans have recently seen. Either way, the roots of theSkatefranchise were founded on its dedication to gritty skating culture, and character design will end up playing a major role in whether this extends to the upcoming reboot.
