After years of requests, tweets and comments, we finally got an answer from EA that we've been waiting for just over 10 years: that we are indeed going to have Skate 4! The last extreme sports game from the development titans was Skate 3 released in 2010, which is still going strong in the community, but we're really happy to look forward to a new installment.
There's a current resurgence in skating games, with Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 + 2 getting a re-master, and indie studios are getting into making skate games too. But it looks like the Skate series still holds the torch with its pioneering joystick controls to mimic fliptricks and manuals, making it the most intuitive control system of its kind.
Skate 4 release date, leaks and everything we know
Here's a look at what we know so far about the highly anticipated Skate 4.
Will it be different from Skate 3?
In terms of graphics capabilities and the engine it's built on, yes. However, the mechanics we've known and loved will remain the same.
In an interview with Jenkem Mag, developers Cuz Parry and Deran Chung were quoted as saying "it's going to feel like a skate game, that's what I can say. It won't be anything different. It's obvious the team is trying to bring back the magic that made the first three games of the series so successful and enjoyable.
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Why unveil a new game in 2020?
Sure, the new title was revealed in June 2020, but the reason we're getting it is pretty simple: community and fanbase. While there have been a few shakeups within EA's ranks, namely Laura Miele being promoted and championing the cause of Skate 4, the fans have largely made it possible. The game at this point is a cult classic, and streamers and YouTubers are still playing it to great acclaim today.
In 2014, Skate's popularity grew, but content creators such as Zexy Zek, who has over two million subscribers as of this article, Skate 3 videos averaged around one million views per download. help keep the franchise in the spotlight. Back in 2018, people were convinced we were going to see the return of Skate when online servers mysteriously came back online. Later in the interview with Jenkem, the couple revealed that “it was a mistake. I asked a software engineer online who is a good friend of mine what happened and he was like, 'Oh, I think someone restarted a computer by accident. » «
Is Black Box making the new game?
Black Box Studios, the original subsidiary of Electronic Arts, was disbanded in 2013, but that doesn't mean some of the original creators aren't working on Skate 4. The current official studio is called Full Circle. Both Chung and Parry were part of the original team that created the skate games, so there will be no loss of authenticity. The two are excited about the new project, as they were very aware back in 2010 that Skate 3 could have been the end of the road. At the time, DLC activities were intensely worked on in case this was the franchise's last skate game. However, they said in the interview that "it was something that we knew would eventually happen again."
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When will Skate 4 be released?
There's still no official word on when we'll see Skate 4. When asked when development started, they worked around the question and didn't answer it exactly, so the development will probably still be in its infancy. Right now, a 2022 release looks the most realistic, but there's every hope we'll get it in the fourth quarter of 2021. As to whether it'll even be called Skate 4, they said, "We don't have not confirmed what the title of the game is. It's still pending. "
Since the team is still looking to recruit 30 positions within the company, it could take a little longer. The couple also had this to say about their eventual release, "We'll try to get it to you as soon as possible. We don't want to rush in and blow it up. We don't want it to be distorted. what we built before and what skateboarding is today. "
It's been 11 years, who will be the pro skaters in the game?
It is also something that has yet to be revealed. At the time of their interview with Jenkem, they themselves seemed in the dark about it (unless they were playing coy). They said, “full disclosure, we haven't spoken to anyone at all. No one knows it exists...well, except for a few skaters who have done mocap...so I guess they know we exist. »
Previous games have shown a large cast from the pro skating ranks, such as Danny Way, Andrew Reynolds and Josh Kalis. The series has always been supportive of Plan B members, so hopefully we'll see some of them return, but since the release of the last game, many more skate companies have been formed. Who knows, maybe we'll see the likes of John Hill, Braille or the Revive Skateboards team from the YouTube skating community. This is only speculative of course.
What consoles will it launch on?
Considering the arrival of the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X just a few months ago, these will be at their peak once the game is released and will be the main platforms for it. An educated guess would suggest that the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One (Original, S, and X) will also get a release given that the Skate team skipped a generation of consoles, with Skate 3 covering Xbox 360 and PS3. This is, however, also speculative. Computer enthusiasts are also in luck as there is talk of its availability on PC as well, which makes sense considering Session and Skater XL are available via Steam.
Fingers crossed to see the new skate game sooner rather than later, but certainly not before it's really ready.
Want more content from the guys at EA? Check Out The Sims 4 21st Anniversary Content Update!
