Fri Jul 18 06:10:00 UTC 2025: ## Skate is Back: Hands-On with the Long-Awaited Sequel Shows Promise
**San Vansterdam, CA** – After years of anticipation, the Skate franchise is poised for a comeback with its upcoming free-to-play live service title, simply titled “Skate.” A recent hands-on preview of an alpha build reveals a promising return to the series’ open-world skateboarding roots, while incorporating modern gameplay elements.
Despite the rise of other skateboarding games in recent years, including “Session” and the “Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater” remakes, “Skate” aims to recapture the unique open-world sandbox experience that defined the original trilogy. The preview showcased intuitive controls, a cleverly designed world ripe for exploration, and a surprisingly innovative traversal system reminiscent of “Assassin’s Creed” or “Spider-Man,” allowing players to easily scale buildings and discover hidden spots.
Developer Full Circle seems to have taken a “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” approach, retaining the classic control scheme while introducing accessibility options for new players. The previewer also highlighted the freedom to explore and perform tricks without feeling pressured by objectives or a typical “carrot-on-a-stick” gameplay loop.
While the game’s tone and character models sport a slightly more exaggerated and stylized look compared to the originals, the core gameplay remains true to the series’ roots. The free-to-play model raises concerns about microtransactions, but the previewer noted that the build did not include any pay-to-win mechanics and seemed to be focused on cosmetic items.
With a focus on multiplayer and a potentially massive player count, “Skate” aims to create a vibrant and social online skateboarding experience. The preview left a positive impression, suggesting that “Skate” could be a worthy successor to “Skate 3” and a welcome addition to the skateboarding game landscape.
First Piper 