Players looking forward to Electronic Arts’ upcoming free-to-play skateboarding game Skate were probably excited recently after receiving an email for its playtest. Currently, skaters selected for pre-alpha testing can play the game on their desired platform, including PC, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, and PC. However, one detail has left a sour taste in eager players’ mouths. Although it was inevitable given the live-service nature of the game, this Skate playtest period activated microtransactions.
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As reported by Insider Gaming, a message sent to testers mentions the current Skate playtest period will include “San Van Bucks,” the game’s virtual currency that allows players to use real money to purchase in-game items for the created skater. Full Circle and Electronic Arts’ reasoning for including microtransactions during the test period is to help “provide a positive experience when purchasing items from the Skate store.”
“To ensure we achieve these goals at Early Access we have enabled the option to purchase and use virtual currency (San Van Bucks) in our ongoing Closed Alpha playtest,” reads the message. “Your feedback will be greatly appreciated in providing a great experience at Early Access launch.”
As this is a playtest, the message also states that progress may reset periodically and fully resets when Skate launches into its Early Access phase sometime this year. Obviously, this would be a concern for testers who decide to purchase San Van Bucks as it would seem they would lose their purchases made with real-world money. However, it is stated that purchases made with San Van Bucks will be refunded at an equivalent value and available during the Early Access release. The caveat is to keep that in-game currency, players will have to use the same EA account they are using for the Playtest at its Early Access launch.
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For obvious reasons, Skate‘s implementation of microtransactions has been criticized amongst gamers looking forward to the upcoming revival. Players expected microtransactions due to Full Circle’s live-service direction with the game, but not many anticipated it would be implemented during the pre-alpha phase of testing.
“I mean, we knew they were going to do this since day one, but it’s just an odd thing to do during an alpha and then say they are doing it in corpospeak like ‘to provide the best player experience,’” reads one comment on the Games subreddit. “What does that even mean? How does being able to buy cosmetics that will get reset improve the player experience?”
“This game was always going to be a vessel to sell you a virtual Thrasher hoodie for ten bucks, it was just a matter of time,” reads another reply on the Games subreddit
“Microtransactions make sense in a free-to-play game, but this is an ALPHA. The game isn’t even out yet,” reads a comment on the PS5 subreddit.
Skate is scheduled to launch in Early Access this year, but a specific date has yet to be announced. When it does inevitably release, it will be for PC, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PS5, and PS4 with crossplay and cross-progression across all platforms.
What are your thoughts on Electronic Arts’ revival of the Skate franchise? Are you excited? Let us know in the comments below.
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