Cosmetic Pricing, FOMO, and Fairer Solutions for Everyone

So after sticking with skate. for a while now, the pricing of cosmetic items is honestly one of the most frustrating parts of the game since the beginning. I’d genuinely love to spend money on this game, but right now the price and value just don’t match. At times it almost feels like the items are priced out of caution — as if there's a worry players wouldn’t buy another one — and that makes it hard to justify supporting the shop.

The Main Problems

• Prices randomly go up even on re-released items (e.g., Grim Reaper skin suddenly more expensive, with the original price shown as a “discount”).
• Basic recolors or slapped-on graphics sold for premium prices (350 SVB or more).
• Bundles priced like luxury products even when they only contain minor variations of the same item.
• FOMO-driven rotations that pressure players to check the shop daily.
• Season Pass cosmetics feeling like filler, despite being one of the few consistent sources of items.

It’s not that players won’t pay — it's that the value proposition feels off, and that creates frustration instead of trust.

Realistic Solutions

1. Introduce a Price Baseline for Common Items

Set consistent price ranges:

• Simple recolors → lower tier
• Brand collabs or unique models → mid tier
• Complex or premium designs → high tier

No more random spikes. Just predictable pricing that feels fair.

2. Reward Actual Play With a Small Flow of Earnable Cosmetics

Not tons — just 1–2 unique items per event or milestone.
This keeps players motivated and reduces backlash over paid items.

3. Expand Event Currency Use

If an item belongs to an event, let us buy it with event currency.
Limit the earnable pool (so players can only earn enough for around 60–70% of the items), and they can choose to:

• manage their currency smartly
• or buy a small extra amount if they really want something

But the key thing is:
All event items and all event challenges need to be available on day one.
Nobody wants to spend their hard-earned currency in Week 1 just to have a surprise batch of new clothing appear in Week 2 that they can’t afford anymore. That feels unfair and punishes early participation.

Fair for players + EA still monetizes.

4. Make Re-Releases Price-Locked

If an item returns, it should never cost more than it originally did.
If it goes on sale, great — but raising prices just damages trust.

5. Optional “Brand Booths” Instead of Daily FOMO Rotations

Replace daily shop-only items with:

• permanent brand booths in the city
• plus the existing Extravert shop for basics

Rotating premium drops can still exist, but players shouldn’t feel forced to log in every day “just in case.”

Closing Thought

Players want to support the game — that’s not the issue.
The issue is the lack of value, fairness, and stability in how items are priced.

If items had more customization options (e.g., fully colorable shirts, adjustable sizes), then the current pricing would actually make sense. Paying 200–350 SVB for something you can personalize feels way more justified than paying the same for a static recolor.

Give players:

• more flexibility
• more creative control
• more reasons to feel good about a purchase

…and I’m convinced people would spend more, not less.