Feedback sur SKATE (Early Access)

I know the game is still in early access, but after spending quite a bit of time on it and being part of the insiders, I wanted to share my overall thoughts. As a real-life skater, I feel personally involved in the direction the game is taking. While I’m having fun, some design choices really make me wonder.

The gameplay is, to me, the strongest part of SKATE. The feeling of riding, the flow of the tricks, and the sense of freedom are excellent. It’s clear the devs wanted to make something fun and accessible from the start, and they succeeded in that. I also like the idea of climbing mechanics to reach new areas, though I wish it was more realistic — like climbing fences locked with chains to access schools or hidden spots with amazing rails, stairs, and curbs.

The main issue for me is that the game leans too much toward casual fun, losing touch with authentic skate culture. The characters look way too cartoonish, almost Fortnite-like, and the city is filled with “WTF” spots that break immersion. It feels like SKATE chose accessibility over authenticity, probably to appeal to non-skaters… but at what cost? I can still enjoy it, but I fear that over time it might lose its appeal for those of us who truly live skateboarding.

I bought the most expensive pack because, for a free-to-play game, I thought it was fair. But I’m really disappointed with the Pass content. There are way too many generic, unbranded items, and almost no real skate brands available for free, even though the launch highlighted Creature, Independent, and Santa Cruz. It’s frustrating to see that everything tied to real skate culture is locked behind paywalls, especially after the devs said customization would be rich and optional.

The challenge system becomes repetitive and dull pretty fast. Many of the missions don’t even reflect real skateboarding (for example, having to do backflips to earn points). It would be great to see contests or competitions that reward your time skating rather than forcing specific tricks. Let players just skate and progress naturally.

The community parks look bad visually. The bright blue and yellow color palettes kill the vibe — we need more realistic skateparks with proper colors and personality, maybe even Goofy vs Regular events. Since the new season, I’ve also run into a lot of bugs — the game often crashes when I invite friends (I’m on Xbox Series X), which ruins the multiplayer experience.

I understand that making a skateboarding game today is a tough challenge, and money plays a big part. But it’s important not to lose the essence of skateboarding: creativity, style, and freedom. I’m fine with fun or offbeat elements, as long as they don’t interfere with the experience of those who just want to skate, wearing authentic skate brands, without having to pay for everything.

SKATE has huge potential, but it needs to refocus on what makes skateboarding beautiful: passion, culture, and respect for those who live it every day. It’s still early access, and I truly hope things will evolve in the right direction.