Interim Status

Finally some legitimate feedback instead of people crying about early access. I have friends who are also in their 30’s and played Skate in 2007 when half these kids complaining weren’t even born yet. Plenty of OG Skate fans deserve a chance to test this instead. If you’re an adult crying and providing some constructive criticism, don’t be offended. Anyway…

Yes still a long way to go. Map feels amazing and ambitious, can’t wait to see it fully fleshed out with pedestrians and vehicles so it’s not so wide and open. There’s a spot everywhere and all I spend my time doing is perfecting a line and move on. That’s the core of my Skate experience I miss so much, but everyone has a different experience and expectation.

The Fortnite graphics for characters are insulting, and do not fit with the aesthetic of the original games or this new city. I hope they’re placeholders until beta, it’s a big turn off. If these models are final, I’ll get my fun out of the game and move on, it’s that simple. Got my PS3 and Skate 2 on standby. Fortnite and Sims are for children, I haven’t been a child since the 90’s. EA already ruined the Dragon Age series (and BioWare) for me with the art style change (don’t get me started on the writing), it’s 1/2 price right now and I still can’t recommend it to fans of the original series. Skate is all I have left, I hope the feedback puts the game on the right path and I can recommend it.

Considering the game and physics have to be remade in Frostbite, and EA has finally got some experience with the engine, the gameplay and feel is definitely in the right direction. Still a ways to go, but it feels good, just not quite there yet. We’re also testing an older build so things may be more fleshed out already. Try playing with Experienced controls and tweaking some default controller settings, it took a little bit, but I can control the way I want to. Vertical, transition on ramps, and momentum/velocity are still way off, but the street skating is almost solid. Ragdoll physics are hilarious bugs that are obviously not indicative of the final product.

Loot boxes for the free in game earned currency? Trash approach, let me pick what I want but still require a certain amount bought before next tier/level unlocked. This gacha system is predominantly geared towards children with access to their parents credit cards who will get annoyed they don’t get what they want and swipe instead of waiting or grinding out more events. Skateboarding culture is about anti corporate greed, so it’s tone deaf…just like Sony making an AI of Aloy but the entire plot is about AI taking over and destroying the world…utterly tone deaf and so far removed from reality. EA has failed their customers and fans again, and again, and again. This is their last chance, but the writing is already in the walls. Convince me otherwise (EA, not people commenting on this post).

As far as paid cosmetics, meh, it sucks but here’s the reality. The landscape has changed. A single player Skate game retailed for 70$ might sell 1-2 million copies, maybe more maybe less. Licensing fees for brands like Nike, Vans, etc have only gone up monetarily YoY. There isn’t an appetite to pay 10’s of millions of dollars for these licenses, yet alone royalties, or however they work out an agreement. Considering EA’s recent financial failures with Andromeda, Anthem, and Dragon Age, they’re going to recoup their losses one way or another. Partnering with Nike for example and giving them a % of the sale is where the industry is sadly headed. It sucks balls.

I just want a good skate game for the fans, by the fans, behind the fans. Wait till THPS remakes release and do some dumb collab with Fortnite and they’re selling skins or whatever I refuse to buy for my son…EA will get the wrong message and try to force their hand here. Speak louder, take the surveys, stand up for what you want and what you believe in.

Cheers