Skate players are accusing EA and developer Full Circle of backtracking on an earlier promise that map expansions would never be paid for. The controversy now centers around the 3rd Series' flagship goal, which introduces a tiered entry system that many have vociferously Skate players say it crosses the line for free to play.
Skate launched in early access on PC and consoles in September 2025. Since then, the game has released two quarterly seasons. Season 2, titled “Future Radical,” kicked off on December 2nd and will run through March 3rd, with Season 3 expected to follow on March 10th. Full Circle recently began sharing specific details about the upcoming content drop, creating some controversy in the process.
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Fans criticize skate over Isle of Grom Paywall
As some vocal players have noted on social media since February 19, the initial pitch for SkateThe season model included a direct promise that any maps added to the game after release would not be locked behind a paywall. However, Full Circle has now decided to reverse course, at least partially: Season 3 is set to introduce the Isle of Grom, an expanded version of the game's tutorial island with varying availability depending on the date. Initially, only those who purchase the next iteration of skate.Pass Premium will be able to access the area each day. Although the restricted access period is intended to be temporary, it is only a prospect Skate placing the map behind a paywall has already drawn criticism from players online.
Arrange the covers in the correct US release order.
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Arrange the covers in the correct US release order.
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The introduction of Full Circle effectively treats the Isle of Grom as a rotating destination: from March 10 to April 14, unlimited access is reserved for skate.Pass Premium holders; from April 14 to May 5, the island opens to all players for a limited time event; and from May 5 to June 2 SkateF2P players can enter by spending 500 earnable Rip Chips on a 24-hour day pass. While the studio may argue that this still leaves an unpaid path to the area, critics say the structure is effectively the equivalent of renting the map and setting an uncomfortable precedent for how future locations might be handled once the grand opening window ends.
EA responded to the backlash by pointing out the reality Skatedevelopment model. “Yes, sometimes plans have to change,” the game's official Twitter account posted on February 19, describing it as “part of the deal” in developing the Early Access title. The post generated more than 100,000 views within 24 hours, but did not assuage criticism. Some players claimed that Skate shouldn't have advertised its “free map” commitment so prominently, including in its FAQs and as a Discord sticker, unless that policy was firmly established. These critics aren't so much concerned about Season 3 being experimental, but more about changing the trust-sensitive promise of how Skate's world will grow.
Skate Season 3 will include a lot more than just the Isle of Grom, with its other additions likely to be far less controversial. Full Circle has teased additions aimed at expanding skate.Pass content, including additional rewards based on real brands like Adidas, plus various changes to the store and a new “Premium+” pack. A separate update is expected to outline additional gameplay features that are expected to bring everything “from darkslides to rougher streets.”
It remains unclear how the continued criticism of Season 3's map access model may affect player engagement. SteamDB data shows that the game currently peaks at around 2,000 concurrent users on the Valve platform, a 98% drop compared to Skatethe Steam playerbase in September 2025. Full Circle previously hinted at this Skate will remain in early access for at least one year. However, the studio did not commit to a specific timeline for the 1.0 launch.
- Released
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September 16, 2025
- ESRB
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Teen/crude humor, lyrics, mild violence, in-game purchases, user interaction
- Developers
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Full circle
- Engine
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Frostbite
