The long-awaited new installment in the Skate franchise from EA, arriving after a 15-year gap, has made its early access debut this week, generating considerable player interest on Steam. While the launch saw impressive numbers, it wasn’t without its hurdles. Gamers have been reporting initial server congestion along with other startup glitches. Another problem being highlighted is an in-game “softlock,” preventing progress in certain areas of the skateboarding world.
The development team has acknowledged these concerns, stating in official forum posts: “We are aware of multiple instances where players are encountering softlocks – particularly within the Isle of Grom Tutorial, during various missions, or specific challenges.” Full Circle, the studio behind the game, is actively investigating the root causes of these issues and is working diligently to implement a solution as swiftly as possible, adding they require additional feedback.
To aid their investigation, EA is asking players who experience a softlock (an inability to complete a mission, challenge, or even the tutorial) to provide details on the official forum thread. This feedback should include their gaming platform, the specific affected mission or challenge, and their account username.
“Thank you for your understanding,” EA conveyed. “We’re dedicated to resolving this.”
The free-to-play, always-online nature of Skate contributed to server strain upon release. An “extended interruption” occurred overnight, prompting EA to perform essential maintenance to restore service — a matter which has since been resolved.
It’s important to remember that this early access version of Skate is still under development and will inevitably contain imperfections. EA and Full Circle have confirmed they are actively incorporating user feedback to improve the overall experience ahead of the full launch, which is still to come.
Skate is currently available on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. On Steam alone, the game achieved a peak of over 80,000 simultaneous players, demonstrating its broad appeal.