I have an odd relationship with Skate. As someone with a deep love for the original Black Box trilogy, it’s nice to have a new entry on my dashboard. However, my time with Full Circle’s spiritual reboot of the series feels like a sunk cost fallacy at this point. But is the arrival of a Nike enough to keep on grinding? We’ll get to that, but there’s one key thing EA isn’t addressing: what is happening with Skate Mobile?
When Full Circle first revealed Skate in 2020, the announcement of a free mobile game version piqued my interest. Even if you don’t have one of the best gaming phones around, most handsets these days are capable of delivering some top-notch experiences. Just check out my The Division Resurgence review or Delta Force review for proof of that. Yet, in the last six years, any crumbs surrounding Skate Mobile’s existence are microscopic. EA and Full Circle still feature references to it across the game’s marketing, but you have to dig to find them.
So, perhaps the launch of a massive new Nike collaboration might be a good chance to ask about it. If you’ve haven’t dropped in for a while, Full Circle is on a mission to provide players with better battle pass and store cosmetics. One of the key ways the studio is doing that is through more consistent licensed collaborations. We’re already seeing it with extensive Adidas, Vans, and Thrasher clothing. It’s somewhat of a step in the right direction. But considering branded items were free in the previous games, it stings a little to spend upwards of $8 on an Adidas Firebird jacket.
Nike SB gear is easily the most requested set of cosmetics, and to that end, Full Circle is on the money. There’s plenty of recognizable shoes, from classic Dunks to more contemporary high-tops. It’s amusing to see Dunk High ‘Championship Red’ sneakers in-game, well, because I wear these often. You can earn some free Nike gear through a limited-time event that starts and runs up to May 5, 2026, where all players will get access to the Isle of Grom (and its nighttime variant). The latter is an overhauled version of the game’s tutorial area, which is currently only accessible through Skate’s paid seasonal pass or by using in-game currency – despite the studio advocating for no paywalled maps before launch.
During the preview event, attendees, a mixture of creators and journalists, are encouraged to submit questions. Naturally, the questions selected gear towards the Nike content. It’s all standard stuff, pondering what the developer’s favorite Nike gear is, how they’re tapping into skateboarding culture, and the brand’s presence going forward. You’ll be glad to know Nike won’t be leaving once the event ends. At this time, I ask whether the studio can comment on Skate Mobile’s current status. Is it still in development?
Crickets. Despite submitting the question twice through the Q&A comment system, no one acknowledged it. Full Circle’s community lead reports they can see no further questions on their end. I understand that there’s no guarantee of getting an answer, let alone any reason why they should prioritize my question at all. Full Circle is likely flat-out ignoring the topic until the studio is ready to address it. And yes, Skate is still in early access.
It isn’t any less concerning, though. Full Circle’s presentation claims that over 30M players played Skate up to the launch of Season 3, a few weeks ago. Despite the game’s notably mixed reception with the series’ fanbase, that’s a weighty figure to have on paper. I assume much of this is console-based. Skate barely slides past 4k players on Steam at this point.
When I used to subscribe to Xbox Game Pass, playing Skate 3 through cloud streaming with a controller got me through some hefty train journeys. At least when the gods of 5G data blessed me with a good signal. On work trips or holidays, I even play it through my partner’s iPad in hotel rooms with an Xbox controller.
The point is that Skate’s casual pick-up-and-play nature suits a mobile port. It won’t fix Skate’s more granular issues, but it’d be a welcome addition to the roster of new mobile games on the horizon.
