EA introduces real-money purchases in the closed alpha of Skate, sparking a debate in the community.
The Skate series is set to make a comeback in 2025: EA wants to bring back the popular sports game of the PS3 era – and is inviting players to a test run.
But now the test run is overshadowed by a message that is sparking heated discussions among fans: EA is now introducing microtransactions in the closed alpha– in other words, actual purchases with real money. And this while there is still no sign of a release date.
The decision is controversial.
Shopping as a “positive experience”
It should now be possible for alpha testers to buy the in-game currency San Van Bucks and use them to purchase cosmetic items in the store. The reason given for this step is that they want to test the purchasing system.
The reason given by the developers is that they want to “ensure that buying in the store is a positive experience”. They are looking forward to feedback from players to make a great early access launch possible, according to the statement.
What happens to the money?
One catch of real-money purchases in the unfinished alpha version: At the early access launch, all progress in Skate will be completely reset. As a result, all purchased items will also be deleted and the price in the form of San Van Bucks will be refunded to the players’ account.
A debate erupts
Opposing votes: Many players are horrified by the decision to implement microtransactions in a pre-release game and harshly criticize EA. Here are some comments from the community:
- “Microtransactions in an alpha are completely insane, don’t buy this money-laundering scheme under any circumstances.” (Lanky-Minimum5063)
- “I’m almost surprised they didn’t start with the microtransactions and then add the actual game later.” (CatatonicMan )
Pro votes: But there are other opinions as well – many users argue that this approach is neither surprising nor completely new. Here are some voices from the community:
- “I don’t want to play devil’s advocate here, but didn’t Riot do exactly the same thing in the Valorant beta and no one batted an eye?” (LordMohid)
- “There are many reasons to test something: value assessment, popularity of different variants, quality assurance, and so on. The fact that they are paid for with real money simply provides more authentic data.” (Zerothian)
The Skate reboot was announced in 2020 and is scheduled for release in 2025 as an early access title for PC and consoles. The new Skate will be free and financed by real-money purchases.
The developers emphasize that there will be no Pay2Win elements. Loot boxes will not be sold, but earned through tricks on the skateboard.
