SKATER XL Could Pick Up Where EA's Skate Left Off

Not a day goes by where some poor soul doesn't lament the quiet execution of EA's beloved Skate franchise. Countless rumours and teases have trickled through the web about a sequel since its last instalment in 2010. Sadly, none of them had any bearing on reality. Now though, indie studio Easy Day Studios Pty Ltd looks to answer the prayers of those skate-starved players with Skater XL - The Ultimate Skateboarding Game (now more simply referred to as Skater XL), a skateboarding sim that embraces its community and places emphasis on precise board control. It's set to fully release on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch and PC in July 2020.

Originally released on Steam Early Access in December 2018, SKATE XL has already garnered a healthy community which has contributed to the in-game collection of player-made content which includes maps, contests, "digital skate ezines", in-game brands and more. While the initial Early Access offering was undeniably modest, subsequent updates have added more characters, locations, features and—of course—improved the all-important gameplay. The full release will feature yet more characters and locations including a true-to-life Downtown LA map and several skating pros (proudly shown off in the trailer above).

As mentioned, gameplay takes precedence over all else in SKATER XL. Players will have direct control of their character's feet, letting them pull of moves dynamically rather than trigger "canned trick animations". It's leaning even heavier in the direction Skate did over a decade ago; here's hoping it's not too complicated to turn ex-Skate fans away.

With sandbox environments based on real-life locations, a  difficult but rewarding trick system and a healthy community that looks set to grow astronomically, SKATER XL could be the spark that reignites the skateboarding genre in gaming. My fingers are well and truly crossed for that to be the case.

SKATER XL launches on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch and PC in July 2020; it's available now on PC via Steam Early Access for £15.49.