Skate's $35 Dead Space Skin Upsets Fans

"Skateboarding games are a hell of a good time and EA's recent skate, the free-to-play title aiming to reboot EA's once-cherished series, is trying to lure folks back into the thrills of digital ollies and kickflips. And because it's a free-to-play game from a AAA publisher in 2025, it's got microtransactions and seasons and all that stuff. While we mostly tolerate this silliness in games nowadays, some stuff is just too expensive and too ugly to pass without comment."

"Instead of throwing money at the screen for a skin of space zombie-stomper Isaac Clarke from Dead Space, fans of skate have taken to the internet to throw shade at the developers for selling such an ugly version of Clarke for $35 bucks (h/t comrade Pitts at GameSpot). That's like, a whole meal at Taco Bell these days (with maybe a drink if you're lucky). It's also the price of many full, complete games you can play from start to finish."

"The situation reminds us just how far we've come from an era of gaming that felt more respectful of our time and money. One fan over on r/SkateEA points out that 2010's Skate 3 had an Isaac Clarke skin-but it was free and seemed more faithful to the character's appearance in the original game. It's a real shame as skate looks like a good time otherwise, full of all of the crazy stuff we'll never be able to do in real life on a skateboard."

EA released a free-to-play reboot of Skate with seasonal content and microtransactions. The game includes a $35 Isaac Clarke Dead Space skin that players criticized as overpriced and unattractive. Community comparisons note that Skate 3 offered a free, more faithful Isaac Clarke skin. Players also criticized the battle pass for containing ugly accessories and clothing and low-effort deck graphics instead of licensed skate brands. The game receives praise for core skateboarding gameplay and creative tricks, but monetization and cosmetic design choices have sparked backlash over perceived exploitation of nostalgia.

Read at Kotaku