Skate's developer is laying off staff before the game leaves early access

"We're reshaping Full Circle to better support skate.'s long-term future. These shifts mean making changes to our team structure, and some roles will be impacted. The teammates affected are talented colleagues and friends who helped build the foundation of skate. Their creativity and dedication are deeply ingrained in what players experience today."

"EA originally formed Full Circle in 2021 with a staff of development talent from the original Skate team. Skate was often positioned as a more realistic competitor to the Tony Hawk's Pro Skater series, but the new studio has ultimately taken the franchise in a slightly different direction than fans may have expected."

"Recent history, both the failure of Concord and the ongoing struggles of Highguard, serves as a testament to how hard it is to launch a live service game in the 2020s. Full Circle's announcement notes the 'tens of millions' of players that have tried the new game, but it's possible a struggle to keep players interested and spending on microtransactions could be why it's restructuring."

Full Circle, the developer of the new Skate game, announced a restructuring that will result in staff layoffs, though the exact number of affected roles remains unclear. The restructuring occurs less than six months after skate. launched in early access on September 15, 2025. Full Circle states the changes are necessary to better support the game's long-term future. The studio was formed by EA in 2021 with talent from the original Skate team. Unlike previous Skate games that were paid experiences, the new skate. is a free-to-play live-service game with microtransactions. The restructuring may reflect challenges in maintaining player engagement and monetization, given recent failures in the live-service market.

Read at Engadget