EA is a publisher whose successes often seemed lined up for it but are marred by a variety of issues, though often self-inflicted. From the Star Wars: Battlefront debacles to BioWare's development issues, EA seems to catch the blame for many problems within games published by it, which is often completely avoidable but perceived widely as a tool for collecting as much profit from the consumer in the long-run as possible. Whether true or untrue, EA could save its own reputation via a variety of actions and one of those actions is quite simple: bring back the Skate series.
A History Of Skateboarding Games
The "skate" genre seems like on that's come and gone. Starting with the Tony Hawk's Pro Skater series, the genre saw its rise in the late '90s and gradual fall in the early 2010s. For one reason or another, gamers fell out of love with the skateboarding genre and, thus, development for skating games had been on the decline. Of all the skateboarding series available, EA's aptly-titled Skate games were easily some of the best and most popular. Furthermore, they successfully rejuvenated the skateboarding genre after the fire started by the Tony Hawk's Pro Skater series had gone out.
This is why it is such big news that EA renewed the Skate series' trademark. This, of course, isn't confirmation of a sequel or anything, but it provides promise for fans who have been waiting for any bit of new information regarding the Skate series.
Love It Or Skate It
Upon the series' inception, Skate was immediately well-received for its attention-to-detail in the world of skateboarding. Not only were there a bevy of familiar skateboarding tricks but the trucks were incredibly easy to perform, with fluid controls and solid presentation. Each Skate iteration generally improved upon the last and had an interesting urban landscape complete with objects to perform tricks off of. The series didn't have the same impact as Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2, but it has remained the shining example of what a polished, modern skateboarding game looks like.
So, EA, the move is yours.
EA's Woes And How It Can Fix Them
EA catches a lot of flack, often rightfully, despite still putting out good content. Inherently, Star Wars: Battlefront II is actually a well-made title with solid first-person and third-person mechanics. However, the game was made an instant mess by the loot box mechanics inserted into the game by DICE and EA. While EA tried to atone for this later with Battlefield V, the latest Battlefield iteration contains an in-game currency, which can be purchased with real money, used to purchase a variety of cosmetic items. It is a constant case of EA shooting itself in the foot, it seems.
So, while a loot box-free and microtransaction-less Skate 4 would be good for a chance to redeem EA's reputation, it would also stand as a solid jumping-off point for the next generation. Project Scarlett and the PlayStation 5 are heading consumers' way next year, and a new Skate game would potentially be a great way to show off the technology with realistic urban, industrial, and suburban settings. EA would show the world it intends on leading the pack next generation and turning a proverbial new leaf.
The skate genre is nearly a bygone genre at this point, and EA is a company whose reputation has plummeted in recent years. These two facts can be turned around with a new Skate game. If EA can let up on the loot box mechanics and skip microtransactions to craft a new Skate experience that impressively shows off what the next console generation is capable of, then it could save itself from plummeting further.