In an age when live service games come and go within months, there’s naturally some trepidation around Skate going free-to-play – something which has only been heightened by t

Yes, they did it again! Before the game even launched, EA has already added microtransactions to the long-awaited Skate revival. In the latest Closed Alpha update, players can now spend real money on in-game currency to buy cosmetic items.

Five years after it was first announced, Skate will launch in early access later this year, although EA is yet to give us a specific date. On its eventual release, Skate will be coming to PlayStation, Xbox and PC. Furthermore, it will also have cross-play and cross-progression support.

According to Insider Gaming, microtransactions became available with the latest update for Skate. They're called San Van Bucks and are utilized for cosmetic items in the sports game. EA and Full Circle are testing out the shop for Skate before it launches in early access this year.

We don't know when skate. is launching into early access, but you can be extra sure it'll have freemium currency to buy when it's here

The new skate game is planned to be a free-to-play title, which means microtransactions are its only revenue source.

Skate will be free-to-play in a city setting called San Vansterdam, Alpha Playtest ongoing. Mid-Alpha microtransactions added for testing cosmetic items only in the skate store. Players warned that EA may reset account progress before Early Access launch,