Skate dev update promises new customisable city, Flick-it & console playtests

Having once been our go-to grind as kids, Skate is on the way back with one of the most-needed franchise revivals we've had in a long time.

The skateboarding series launched with back-to-back-to-back years of annual releases, but after 17 years since Skate 3 (wow, we're old), EA is bringing back Skate like never before.

Now, Skate is rolling at us with speed, and EA promises more ways to make the experience exactly how you want it to be with a new customisable city and the return of the notorious Flick-it controls, both of which are lined up for console playtests soon.

Skate to have a fully customisable city with Quick Drop mode

Skate will be moving to a new city named San Vansterdam, which sounds like a pot-centric bicycle-heavy town moved from the Netherlands to the West coast of America, Miami-fying the Dutch capital.

But this City won't just be handed over to you, and that's it. Thanks to a new Quick Drop feature, showcased in the latest developer update today (June 10), Skate will now open up the floor to your imagination, allowing you to design your own paths.

The feature allows you to drop ramps, rails, and other objects around the city, letting you custom-make San Vansterdam to your liking.

Skate will also see the return of its popular Flick-it controls, where the analogue stick becomes your best friend as you perform tricks and flicks with your right thumb.

Skate console playtests start this fall

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For the first time, Skate is being built for Windows PC and Mac, having previously only been available on consoles, the last of which were PlayStation 3 and Xbox One. 

This time, it will launch on PC, mobile, and consoles, the latter of which is now nearly ready for players to get their first grind on.

EA has confirmed that playtesting for consoles will start "this fall", marking significant steps forward towards its release.

There's still no official release date set in stone for Skate, but after nearly two years of testing on PC and a console variant nearly there, maybe we're not that far off a finished project.