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

Engadget

by Ian Carlos Campbell

February 25, 2026

AI-Generated Deep Dive Summary

Full Circle, the developer of the new *Skate* game, has announced a company restructuring that includes laying off staff. The layoffs come just six months after *skate.* entered early access on September 15, 2025. Full Circle stated that these changes aim to better support the game's long-term future, though they did not specify how many roles will be impacted. The affected employees are described as talented and integral to the game's foundation. The company emphasized that this decision reflects strategic restructuring rather than a lack of appreciation for their contributions. Full Circle was established by EA in 2021, comprised of developers from the original *Skate* team. While previous *Skate* games were paid experiences with single-player and multiplayer modes, *skate.* represents a shift toward a free-to-play live-service model supported by microtransactions. This new direction has led to expectations being misaligned with the franchise's history, positioning it as a competitor to Tony Hawk's Pro Skater but in a slightly different style. The challenges of maintaining player engagement and encouraging spending on microtransactions may be contributing factors behind the restructuring. The gaming industry has seen struggles with live-service games, such as EA's failed *Concord* and ongoing issues with *Highguard*. Despite Full Circle noting that tens of millions have tried *skate.*, sustaining interest in a free-to-play model remains difficult. These challenges highlight broader difficulties in launching successful live-service games in the current gaming landscape. This situation matters to tech consumers because it underscores the risks and complexities involved in transitioning established franchises to new business models. The layoffs at Full Circle reflect the high stakes of creating long-term sustainable games, particularly in the competitive and evolving world of video games. As companies like EA experiment with live-service models, they face balancing creative vision with financial viability, often leading to tough decisions that impact both their teams and their products.

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Originally published on Engadget on 2/25/2026