Full Circle Restructures Amidst Skate's Early Access Launch

Full Circle, the developer behind the newly launched Skate game, has announced a restructuring that will involve layoffs. This decision comes less than six months after the game entered early access on September 15, 2025. While the exact number of affected roles has not been disclosed, Full Circle stated, "We’re reshaping Full Circle to better support skate.’s long-term future." The studio emphasized that the layoffs do not reflect the contributions of the impacted employees, describing them as "talented colleagues and friends" who played a crucial role in developing the game.

Engadget

Full Circle was established in 2021 by Electronic Arts (EA), bringing together development talent from the original Skate team. The new Skate game, often compared to the Tony Hawk's Pro Skater series, has taken a different approach by adopting a free-to-play model supported by microtransactions, diverging from the paid experiences of previous titles in the franchise. This shift has raised questions about player retention and engagement, particularly in the competitive landscape of live-service games.

Engadget

The restructuring at Full Circle highlights the difficulties faced by developers in the live-service game market, as evidenced by the struggles of other titles like Concord and Highguard. Despite Full Circle's announcement that "tens of millions" of players have tried Skate, the challenge of maintaining player interest and encouraging spending on microtransactions may have contributed to the decision to restructure.

Engadget

In its announcement, Full Circle expressed a commitment to supporting affected employees during the transition. The studio's statement reflects a broader industry trend where developers must adapt to the evolving demands of players and the market. Engadget has reached out to EA for further clarification regarding the layoffs and the future direction of Full Circle.

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Critics of the restructuring may argue that the shift to a free-to-play model has not resonated well with the franchise's traditional fanbase, who may prefer the previous paid model that offered a more complete gaming experience. The decision to implement microtransactions in a live-service format has sparked debate about the sustainability of such models in the long term.

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As Full Circle navigates this restructuring, the future of Skate remains uncertain. The studio's ability to adapt to player feedback and market conditions will be crucial in determining the game's success moving forward. The gaming community will be watching closely to see how these changes impact both the development team and the player experience.

Engadget