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

Source: Engadget

Layoffs Announcement

Full Circle, the developer behind the new Skate game, has announced that it is restructuring and laying off staff. It is not yet clear how many roles will be impacted, but the restructuring is happening less than six months after Skate launched in early access on September 15, 2025.

“We’re reshaping Full Circle to better support Skate’s long‑term future,” Full Circle said. “These shifts mean making changes to our team structure, and some roles will be impacted. The teammates affected are talented colleagues and friends who helped build the foundation of Skate. Their creativity and dedication are deeply ingrained in what players experience today. This decision is not a reflection of their impact and we’re committed to supporting them through this transition.”

Engadget has contacted Full Circle’s owner EA for more information about the layoffs and will update the article if a response is received.

Company Background

• EA formed Full Circle in 2021, staffing it with development talent from the original Skate team.
• The new Skate is positioned as a more realistic competitor to the Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater series, but the studio has taken the franchise in a slightly different direction than many fans expected.
• Previous Skate titles were paid experiences with single‑player and multiplayer modes, whereas Skate is a free‑to‑play live‑service game supported by microtransactions.

Industry Context

Recent history—including the failure of Concord and the ongoing struggles of Highguard—highlights how challenging it is to launch a live‑service game in the 2020s. Full Circle’s announcement notes “tens of millions” of players have tried the new game, but difficulty retaining players and generating microtransaction revenue may have contributed to the decision to restructure.