The latest Skate game is both closer and farther away than expected. As the recently released Skate pre-pre-pre alpha trailer has shown, the game is far from finished. That being said, it will be playable sooner than expected.
Electronic Arts is launching a closed alpha test, called the Skate Insider Program. Members of the general gaming public will be able to get their hands on an early version of the game and give their feedback.
The new developers are set to take the feedback seriously, judging by Electronic Arts' recent listing for a User Experience Researcher, so there's a chance that the people in this test will have a serious influence on the direction of the game. That being said, participation is not guaranteed.
Signing Up for the Skate Alpha
Before signing up for the alpha, players need two things. First, they need a PC able to run Skate. At the time of writing, the alpha is exclusively for the PC, although that might change in the future. Second, they need an EA Origin account.
Once a player has these two things, they can head to the Skate page on EA's website and link their Origin account on the registration page. From there, players just need to wait for clearance.
Limitations of Skate's Alpha
Before getting their hopes up, players should know that not all people who sign up will get to play. The FAQ page states that they need to scale access, and will be "inviting players to participate in playtesting based on varying factors defined by our goals for testing at that time in development."
Players who do get chosen will also need to watch their behavior. Accepted players will have to "keep discussion and feedback to the appropriate channels." This won't be the place to show off a hilarious Skate glitch compilation.
Why Players Should Join
It's clear at a glance that the new Skate title will be very different from its predecessors. The trailer shows an expanded level editor, a new parkour system, and larger groups of players all skating at once.
These features will need to be heavily stress-tested before release. The new Skate's greater focus on online multiplayer means that glitches won't just affect a single person's experience, but can disrupt the experience of bystanders as well.
Skate is currently in development.