Skate Story, the trippy skateboarding adventure from developer Sam Eng and publisher Devolver Digital, will launch directly into the PlayStation Plus Game Catalog on December 8, 2025. This means PlayStation Plus Extra and Premium subscribers get day-one access to the full game at no additional cost beyond their subscription, while the title simultaneously releases on Steam, PS5 as a standalone purchase, and Nintendo Switch 2 for a standard price of 20 dollars.
What Is Skate Story About
Skate Story tells the bizarre tale of a demon in the Underworld made entirely of glass and pain. The Devil offers this shattered creature a simple deal: take this skateboard, skate to the Moon, swallow it whole, and you shall be freed from your eternal torment. What follows is a surreal journey through hell itself, grinding on cosmic rails and performing kickflips to destroy vicious demons while discovering that the Devil’s greatest weakness is humility, perseverance, and a disgustingly sweet backside tailslide.
The game’s official description promises players will skate fast to destroy vicious demons, help a forgetful frog, and save other tortured souls on your journey from fragile beginner to hardened skater. The narrative explores existential themes through the lens of extreme sports, with giant philosophizing stone heads in a Lyceum pondering the meaning of life while you’re just trying to land that perfect combo.
This isn’t your typical Tony Hawk experience. Skate Story embraces weird, leaning into surreal imagery, cosmic horror aesthetics, and philosophical undertones that feel more aligned with indie darling Journey than traditional skateboarding games. The demon protagonist is nameless, sleepless, and hungry, tormented partly by the Moon’s brightness, creating motivation that’s equal parts absurd and strangely relatable.
The Skateboarding Mechanics
Despite its surreal premise, Skate Story features responsive skateboarding controls that gradually introduce players to an extensive moveset. According to PlayStation Blog hands-on impressions, the game wisely eases you into the vast number of moves at your disposal, starting with basic power slides by holding square and ollies by holding circle, then expanding into more complex techniques as you progress.
The combo system rewards variety over repetition. A meter tracks which tricks you’re performing, growing quickly only if you change up your flips rather than spamming the same move. Players can also earn timing bonuses by releasing jumps at the perfect sweet spot. Crash or bump into something, and the meter drops back to zero, creating risk-reward tension that keeps gameplay engaging.
This combo mechanic becomes essential during boss battles, where the only way to deal meaningful damage involves skating fast, popping varied tricks to build chains, then pressing square mid-air before landing to perform a devastating stomp. The higher the combo, the heavier the damage, making boss encounters feel frantic and rewarding for players who master the trick system.
Structure and Progression
Skate Story unfolds across story chapters connected by a shapeless soul space that serves as a hub world. This area bridges each chapter while giving players opportunities to customize their skateboard using soul currency earned by performing stunts. Gift shops scattered throughout the underworld sell wheels, stickers, and other cosmetic upgrades that let you personalize your demonic ride.
Accompanying the glass demon on this journey is Rabbie, a ghostly rabbit who provides companionship and presumably guidance through hell’s various districts. The game opens with an intense introduction to basics before moving into the Lyceum, a unusual area filled with giant stone heads pondering philosophical questions. From there, it expands into a wider adventure that dramatically goes beyond the demon’s initial Moon-eating quest.
The trophy list for completionists includes 27 trophies total and appears relatively straightforward, requiring players to complete the game and presumably perform specific trick combinations or defeat bosses under certain conditions. This suggests a focused adventure game structure with boss fights rather than an endless sandbox like Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater or Skate.
Key Gameplay Features
- Responsive skateboarding controls with extensive trick variety
- Combo system that rewards mixing up moves rather than repetition
- Boss battles requiring high combo chains to deal damage
- Hub world with skateboard customization options
- Soul currency earned through stunts used to purchase upgrades
- Story-driven adventure with philosophical themes
- Surreal visuals blending cosmic horror with skating culture
- Challenging but fair difficulty curve as moves unlock gradually
The Long Road to Release
Skate Story was first announced by Devolver Digital and developer Sam Eng back in 2022, making December 2025 roughly a three-year journey from reveal to release. This extended development timeline isn’t unusual for small indie teams, particularly when creating something as visually distinctive and mechanically polished as Skate Story appears to be.
The game received recognition at the 2024 Tribeca Festival, highlighting its artistic merit beyond just gameplay. IGN’s Charlie Wacholz went hands-on with an earlier build last year and expressed excitement about its promising story, absorbing vibe, and responsive skating controls. The positive early impressions suggested developer Sam Eng was crafting something special that justified the wait.
Throughout development, Devolver Digital has positioned Skate Story as more of an artistic statement than a commercial skateboarding game designed to compete with established franchises. This indie approach freed the team to embrace weird narrative concepts and surreal visual design that major publishers might have considered too risky for mass-market appeal.
| Platform | Availability | Price |
|---|---|---|
| PlayStation 5 | Day one PS Plus Extra/Premium + standalone purchase | Free with subscription or $20 standalone |
| PC (Steam) | December 8, 2025 | $20 |
| Nintendo Switch 2 | December 8, 2025 | $20 |
| Xbox | Not currently announced | N/A |
PS Plus Day One Strategy
Skate Story joins a growing list of indie games launching day one into the PlayStation Plus Game Catalog in 2025. Earlier this year, PS Plus Extra and Premium subscribers gained immediate access to titles like Abiotic Factor, FBC: Firebreak, Blue Prince, and Lost Records: Bloom & Rage through similar arrangements. This strategy benefits both Sony and developers in complementary ways.
For Sony, securing day-one indie releases helps justify the higher subscription tiers. PS Plus Essential offers only monthly games, while Extra and Premium add the Game Catalog with hundreds of titles. Day-one releases create exclusive value that can’t be replicated by simply waiting or shopping sales, encouraging subscribers to maintain or upgrade their memberships.
For indie developers like Sam Eng, PlayStation Plus deals provide guaranteed revenue and massive exposure that small studios struggle to generate through traditional marketing. Rather than hoping for organic discovery in crowded digital storefronts, a Game Catalog release puts your game directly in front of millions of subscribers. Even players who wouldn’t have purchased Skate Story at 20 dollars might download it on a whim because it’s included with their subscription, potentially creating fans who become paying customers for future projects.
Notable Absence on Xbox
Interestingly, Skate Story is not currently coming to Xbox platforms despite launching on PlayStation 5, PC, and Nintendo Switch 2. This could reflect various factors including development resource constraints, platform-specific technical requirements, or potentially an exclusivity arrangement with Sony connected to the PlayStation Plus inclusion.
Xbox has its own day-one subscription strategy through Game Pass, which competes directly with PlayStation Plus’s Game Catalog approach. Some indie developers choose to launch exclusively with one subscription service initially, then expand to other platforms later after fulfilling contractual obligations or gauging player response. It’s possible Skate Story could come to Xbox and Game Pass in the future, though nothing has been announced.
What December 2025 PS Plus Brings
Sony has not yet revealed the complete lineup of PlayStation Plus additions for December 2025. Typically, the company announces PS Plus Essential monthly games closer to the end of November, while Game Catalog additions for Extra and Premium subscribers get announced throughout the month as developers confirm their participation.
Skate Story represents the first confirmed Game Catalog addition for December 2025, arriving on December 8. More titles will likely join the catalog throughout December, though subscribers will need to wait for official announcements to know what else is coming. Sony also hasn’t revealed which games will be leaving the Game Catalog in December, an increasingly important consideration as the service matures and licensing deals expire.
Why Skate Story Matters
Beyond its PlayStation Plus strategy, Skate Story represents something important for indie gaming and the skateboarding genre specifically. While major publishers have largely abandoned or delayed skateboarding games, with EA’s Skate reboot stuck in development for years, indie developers are filling the void with creative interpretations of the formula.
Games like Skate Story, OlliOlli World, and Session prove that skateboarding mechanics can support diverse artistic visions beyond realistic simulations. By wrapping skating controls around surreal narratives and cosmic horror aesthetics, these indies expand what skateboarding games can be, potentially attracting players who wouldn’t touch traditional Tony Hawk-style titles.
The game also showcases how small teams can create visually striking experiences that compete with larger studios through strong art direction. Skate Story’s glass demon protagonist and underworld environments immediately communicate a unique identity that helps it stand out in promotional materials and digital storefronts crowded with generic action games.
FAQs
When does Skate Story release?
Skate Story launches on December 8, 2025, simultaneously across PlayStation 5, PC via Steam, and Nintendo Switch 2. It will be available day one in the PlayStation Plus Game Catalog for Extra and Premium subscribers.
How much does Skate Story cost?
Skate Story costs 20 dollars as a standalone purchase on PS5, Steam, and Switch 2. However, PS Plus Extra and Premium subscribers can play the full game at no additional cost beyond their subscription fee starting December 8.
Do I need PS Plus Essential to play Skate Story?
No, Skate Story is part of the Game Catalog, which is only available to PS Plus Extra and Premium subscribers. PS Plus Essential members do not have access to the Game Catalog and would need to upgrade their subscription or purchase the game separately.
Is Skate Story coming to Xbox?
As of the November 2025 announcement, Skate Story is not coming to Xbox platforms. The game is launching exclusively on PlayStation 5, PC, and Nintendo Switch 2 with no Xbox version currently planned.
Who developed Skate Story?
Skate Story is developed by Sam Eng and published by Devolver Digital. The game was first announced in 2022 and received recognition at the 2024 Tribeca Festival for its artistic approach to the skateboarding genre.
Is Skate Story like Tony Hawk or Skate?
While Skate Story features skateboarding mechanics, it’s structured more as a narrative adventure game with boss fights rather than an open sandbox like Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater or Skate. The combo system rewards variety, and the surreal underworld setting creates a very different experience from realistic skating sims.
How long is Skate Story?
The exact length hasn’t been officially disclosed, but based on the trophy list and structure, it appears to be a focused story-driven adventure rather than an endless sandbox. Expect a curated experience that prioritizes narrative and atmosphere over infinite replayability.
Will my progress carry over if I buy the game later?
Progress should carry over within the same platform. If you play through PlayStation Plus on PS5 and later purchase the standalone version on PS5, your save should transfer. However, there’s no cross-platform progression between PlayStation, PC, and Switch versions.
Ready to Eat the Moon
Skate Story’s day-one PlayStation Plus launch gives millions of subscribers a risk-free opportunity to experience one of 2025’s most visually distinctive indie games. Whether you’re a skateboarding game veteran curious about surreal interpretations of the genre or someone who’s never touched a Tony Hawk title but appreciates weird art games, Sam Eng’s demon-skating adventure offers something genuinely different.
The December 8 release date positions it perfectly for holiday downtime when players are looking for fresh experiences to explore. PS Plus Extra and Premium subscribers should absolutely give it a download when it arrives, while PC and Switch 2 players will need to decide if the 20-dollar price tag justifies diving into the underworld. Either way, gaming will be a slightly weirder, slightly better place once we’re all grinding cosmic rails and trying to swallow the Moon alongside a glass demon searching for freedom.