The 70s Are Calling: Breaking Down Everything in skate. Season 3!

If you have been grinding the streets of San Vansterdam, it is time to switch up your aesthetic. EA and Full Circle just dropped Season 3 of the skate. Early Access period today, March 10, 2026, and it is bringing a massive wave of nostalgia. Titled Fluid Flashback, this update completely transforms the city with a vibrant 1970s visual overhaul while adding highly requested tricks and customization options.

But it is not all smooth skating, as some of the new monetization tactics have the community completely up in arms. Let us get into exactly what is new and what is causing the drama.

Darkslides and Tattoos The development team finally delivered on two of the most requested features in franchise history! Darkslides and Dark Catches are officially in the game, allowing you to flip your board upside down and grind on the grip tape. They also completely overhauled Boneless tricks to make them significantly more responsive on flat ground and transitions.

On the customization side, ink has finally arrived! You can now unlock and place tattoos on your skater arms and legs, with options to resize and rotate them exactly how you want. Plus, you finally get three saved character loadouts so you can quickly swap between your favorite outfits without rebuilding them from scratch. If you want more than three slots, you will have to pay using in game currency.

Speedlines and The Retro Vibe The city itself is getting a massive facelift. Locations like Rolling Waves and The Block Party are sporting bold new colors and designs that fit the retro theme. To test your skills in these updated areas, the developers added Speedlines. This new mode comes in two flavors. Time Trials require pure speed, and Technical runs require you to manage your momentum while hitting specific trick criteria.

The Isle of Grom Controversy This is where things get a bit messy. Season 3 brings back the beloved tutorial area, the Isle of Grom, completely expanded with new terrain inspired by older titles in the franchise. However, access is heavily restricted. Right now, only players who purchase the Premium Pass can access the island. It will eventually open up for a free public event in April, but after that, free to play users will literally have to spend their earned currency to rent a 24 hour day pass just to skate there.

Locking an entire map expansion behind a premium paywall or a daily rental fee in a skateboarding title feels incredibly restrictive. The community is already organizing boycotts on Reddit, and honestly, they have a solid point. We all knew the free to play model would bring heavy monetization, but paying daily rent to skate a tutorial island is a tough pill to swallow. Still, the addition of Darkslides and tattoos makes this update mechanically fantastic, even if the business side is frustrating.

For BREAK THE META, this is WILD SURF. Catch you on the next drop!