EA's next Skate won't be playable offline

In preparation for the release of the upcoming Skate in early access this year, studio Full Circle has launched a series of blogs in which the developers discuss several aspects of the title and answer questions from the community.
We learned, for example, that there will be cross-play, and that all the virtual currency spent by players during playtests will be returned to them at the start of early access. Furthermore, Skate won’t feature an offline mode, and will therefore require a permanent internet connection.
"The game and the city are designed to be a living massively multiplayer skateboard sandbox, always online and constantly evolving."
"You’ll see more important things evolve, like changes to the city over time, as well as less central things, like events and other in-game activities. In order to realize our vision for this skateboarding world, the game will require a permanent connection. It’s probably no great surprise if you’ve taken part in our playtest."