skate. is free to play on Steam, and ReSkate is the community project that lets you skate it with other people: a launcher that starts the game with the ReSkate runtime loaded, and a dedicated server that everyone connects to. There is no built-in matchmaking and no party system, so "how do I play ReSkate with friends" comes down to one question: whose server are you all going to be on? There are three answers, and this guide walks through each, from the one that takes thirty seconds to the one that gives you a spot that is yours.
What every player needs
Whichever route you take, each person in the session needs the same three things:
- skate. from Steam (app 3354750). It is free to play on PC.
- The ReSkate launcher. It starts skate. with the ReSkate runtime, and it pins the skate. build ReSkate supports, so nobody has to manage game versions by hand.
- The same ReSkate release as the server. The launcher updates itself, but a server that has fallen behind, or a friend who has not restarted the launcher in a week, is the most common reason a join fails.
Nothing else. No port forwarding, no VPN, no sharing an IP address. Players connect through Steam's relay network, so a server behind a home router is reachable from anywhere.
Option 1: meet on a public server
The quickest way in. Open skate. through the ReSkate launcher, go to Multiplayer > Servers, pick a server with a few people on it, and tell your friends its name so they can search for it. Everyone on the same server sees the same session: the same map, the same spawned parks, each other's lines.
The catch is that it is someone else's server. The map changes when their rotation or vote says so, the slots fill up with strangers, and if the owner takes it down mid-session, that is the end of the session. Fine for an evening, less fine for a crew that skates together every week.
Option 2: run the server on your own PC
The ReSkate dedicated server is a separate program from the game. It runs on Windows or 64-bit Linux, needs no copy of skate. on the machine, and you can run it on the same PC you play on as long as that PC stays on while the others are skating. How to host a ReSkate server covers the whole setup, but the short version is: unpack the server release, start it once to write ReSkateServer.json, set a name and (if you want) a password, and start it again.
Two things trip people up:
- The Steam token. Since October 2026 the ReSkate browser lists only servers that sign in to Steam with a game server login token. Without one your server still runs and friends can still get in with its join code, but nobody will find it by name. You make the token yourself at Steam's game server account page, for App ID 3354750, and paste it into
server.steam_token.
- The PC has to stay on. The moment you shut down, the session ends and the join code changes on the next start unless a token is set. A laptop that sleeps is a server that vanishes.
Option 3: a free hosted server
If you want a server that is always there, with its name in the browser and the same join code every night, but you do not want to leave a PC running, a hosted server is the answer, and for a small crew it does not have to cost anything. Connect runs a free ReSkate server tier: 8 player slots, the same dashboard, console and file access as a paid plan, listed in Multiplayer > Servers from the first boot because the Steam token is created for you when the server is built.
It is free, not a trial. There is no credit card and no time limit. Two conditions keep it that way: you link a Discord account and stay in the Connect Discord server, and you keep the server in use. A server nobody has joined for 14 days is suspended, and deleted 14 days after that; anyone joining resets the clock. One free server per Discord account.
Claiming one takes about a minute: link Discord, pick a server name and a region (Frankfurt, US East or Helsinki, whichever is closest to most of your crew), and it deploys. The dashboard's How players join card then shows the name to search for and the join password, ready to paste into your group chat.
When the crew outgrows 8 slots, ReSkate server hosting plans start at $2.79/month for 32 players, and upgrading keeps the server you already set up.
Getting your friends in
However the server is hosted, the join steps are the same:
- Start skate. through the ReSkate launcher.
- Open Multiplayer > Servers and search for the server's name. Type the password if one is set.
- Or use the join code. The server prints it in its console at start, and
status shows it again. The code works even when the server is hidden from the browser.
If one friend cannot get in while everyone else can, it is almost always a version mismatch: they need to restart the launcher so it updates, or the server needs the update command. Every other cause, from a wrong name to a full server to a custom map they do not have, is in players can't find or join my ReSkate server.
Keeping the session going
Once everyone is on, the server's settings are what make it feel like your spot. A few worth setting on night one:
- A password, if you want the server to be only your crew. Leave it blank and you will pick up skaters from the browser, which is its own kind of fun.
- Map votes. Turn on
votes.map and set a map pool, and anyone can start a vote with /vote map <map> instead of asking the admin.
- Custom maps and parks. A map dropped into the server's
Mods folder is offered to players when they join, and a park someone built in the Park Editor can be spawned for the whole server. Custom maps and park mods has the folder rules.
- Roles.
role <SteamID64> admin in the console makes a friend an admin, so the session does not depend on you being there.
ReSkate is a community project. Connect Hosting is not affiliated with Electronic Arts, Full Circle or the ReSkate team. skate. is a trademark of Electronic Arts.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you play ReSkate with friends for free?
Yes. skate. is free to play, ReSkate is free and open source, and a hosted server for up to 8 players is free at Connect. You link a Discord account instead of a card.
Do my friends need to forward ports or share an IP?
No. Players connect through Steam's relay network. They search for the server's name in Multiplayer > Servers or use its join code.
No. skate. runs on consoles too, but ReSkate is a PC project: every player needs the Steam version of skate. and the ReSkate launcher.
Why can my friends see the server but not join?
Check versions first. The server and every player must be on the same ReSkate release. Then the password, then whether the server is full.
How many people can be on one ReSkate server?
The server setting max_players goes up to 249. The free Connect server holds 8, and paid plans go from 32 to 128.