For better or for worse, it looks like downloadable content is here to stay. From horse armor to new car tracks, everyone seems to be cashing in. From a gamer’s standpoint it’s hard not to be concerned by this new industry trend. That’s why this news comes as such a surprise to us.

Knowing EA, we cant help but be skeptical about all of this. Is this a goodwill gesture to the community? Or is it a shifting of resources, so that all available assets are spent working on the inevitable sequel to Skate? Executive Producer Scott Blackwood commented to EGM that they are “not planning any new content for Skate 1″.

“We didn’t want to go back and ask [people] for more money to get more shoes and shirts,” Blackwood said. “That’s not how we wanted to enter this market.”

Is this the beginning of a trend for EA? It’s no secret the company hasn’t had the best track record for staying out of gamers’ wallets. So what’s their angle here? Are they hoping to build positive PR between iterations of the Skate franchise? Or are they beginning the first steps towards compromising with gamers?