Skull and Bones release date, leaks, gameplay & more

For a while, it seemed like we’d never get a Skull and Bones release date. Ubisoft’s open-world, open-sea epic first surfaced in 2017, but since then, it has been pushed back on several occasions. As fans became increasingly disappointed by the constant delays, it seemed like Ubisoft would abandon the project entirely.

Since then, things have greatly moved on, with Skull and Bones being delayed over and over again. It was never dropped by Ubisoft, though – despite all the struggles to bring the game to life. Ubisoft has not yet officially confirmed a release date but there is much speculation online.

Get Ready To Set Sail on the Skull and Bones Release Date

Skull and Bones is an open-world, ocean-faring adventure based on the naval combat witnessed in 2013’s Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag. From the most recent trailers, Assassin’s Creed fans will be able to identify the similarities between the two titles. However, Ubisoft is promising a much more standalone title in Skull and Bones.

When Skull and Bones eventually launches in February 2024, it’ll deliver an open-world PvPvE experience that’s rich with customization options.

At the core of the Skull and Bones project is an online multiplayer mode that’ll see ten pirates split into two teams of five, hellbent on dominating the open sea. Each pirate captain – the player – will have the ability to customise a ship with ‘near endless’ options. However, according to early gameplay insights, when a player is exploring the open ocean, they’ll do so entirely from the helm of the ship, and they won’t be able to wander around their vessel.

While there are land-based areas to explore, combat is restricted exclusively – at the moment – to the ships.

Ubisoft has explained that Skull and Bones can be played solo, but it’ll make for a much tougher experience overall. Ultimately, the goal is to start at the bottom of the ladder with an entry-level sloop, and then work your way up to the most well-armed and armoured galleons. On the way, players will unlock cosmetics, complete challenges, engage in PvP and PvE fights, engage in world events, and take on special missions either alone or with friends.

Will Skull And Bones Be Free?

It’s expected that Skull and Bones will not be a free-to-play game.

There are pre-orders available from Ubisoft that price the game at $59.99, making it a full-fledged, premium release. Furthermore, it has been claimed that Skull and Bones will get a Premium Edition that will cost around $20 more. It’s not yet known what that edition will feature, but it’s widely assumed that it’ll include early access to the game.

There are also expectations that Skull and Bones will feature microtransactions. These have been a relatively consistent presence in some of Ubisoft’s games for several years. Usually, they take the form of tokens that can be bought in order to purchase items from in-game stores. While these features are typically reserved for Ubisoft’s flagship franchise, Assassin’s Creed, they are also a feature in the firm’s competitive titles like Rainbow Six Siege.

As Skull and Bones is a crossover of sorts, it’ll almost certainly feature a store stocked with skins, boosts, and other cosmetics.

Is Skull And Bones Crossplay?

Fortunately for cross-platform friends, Ubisoft has confirmed that Skull and Bones boasts full crossplay compatibility. This transcends cross-generational play. It means that players on Xbox will be able to do battle against PlayStation players, and PC pirates will be able to fight against those playing on Google Stadia. Furthermore, Skull and Bones will have cross-progression support. This means that your account is the important thing, not the platform that you’re playing on.

So, if you own Skull and Bones on both PC and PS5, you can use the same account across both formats.

Will Skull and Bones Have A Campaign?

Despite having the ability to play solo, there’s no real campaign in Skull and Bones. As we’ve already mentioned, it’s a Sea of Thieves-style game that promotes open-world exploration and combat. Unfortunately, there’s no linear story to follow. There will be world events popping up, special missions to undertake, collectables to unlock, and fights to be had. However, there’s no campaign to follow in Skull and Bones.

However, it’s worth mentioning that the draw for Skull and Bones is multiplayer combat. While we’re not expecting any Skull and Bones esports tournaments to surface anytime soon, it’s a relatively innovative and refreshing introduction to the competitive scene. It’ll make a change for players that love PvP but might be a little bored with the traditional run-and-gun games.

Photo credits: Ubisoft Entertainment SA

Comments are closed.