GamesAdventureSkull and Bones7 years after Skull and Bones first set sail, Ubisoft stays calm: “Our goal remains the same then and now – to deliver an immersive pirate experience"When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
GamesAdventureSkull and Bones7 years after Skull and Bones first set sail, Ubisoft stays calm: “Our goal remains the same then and now – to deliver an immersive pirate experience"When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
(Image credit: Ubisoft)
In what first reportedly began life as a DLC for Assassin’s Creed Black Flag way back in 2013, the online nautical adventure spins its own kind of rags to riches tale, that will, as senior producer Neven Dravinsky puts it, see you take on the role of a “shipwrecked nobody who will need to defy, thrive, and rule” in their bid to become the most infamous pirate kingpin in the Indian Ocean.
“Players will immerse themselves in a gritty pirate fantasy as they build their empire and spread their dominance across the seas. They will explore a visceral world, with unique biomes and characters such as cutthroat individuals who will either aid or hinder their progress depending on the players' choice.”
Setting sail
(Image credit: Ubisoft)
Big in 2024(Image credit: Future)GamesRadar+ is exploring the most anticipated video games of the year withBig in 2024, with new articles dropping every day throughout January
Big in 2024
(Image credit: Future)GamesRadar+ is exploring the most anticipated video games of the year withBig in 2024, with new articles dropping every day throughout January
(Image credit: Future)
GamesRadar+ is exploring the most anticipated video games of the year withBig in 2024, with new articles dropping every day throughout January
It’s been a long journey to bring the “gritty pirate fantasy” to life, with Skull and Bones first getting announced officially as a standalone game separate from Assassin’s Creed back in 2017. With six delays pushing back its release over the years, it hasn’t been smooth sailing, but we’re now closer than ever before to seeing how Ubisoft’s take on a live-service pirate offering takes shape. There are plenty of features that show potential, from its Infamy system that you’ll raise to make a name for yourself, to crew management, and crafting, which will play a big part in your survival on the high seas. The scope for adventure is part of the team’s efforts to shift the direction of Skull and Bones over the course of its development, and envision something bigger for the project since its initial inception a little over six years ago.
“Six years ago, our game was actually quite different,” says Dravinsky. “It was more centered on a quick session-based experience that is PVP only. However, we saw the potential to dream bigger with the game. And with the market evolving each year, so did our game.”
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A pirate’s life for me
(Image credit: Ubisoft)
“Our game already has an amazing solo experience. But we’ve made recent investments in the experience, the most important one was ensuring the entire game can be played in co-op. We continued to add depth to our weapon system to strengthen our naval combat system has been further enhanced with improvements to our weapon system, making each weapon choice feel unique, and encouraging different playstyles.”
With more fantastical activities also added, such as ghost ships, sea monsters and more, Dravinsky teases that we can look forward to new events and features in “our seasonal post-launch”. He adds: “Our mantra is we’re going on this journey with our community, and this is what we believe differentiates a successful live game. It’s important that we’re ensuring that people who are playing have a voice, and we’re able to create experiences that would resonate with them.”
Here are all of theupcoming Ubisoft gamescurrently in the works.
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