As announced by Ubisoft , the publisher finally unveiled Skull and Bones, the action-adventure pirate game from Ubisoft Singapore with a proper release date plus cinematic and gameplay overview trailers. Skull and Bones will launch on November 8 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, PC via the Epic Games Store and Ubisoft Store, Google Stadia, and Amazon Luna. Ubisoft is leaving out last-gen consoles for this release, which is certainly a bold move from the publisher. Check out the gameplay and cinematic trailers for Skull and Bones below.
Ubisoft Singapore is best known for its work on Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag, and Skull and Bones is basically that with all of the assassination cut out and the seafaring, naval warfare, and crafting heavily expanded. Ubisoft is also taking a page out of Sea of Thieves and introducing certain PvP elements to Skull and Bones, which should interest those looking for a competitive pirate experience. The gameplay overview shows off the various aspects of the game, including crafting, infamy, contracts, and co-op play. That said, it’s not yet known if there will be a central narrative to the game as you play through it, or if it will be a "build-your-own-story" type of deal.
You can now pre-purchase the game through the various platforms, and a listing on the Epic Games Store describes the two available game editions. The Standard Edition only comes with the base game and two pre-purchase bonuses via the Highness of the High Sea pack:
- Notoriety garb
- Coronation firework
A Premium Edition is also available, which includes the base game, the Highness of the High Sea pack, and these bonuses:
- The Ballad of Bloody Bones Collection, which features the Bloody Bones captain outfit and Ashen Corsair ship ornaments including helm décor, mast trophy, and wheel.
- 2 extra missions, The Ashen Corsair and Bloody Bones’ Legacy.
- Digital artbook and soundtrack.
- A Smuggler Pass token, which Ubisoft says is usable once on any Season.
The existence of the last bonus, the Smuggler Pass token, gives us a hint on how Ubisoft will try and monetize Skull and Bones. There will most probably be various Seasons as with the Assassin’s Creed titles, but rather than sell a Season Pass which includes all content in a certain year, it seems that Ubisoft is now just providing them piecemeal with these Smuggler Passes. It will be well worth waiting to see how Skull and Bones will develop as another live-service title in Ubisoft’s lineup as it nears its launch on November 8.
