When is the Skull and Bones release date? We’ve lost count of how many times the pirate game has been pushed back, but we’re not worried – despite a fairly cynical opinion across the board, what we’ve seen of Skull and Bones so far has been more than promising.
With Skull and Bones now years in the making, surely we can hope for a more fine-tuned adventure, and a worthy contender among the best pirate games. Beta tests have been taking place this whole time, and we’re assured that any delays are to ensure we’re getting the best product available. While Ubisoft is still keeping a lot of information locked away, we’ve plundered the murky depths of Davy Jones’s locker to bring you the latest Skull and Bones release date, gameplay news, ship customization, and everything else you need to know about this upcoming nautical adventure.
Skull and Bones release date speculation
Ubisoft’s recent 2023 financial presentation confirmed that the Skull and Bones release date is expected before March 2024. While there was no release date announcement during Ubisoft Forward in June 2023, we do know that the development is now moving towards closed beta, so we’re getting ever closer.
Skull and Bones closed beta
The first closed beta takes place between August 25 and 28, and you can sign up by logging in with your Ubisoft account and registering your interest here.
Skull and Bones gameplay
Our latest look at Skull and Bones confirms that the core of Ubisoft’s sail ’em up is largely unchanged. It’s still a multiplayer, open-world game with naval battles at its core. The combat still resembles Black Flag, albeit with some more exotic weapons and tools. Almost all of the action takes place from the captain’s perspective, so while you can leave the helm to explore hideouts and outposts, whenever you’re sailing around you’re effectively playing as the ship – you can’t get up and explore the rest of the ship, nor can you take part in island raids.
There’s plenty of scope for ship customization, too. You can pick between a variety of Skull and Bones ship types which each boast unique strengths and weaknesses. Some will offer greater agility, but you won’t be able to equip as many weapons or take very much damage, while others will let you lumber around the Indian Ocean carrying tons of guns and plunder, but you might make yourself a bit of a sitting duck for more balanced vessels. Beyond ship types and weaponry, you can also tune your ship’s armor as well as plenty of cosmetic features.
The main aim of the game is to become the most infamous pirate on the Indian Ocean, working your way up from having a tiny one-person vessel to a fleet of warships. To do that you’ll need to complete contracts, hunt treasure, and claim bounties to boost your infamy level. Curiously, there’s also a crafting component to Skull and Bones, and it appears that you’ll need to regularly head out in search of rare materials, animal skins, and other commodities that you can either trade or use to upgrade your vessel.
Skull and Bones trailers
The official Ubisoft YouTube channel now features a selection of Skull and Bones trailers to keep the anticipation as high as the seas, and each show off spectacular scenery, alongside customization options, combat features, and crazy explosives. The seven-minute gameplay trailer below, meanwhile, gives you a more detailed idea of the story and surroundings, from your humble beginnings as a shipwreck survivor on Sainte-Anne, through your rise to an infamous pirate with a fleet of your own ships.
Skull and Bones multiplayer
While you can play any of the activities solo, Skull and Bones is a multiplayer game first and foremost so they can all be played with other players, and the open-world itself is full of other player-controlled pirates.
That doesn’t mean you’re always at risk of being sunk – you can’t just start firing on other pirates willy-nilly, instead there are optional PvP servers for those that prefer a little more risk. The alternative PvE servers offer a bit more chill, but don’t think you’ll be safe from the impending doom of ferocious storms and shark-infested waters. Of course, you can also invite friends and people you meet to join your party and set sail side by side.
There’s still plenty to be revealed between now and the Skull and Bones released date, but the main thing to know is, yes, it’s still coming. Whether or not these delays will lead to Skull and Bones becoming known as one of the best PC games remains to be seen, but you can check out those that do hold that title in the meantime. Or find out a bit more about the Skull and Bones story, or check out some other open-world games while you wait.
