The long-awaited Skull and Bones has finally received a release date and revealed new gameplay footage during a special Ubisoft presentation this week. Although recent Skull and Bones leaks hinted at a release date this fall, with the several delays the title has experienced many players were dubious about the validity of those claims. Ubisoft has announced a release date that’s sooner than many fans have expected, and debuted new promising features for the game.
Skull and Bones was first announced nearly a decade ago, and was initially meant to serve as a spiritual successor to Assassin’s Creed: Black Flag. The game has seen many changes since its inception, with rumors oscillating between the title being single player or multiplayer focused. A myriad of leaks since Skull and Bones was announced have suggested everything from the game having no player versus player options to Skull and Bones having an open world based on Madagascar. With so many different rumors, leaks, and delays, it’s been hard for players to pin down exactly what the gameplay would involve, or if the title would be released at all.
A new Ubisoft presentation has confirmed a fall release date for Skull and Bones and demonstrated some of the title’s impressive gameplay. The game’s world is based around the Indian Ocean during the Golden Age of Piracy, a period from the mid-1600s into the 1700s where piracy flourished. Players will begin the game having just survived a shipwreck, and must build their piracy empire and reputation from the ground up by taking contracts, acquiring better ships and weapons, and exploring the open world. Multiplayer is a large focus of the title, and servers will offer both PvP and cooperative play. Skull and Bones is set to release November 8th, 2022.
It seems the rumors of Skull and Bones‘ death have been greatly exaggerated, as have the leaks suggesting a lack of PvP combat. The game is indeed multiplayer-focused, which can be a pro or con depending on the individual player. Thankfully, even for those who don’t enjoy multiplayer experiences, it seems Skull and Bones will offer plenty of single-player progression options as well.
There’s no doubt that many fans who have been following the progress of the title over the years are surprised at a November 2022 release date, and some may be concerned about the title being rushed in order to meet deadlines. Many recent AAA games have been plagued with stories of developer crunch schedules and missing features upon launch due to speed being prioritized over content, although it’s understandable that Ubisoft wants to push for a release of Skull and Bones as soon as possible after so many delays. The game shows an incredible amount of piracy promise, and will hopefully live up to the years of anticipation when it sets sail this November.
