Ubisoft just gave fans a new look at Skull and Bones during its recent showcase, revealing new gameplay and confirming a release date of November 8. In it, players will be let loose on the Indian Ocean to gather Infamy as a pirate, amass their fleet, and become a leading Kingpin on the seas.
They’ll have to deal with merchant ships, factions, other pirates, contracts, and more on their climb to the top, but of course, they’ll be doing it from the helm of their own ships. Game ZXC recently spoke with game director Ryan Barnard about the ships in Skull and Bones.
Players will have access to three categories of ships, each with a different focus. Cargo ships can carry more, Navigation ships are faster and more maneuverable, and Firepower ships are stronger in combat. Players will be able to mix and match their styles to adhere to the particular mission, as well as the playstyles of their friends. Just like any good Pirate captain, though, players are not limited to one ship.
At launch, there will be a total of 12 unique ships players can craft (after unlocking enough Infamy) across the three aforementioned categories. Beyond just their category, there are other elements like ship size that factor into each one. Barnard also stated that players “can craft up to 40 different copies of those ships because you may end up maybe losing a ship to combat or PVP or whatever. "So, it’s always good to have backup in your garage, so to speak, ready to go," Barnard says.
It's important to note that this is just at launch too. Skull and Bones is a live-service multiplayer title, so hearing that more content will be added to the game over time is just par for the course. It’s noteworthy, however, that all Skull and Bones post-launch content will be free. Ubisoft hasn’t gotten as far as revealing a roadmap or anything like that, but it did mention in the showcase a few things players can expect.
Namely, Skull and Bones will feature events, new ships, weapons, and more over the coming years. Ubi may share more specifics as the game gets closer to launch, but players will be setting sail before the end of the year.
Skull and Bones releases November 8 for PC, PS5, Stadia, and Xbox Series X.