Skull and Bones Needs to Be in Shipshape Order for Its Release Date

Game ZXC

Skull and Bones

By Max Borman

Published Dec 10, 2023

Highlights

Skull and Bones has faced numerous delays and restarts, causing fans' expectations to dwindle and skepticism about its release.
The game has the potential to offer a unique multiplayer experience, combining the joy of sailing the seas with friends and the engaging gameplay of Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag.
For the game to succeed, it must deliver a flawless and immersive pirate adventure with compelling content, an exciting world to explore, and a smooth launch without technical issues.

At the Game Awards, Ubisoft gave players another new release date for Skull and Bones. Apparently, it is supposed to hit store shelves come February, but there is a strong chance it never meets that date. Skull and Bones has been constantly delayed and restarted since it was first announced, which is why some Ubisoft fans even feel like it will never come out. However, that may all change next year, and if it does actually release, then the studio needs to make sure it blows players away.

If done right, Skull and Bones has the chance to be a fantastic multiplayer experience. There is nothing quite like sailing the high seas with friends, as seen with the likes of Sea of Thieves. Couple that with the gameplay loop of Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag, and it feels like a recipe for success. But after multiple delays, fans' expectations and hype have dwindled. So, if the game is not the best it can be, then it may fall flat when February rolls around.

A Possible Assassin’s Creed 4 Remake Puts the Final Nail in Skull and Bones’ Coffin

Ubisoft is allegedly developing an Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag remake, and its existence would kill any hope Skull & Bones has.

Skull and Bones Has a Lot to Prove As Its Release Date Nears

There is Seemingly No End to Skull and Bones' Delays

It can feel like Ubisoft has been talking about Skull and Bones forever, with the game being first revealed a long time ago. The game began development back in 2013 after the success of Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag. Originally, it was supposed to be an MMO spin-off of sorts, but it quickly became its own independent project. In 2017, Ubisoft officially revealed it at its E3 press conference. And six years later, it has yet to actually be released.

When it was first announced, players seemed to be interested in it. It was going to take the best parts of Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag to the online space for a new type of experience. But then it got delayed from its original 2018 release date to 2019. It was then delayed again to 2020, then the 2021-2022 fiscal year, then the 2023-2024 fiscal year, and now finally to early 2024. While the studio may be committed to this date, there is a chance that it gets delayed once more.

It May Be Hard for Skull and Bones to Make an Impact

All of these delays have made players less interested in Skull and Bones. On top of that, the gameplay trailers and overall look of the game have left much to be desired. Right now, some fans feel like the title will just be dead on arrival. Even though there may be some players still interested in it, the project's timeliness is not the same as if it launched soon after Black Flag. So, if Ubisoft wants any chance at making an impact, then it needs to make sure this game blows audiences away.

For Skull and Bones to be a massive hit, it needs to be almost perfect. At launch, there needs to be hours’ worth of content for players to engage with. That content needs to actually be interesting, varied, and truly make players feel like a pirate. It also needs to present players with a world that is exciting to explore, since that is a major part of why Assassin's Creed 4 is so beloved. Along with that, the game needs to launch without many technical problems and the servers need to be ready on day one.

Skull and Bones cannot suffer the pitfalls of other AAA titles, because otherwise, players may just tune out. The game has been delayed one too many times for it to simply be an alright experience. Players should be able to jump right in and get sucked away on a pirate adventure that they will not soon forget. And even with all of that, it may still be too late for this game to shine, but fans will just have to wait and see.

Skull and Bones

Skull and Bones is an action-adventure title developed by Ubisoft with a heavy focus on piracy and naval combat. Set in an open-world environment inspired by locations in the Indian Ocean, players take control of a customizable pirate captain and ship and undertake missions to collect treasure and raise in rank. Players rely on ship combat with cannons, mortars, and rockets to defeat both NPCs and other player ships.