Much time has passed since Ubisoft’s multiplayer pirate game Skull and Bones got an official status update, and at this rate it’s likely that much time will pass before one finally arrives. But until that happens, fans eager to explore the Golden Age of Piracy can look to a reliable source that has shared details potentially painting a picture of how the gameplay is taking shape.
It goes without saying in 2021 that development on this swashbuckling adventure has been rougher than usual. Four years after its official reveal, the game remains missing in action, and from the sound of it, that’s thanks in large part to Ubisoft struggling to settle on a consistent vision for its combat and exploration. The result is that Skull and Bones has reportedly restarted development multiple times over the years, leaving fans with little clue as to what the current version actually looks like.
But it’s possible that has changed, because noted leaker and industry insider Tom Henderson divulged several details regarding Skull and Bones' gameplay and different systems in a Twitter thread. Starting off, he claims that ships will be separated into five size-based tiers ranging from small fishing boats to large galleons, and these will be split into three other categories based on function: Cargo, Combat, and Exploration. While big ships will likely prove useful in high-seas battles, Henderson states that smaller ships will have their own benefits as well, like being able to traverse shallow coasts and rivers.
Progression in the game’s current version is based on the money earned through taking on various jobs, doing cargo runs, and raiding other ships, settlements, and fortresses. As players start with only a raft and then a small fishing boat, these objectives will be key to earning the means to construct proper pirate ships. From there, these vessels can then be outfitted with an assortment of weapons including cannons, balistas, flamethrowers, and mortars, and upgraded further with extra armor, smelteries, and storage boxes.
Henderson also provides a clearer idea of the version of the Indian Ocean that serves as the game’s setting. While Skull and Bones’ map will largely consist of open sea, it will include land-based locations including a fictional pirate haven in Madagascar and the Coast of Azania (modern-day Mozambique). Players will be able to walk around these locations in a third-person perspective and interact with NPCs, and this will presumably be where players take on jobs before setting out to sea and engaging in Assassin’s Creed-inspired combat.
The Twitter thread concludes with Henderson stating that the game isn’t “near completion” but is “at a decent spot” currently. To reiterate, Skull and Bones has had its fair share of development troubles, so if Henderson’s claims are accurate (and it’s worth reminding that they might not be), this could be a sign that things might finally be starting to come together and Ubisoft may soon be on the path towards smooth sailing.
Skull and Bones is in development for PC, PS4, and Xbox One.