Following the Skull And Bones gameplay leak, many fans were concerned that the game would not be able to deliver a realistic and exciting pirate-themed game. Ubisoft has proven that it can create great pirate games after the massive success of Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag, but a few key changes in gameplay will not be enough to elevate Skull and Bones to that level. With the game set to launch in 2023, the concerns that rose from the gameplay leak will need to be fixed for Ubisoft to attract and maintain a large player base for its multiplayer pirate game.
Skull And Bones has been in development for many years now, and fans have patiently awaited the release of the game. However, the Skull and Bones gameplay leak left many people with the impression that when the game finally does release, the finished product is going to be a disappointment. Poor gameplay variety, a lack of exploration options, and not enough of a change from Black Flag’s gameplay all contributed to the negativity, so Skull And Bones’ release will need to look a lot different from the leak to be a success.
Better Exploration
One of the biggest criticisms that Skull And Bones has received since the gameplay leak has been the lack of true exploration in the game. During the gameplay, fans got a glimpse at the ship gathering resources from an island without the need of leaving the ship at all, and this has many fans thinking that most of the exploration is only going to be done at the helm of the ship. This will destroy the open-world feel of Skull and Bones, as the many islands will be seemingly inaccessible, ensuring that the game will not give players enough freedom.
This style of action also translated to the naval combat, where players may be unable to board enemy ships, which is a big step-down from Black Flag since it allowed players to board enemy ships and take over. Not giving players the ability to disembark their ship whenever they deem necessary is a serious problem that will undoubtedly stunt exploration. For Skull And Bones to succeed after its release, the game will need to include the options for players to freely explore every part of the world, something that Ubisoft did with Black Flag nearly a decade ago.
Freedom to Be Pirate or Hunter
Skull And Bones will include online cooperative and competitive gameplay, with groups of players teaming up and fighting others for loot. This concept has the potential to work great and is a proven formula following the success of games like Sea of Thieves. Skull And Bones also include NPC enemies that will play the part of pirate hunters and take out ships that hold a lot of loot. However, giving players the opportunity to also act as pirate hunters could certainly give them a lot more freedom and allow them to experience the life of both a pirate and a hunter.
Giving players control of pirate hunters will allow for more PvP encounters and could also make certain aspects of the game more challenging. If Ubisoft does this, it would be up to the pirate hunters to scan the seas and protect large vessels from pirates, opening the game up to a more strategic style. It would also give players unique types of gameplay. For example, pirates could need to loot ships to generate funds, while hunters could turn in bounties and could even be employed by the Royal Navy as a source of income.
Fleet Management
One feature that many fans would have liked to see in Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag was an in-depth fleet manager that allowed players to embark on expeditions with multiple ships. Now, Skull And Bones has the chance to include a fleet management system that could allow players to embark on quests with multiple ships, even if their friends are not online. The fleet management system could include more than simple ship building, but also strategies that certain vessels will use if the player is not controlling it, letting players have a say in how ships react both inside and outside of combat.
Fleet management will open the door for more strategic gameplay and could even allow the player to switch control of ships if the need arises. This method can put a lot more emphasis on surveying a battlefield before starting combat and figuring out the best combination of ships for combat, which will allow players to participate in fair battles without needing others to control the rest of the fleet. It would also be a great way to explore Skull and Bones' oceans, as players can feel safe knowing that the ships they control in the fleet will be unlikely to turn against them after a heavy battle.
Skull And Bones is expected to release sometime in 2023, but with the gameplay leak showing more problems following a long development cycle, fans are skeptical about Ubisoft’s upcoming game. For the game to stand apart from others like Sea of Thieves, and especially Black Flag, it will need to change a lot of things and ensure that players can get a full experience that ranges from open world exploration to managing their own crew and fleet. With all the changes that fans are hoping for, Ubisoft may need to delay the release of the game once more, which could cause even more turmoil for a game that has been in development hell for quite a few years now.
Skull And Bones is scheduled to release in early 2023 for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S.