Ubisoft’s upcoming release Skull & Bones is looking to be an interesting adventure on the high seas as players become pirate captains seeking loot and glory in the Indian Ocean. Trailers and press releases about the game show that it’ll be quite the action/simulator experience.
But while we know a bit about the game and what it entails, there are a lot of unknowns that present some interesting possibilities. Until we hear more about this upcoming game and obtain additional details, here’s what we know so far and what might be in the game.
10 Know: March 2020 Release
Right now, the biggest news is that the game is currently scheduled for release in March 2020. The reason this is noteworthy is that the game has been delayed a few times already and its release date was unknown for a time.
Part of the reason for delays is due to the fact that the project is being created by Ubisoft Singapore and this is their first time running point. Any other reason such as financial struggles or employee strikes is entirely speculation and hasn’t been confirmed.
9 Possibility: Crew Logistics
It’s been confirmed that you can choose your crew and that who you choose and how many members you choose is vitally important to your operations. But any further details haven’t been confirmed.
It’s possible that in addition to maintaining your vessel, you’ll be maintaining the crew as well, keeping the morale high, attending to physical needs such as hunger and thirst, dealing with injuries, and so on. It would also be interesting to see some financial system at play where you have to routinely compensate your crew furthering the need to get out and plunder so there isn’t a mutiny.
8 Know: Ship Customization
Ubisoft has confirmed there will be customization options both for practical/functional purposes and cosmetics. Practically you can outfit your ship with a variety of cannon types, different kinds of sails, and so on. What you choose affects your abilities in combat and how maneuverable your ship will be.
On the cosmetic side of things, you can choose the colors of sails and flags, which are both for personal and practical reasons. For instance, flying the colors of a particular faction will help you go undetected so you can ambush the enemy or escape unnoticed.
7 Possibility: Capture Ships
You are engaging in combat with other ships and it’s been confirmed you can board them, but there hasn’t been any word on whether this is a means to capture ships for your own use. You are able to own more than one ship but developers haven’t stated whether they were bought with solid coin or won at the end of a sword.
If ships are capturable it would present interesting money-making opportunities and be a great way to slowly build up a collection of ships to form your own armada and terrorize the high seas.
6 Know: Confirmed Classes/Ships
Speaking of multiple ships, it’s been confirmed that there will be a variety of ships to command. So far there are three types; the Frigate, the Brigantine, and the Sloop-O’-War. Each ship can be seen as a class or archetype and will have different advantages in combat that cater to different styles of play.
For instance, the Frigate is your straightforward pirate ship where you blast the enemy using broadside cannons; the Brigantine is a sturdy ship that lets you ram other ships via a battering ram on the bow; and the Sloop-O’-War is a small fast ship with long-range cannons to kite enemies.
5 Possibility: Additional Ship Types
Though three types have been confirmed it’s possible there will be additional ships introduced upon release or in the future through DLCs. It would present greater replayability, interesting methods of play, and open up opportunities for the various game modes.
Some examples could be large Merchantman ships meant to hoard large amounts of goods at the cost of speed, Barques that capitalize on good wind conditions at the cost of smaller cargo holds, and Galleons to act as slow-moving tanks to obliterate enemies with rows upon rows of cannons.
4 Know: Game Modes
Speaking of game modes, it’s been confirmed there are three different ones. Hunting Grounds is the main form of play and is considered both PVP and PVE. You’re in the Indian Ocean hunting down NPC ships to increase your wealth and possibly encountering other players in a specified PVP zone.
Disputed Waters pits players directly against each other by having teams raid ships to see who accumulates the most loot. The final game mode is Deadly Encounters, though very little is known about it. It’s possible this is a strict PVP mode where players pit their ship against another player’s ship in combat.
3 Possibility: Additional Game Modes
It’s possible that players will see more game modes upon release or added in overtime via DLCs. Such game modes could include battle royale style play where dozens of ships are pitted against each other with only one ship sailing away.
There could be races, with players trying to deliver cargos to specific docks in a capture-the-flag style, one player trying to escape as a defenseless merchant while others attack it, one player becoming a powerful Galleon that the other players try to destroy to take their place, and so on. Its possible Deadly Encounters is one of the aforementioned multiplayer game modes.
2 Known: Manipulate Factions
The developers have mentioned that players will have the ability to manipulate the other factions. This involves donning another faction’s colors to conduct ambushes or evade detection and even disrupt entire trade routes as factions try to find a way to get goods through a pirate blockade.
It also sounds like players will be able to pit factions against each other by donning the colors of a faction and then raiding the ships of a rival faction. This ability to spark wars, disrupt trade, and manipulate things sounds like an absolute blast.
1 Possibility: Form A Faction
What would make the ability to manipulate factions even more fun is if players could band together and form factions of their own. The ability to establish ports and have NPCs deliver goods would be a convenient way to accumulate wealth while also presenting new targets for the rivaling NPCs and other players.
It would also be appealing to players who want to manipulate things on a macro level, and giving them the opportunity to form their own faction would be a great way to do it. Especially when you can never fully trust the fellow members of your own faction who can backstab you at a moment’s notice.