Skull and Bones has suffered immeasurably at the hands of a tumultuous development path. It has been delayed more times than any other game in history, being pushed back time and again by Ubisoft with tweaks, updates, and changes being made to the product over and over again. The latest release date given to the pirate-based, multiplayer epic is February 16, 2024 – and all signs point to the game being successfully released on that day.
Finally.
We’re In The Endgame Now
There’s an open beta being held for Skull and Bones between the 8th and 11th of February, with all comers being invited to try out Ubisoft’s sea-faring adventure. This is a game that has been firmly trapped in ‘development hell’ for more than six years, so it’s a wonder that it has gotten this far at all. Recently, Ubisoft (and other developers) have canned several projects, so it’s lucky something as troublesome as Skull and Bones has gotten this close to being released.
Skull and Bones reportedly went gold a long time ago, but since then, Ubisoft has worked to perfect the game as far as possible. There have been mixed reviews coming out of playtests and closed beta phases, but over time, those reviews have started leaning more towards a positive sentiment.
Speaking to a Ubisoft employee close to the project, I learned that Skull and Bones’ endgame is shining brighter now, which in turn has helped to improve the product as a whole. In a game like this, which is designed to be live service and effectively played ‘forever’, having a weak endgame can be a killer. It’s the sad story with Bethesda’s Fallout 76, which was the first-ever multiplayer Fallout title. It’s a solid enough title, but it’s an MMORPG with a seriously stagnant endgame, which means the gameplay loop becomes miserable after enough time.
This is the closest we’ve ever been to Skull and Bones hitting the market – will the final three or so weeks go by without incident?
For more Insider Gaming coverage, check out the news that The Last of Us Part II almost had a different ending
