Back when Assassin’s Creed 3 first released, nobody would’ve expected that the naval mission side quests would’ve expanded as far beyond as they did. The popularity of the mode, which ended up taking the spotlight away from the rest of Assassin’s Creed 3 in some regards, lead into Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag. After dedicating an entire mainline Assassin’s Creed game to naval combat, and being widely praised for it, Ubisoft decided to double down and create a standalone naval/pirate game. The result of which is Skull and Bones, the dedicated pirate game born from the innovative Black Flag, that’s been dormant for some time since it was announced.
Initially unveiled back at E3 2017, it’s been a long while since there’s been any significant update or reveal for Ubisoft’s dedicated naval game. Fans were initially very excited for Skull and Bones, and the prospect of a standalone pirate game being devoid of any necessary ties to the Assassin’s Creed formula. However, like several other Ubisoft games slated for release in the 2019/2020 window, Skull and Bones was delayed into Ubisoft’s next fiscal year. Considering Skull and Bones is very much a proof of concept, Ubisoft likely wants to nail the release of Skull and Bones so it doesn’t end up in a similar situation as Anthem was for EA.
It’s becoming a trite comparison for any in-development game to be put up next to Anthem‘s release, but in this case, both games arguably share many similarities. While Skull and Bones and Anthem were two games conceived from very different inspirations, both games were born out of a similar desire to realize a proof of concept. Numerous fans of Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag had expressed interest in a standalone pirate game, and Ubisoft is heeding that call. Both games are similarly live service, open-world games with “RPG-like progression” and co-op gameplay. Where Anthem realized an Iron Man power fantasy, Skull and Bones realizes the pirate fantasy.
At least, that seems to be Ubisoft’s intention. The reality is that Skull and Bones has been delayed three times now, citing “a new vision” as well as the need to expand the game’s development team further. By all accounts, there’s no indication that Skull and Bones will end up like Anthem by any means, but it shares all the same risk factors that could result in a similar outcome. Fans fell in love with the pirate gameplay that Skull and Bones promises to emphasize, but the strictly multiplayer live service approach of Skull and Bones may not necessarily be what fans are looking for.
Skull and Bones may not necessarily become the best game based on its premise, but it’s hard to say whether or not no news is good news. When Skull and Bones‘ creative director Elisabeth Pellen published the game’s 2020 development update, she seemed to echo the team’s optimism as the game’s ambition grew. However, in that same update, Pellen also noted the development team had to address several “critical questions” related to the game’s design which needed to be addressed. The game is going to receive more development time to address these questions, which can only be good for Skull and Bones, but the game’s already been in development for at least five years.
Releasing in a similar state to Anthem is, of course, the worst-case scenario for Skull and Bones. Considering Ubisoft dealt with a similar critical and commercial failure with Ghost Recon Breakpoint, the publisher is well aware of what releasing a rushed game can do to its entire games portfolio. Alongside titles like Far Cry 6 and Watch Dogs: Legion, Skull and Bones was one of the many games delayed due to Breakpoint‘s troublesome reception. Skull and Bones is a debut IP that uniquely needs to live up to and surpass Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag, whilst also cultivating long-term success as its own live service game.
At some point this year, Skull and Bones will return, according to Pellen. The game intends to make a “comeback” in 2021, hopefully providing the first look at Skull and Bones after nearly two years without any reveals or updates. Skull and Bones could’ve changed exponentially while in development the last few years, but that still doesn’t change the numerous rumors of reboots and significant changes at the studio. That being said, this year’s reveal for Skull and Bones will hopefully instill confidence in fans for the game’s release, whenever that may be.
Skull and Bones is currently in development for PC, PS4, and Xbox One.
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