This week, it was confirmed thatUbisoft has five AAA gamesslated to release before March 2021, though what those games are Ubisoft chose not to say. This has left some fans speculating about the forthcoming titles, and there are quite a few likely candidates. However, it’s looking like the company’s pirate-adventure gameSkull and Bonesisn’t going to be one of them.
Since theannouncement ofSkull and Bonesback at E3 2017, the game has been delayed multiple times from its original launch window of fall 2018. As of now,Skull and Bonesis officially scheduled to launch at some point after March 2020, which could technically mean that it is one of the aforementioned AAA games, but Kotaku’s Jason Schreir says fans shouldn’t hold their breath.
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On Twitter, Schreier recently indicated thatWatch Dogs Legion,Rainbow Six Quarantine, andGodsandMonsters,Ubisoft games that were delayedat the end of last year, are three of the five forthcoming AAA titles. Schreier additionally stated that the other two will beAssassin’s Creed Ragnarokand the recently-leakedFar Cry 6, and this led a Twitter user to ask about the current situation withSkull and Bones.
Schreier’s response was brief, and he said that the game has seen “lots of reboots” as well as the departure of its creative director in late 2018. WhenUbisoft delayedSkull and Boneslast year, it was said that the company wanted to take its time to put “quality first” and ensure the game becomes “as awesome as it can be,” and indeed Schreier suggests that “it’ll be a while" still before the game reaches that point.
Originally,Skull and Boneswas marketed as Ubisoft expanding the popular naval elements ofAssassin’s Creed 4: Black Flaginto a full game, complete with a number of multiplayer modes, the ability to customize one’s pirate ship, and open-world areas to sail across and explore. It’s very possible that these elements will still be included inSkull and Boneswhen it eventually releases, but with all of the troubles the game’s development has reportedly gone through, that may not be the case.
Still, odds are Ubisoft won’t abandon the project anytime soon. While its status as a new IP means it may not have the prestige of Ubisoft’s established franchises likeAssassin’s CreedandRainbow Six, the company has shown confidence inSkull and Bonesand even made plans to expand the IP with a female-ledSkull and BonesTV show.
Skull and Bonesis in development for PC, PS4, and Xbox One.
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