Summary
Skull and Boneswas already experiencing a troubled development cycle, but now, Ubisoft’s open-world pirate game has lost its third creative director. To say thatSkull and Boneshad a difficult road thus far is certainly understating things a bit, and things have just gone from bad to worse.
Fans were initially intrigued asSkull and Boneslooked to be inspired by the naval battles in the fan-favoriteAssassin’s Creed 4: Black Flaggame. However, the new IP has been marred by one setback after another since then. Initially slated to release in 2018, the game kept being pushed back until it was announced in 2020 thatSkull and Boneswas moving ahead with a “new vision.” Since then,PlayStation has even issued refunds onSkull and Bonespre-orders.
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Now, after the lackluster reception of the recent beta, Kotaku is reporting thatSkull and Boneshas lost yet another creative director, Elisabeth Pellen – its third so far. Pellen has been with the development team since 2018 but reportedly left the Ubisoft Singapore, the team currently working onSkull and Bones,to join the Paris headquarters earlier in the summer. This news lies in the wake of the larger picture for the publisher asUbisoft announced the cancelation of another four games back in July.
Skull and Bones' recent delaypushed the game out of 2023, but it is still reportedly set to release before the end of Ubisoft’s fiscal year in March 2024. Again, another delay isn’t exactly a surprise for those following the development of the game, and perhaps it may even be beneficial as the fall schedule looks packed full of major releases. Ubisoft alone hasAssassin’s Creed MirageandAvatar: Frontiers of Pandoraboth slated to release before the end of the year.Prince of Persia: The Lost Crownisn’t far behind as it is scheduled for January 2024.
Skull and Bonesis one of only a handful of games shown off at the publisher’s summer Ubisoft Forward showcase. Still, many wonderif the ship has already sailed onSkull and Bones. After countless delays, it seems likely that enthusiasm for the title may have died down.
Perhaps all will be smooth sailing if the game finally arrives and surpasses expectations. While previews were mixed, some outlets were high onSkull of Bones. Maybe a great game with some solid word of mouth can be enough to help keep the ship from sinking. The road ahead might be even more difficult than expected, though, if a rumoredAssassin’s Creed 4remake is actually in the works.
Skull and Bonesis in development for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.
MORE:A Possible Assassin’s Creed 4 Remake Puts the Final Nail in Skull and Bone’s Coffin
