This Hunting Grounds gameplay of Skull & Bones is a taste of the pirate's life in the enormous Indian Ocean, though doused with a healthy dose of Ubisoft. Tons of ship customizations win the day here. From your sails to your cannons to your wheel on the helm, we've got an incredibly good-looking bunch of ships here. And when it comes to combat, the smoking streaks left by your cannonfire, not to mention the explosions and plank-splintering hits, all make for deadly combat. There's also the intensity of the multiplayer aspect, with invitations to your crew sent to other players, and then into the backstabbing you'd expect from those same players once the treasure is in your hands. Hey, are we pirates or are we pirates?
I've been torn on Skull & Bones. Yes, it's a multiplayer-only spin-off of Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag aka The Best Assassin's Creed. But race car combat built around big ol' sailing ships isn't exactly my cup of Earl Grey. Sea of Thieves, believe it or not, has spoiled me on the feeling of intense naval combat. Ships are powerful but slow things. Their combat should be slow and excruciating. In this video, I'm seeing a whole lot of one-shotting going on (practically), and immense sailing vessels skipping over the waves like they're motorboats. I mean, c'mon. These ships are pretty much Tokyo Drifting their way through combat. I'm shaking my head, but it all still looks gorgeous.
I digress. Skull & Bones is an arcade game, not a sailing simulator. I'll just have to accept that.
Skull & Bones is coming in 2019.
UBISOFT WELCOMES PIRATES TO THE LUSH HUNTING GROUNDS OF SKULL & BONES
Register for the Beta to Be the First to Play
Los Angeles, CA — June 11, 2018 — Today, during the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3), Ubisoft showcased Hunting Grounds, the new PvPvE (player-versus-player-versus-environment) content for Skull & Bones, its upcoming online naval game set within the vast Indian Ocean. Skull & Bones will be releasing in 2019 on PlayStation 4 computer entertainment system, the Xbox One family of devices including the Xbox One X and Windows PC.
Hunting Grounds transports players into a shared PvPvE world where they can sail alone or as part of a pirate gang while looting lucrative trade routes, encountering powerful empires and battling brutal pirate rivals, all while surviving the treacherous ocean itself. Hunting Grounds will be available alongside the Disputed Waters multiplayer mode, which was unveiled last year at E3, and Deadly Encounters. In the Disputed Waters PvP (player-versus-player) mode, players form two teams of five as they fight over riches, sink their opponents and ultimately escape from the clutches of fierce pirate hunters.
Throughout their adventure, players will acquire unique and deadly warships each of which is designed to fit a specific combat role based on unique playstyles. These ships can be outfitted with new weapons and crewmembers giving limitless freedom to gameplay. In addition to mastering their arsenal, players must also learn to read and utilize the wind to navigate the sea and position themselves to deliver crushing blows to enemy ships. Skull & Bones will also feature a rich cosmetics system that will allow players to customize their captain avatars, figurehead, sails, helm, emblems, colors and more to design their ideal pirate ships.
Players looking to prove their mettle against their fellow pirates can register now at skullandbonesgame.com/register to join the beta prior to launch. Registered players will have a chance to play the game prior to release and provide feedback that will help the dev team create the most immersive pirate experience.
Developed by Ubisoft Singapore,* Skull & Bones transports players into the Golden Age of Piracy where they will set sail within a massive, open Indian Ocean full of treasures ripe for the taking. Throughout their adventure to become the most notorious pirate of the high seas, players will acquire a variety of warships, each with their own strengths and distinctive weapons, capable of sinking anyone in their way. In order to survive this ruthless environment, players will need to master sailing and naval combat while building powerful alliances no one can take down.
For more information about Skull & Bones, please visit skullandbonesgame.com and follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/skullandbonesgame and on Twitter at twitter.com/skullandbonesgame.
For the latest on Skull & Bones and other Ubisoft games, please visit news.ubisoft.com.
*Associated Ubisoft Studios include Blue Byte, Chengdu, Philippines and Sofia
