Skull And Bones Is Getting An Insider Testing Program

Ubisoft's Skull & Bones was first announced back in 2017, and since then has seen multiple delays, as well as reports that the game's direction was being fully rebooted. Now, in the first post on Skull & Bones' official Twitter since 2020, Ubisoft has announced an Insider Program to help test the upcoming game. It appears the name has been slightly changed as well, now "Skull and Bones" in place of the "&."

As of Ubisoft's last official update on the game, Skull and Bones is due to release during the fiscal year 2022-2023, which encompasses a period between April 1, 2022 and March 31, 2023. New information leaked late last year revealed more details about the direction the game has gone over its long development period, including how the game will play and some more information on its setting.

Now, it looks like Ubisoft is finally ready to get the game into the public's hands for testing, though it sounds like the Skull and Bones Insider Program will be far more intensive than the standard games alpha or beta test.

Ubisoft has said that it'll be keeping the testing pool "relatively small" for now, with the aim to be able to "fully understand the feedback we receive." The callout for Insiders asks for candidates with "a lot of patience and commitment," with those selected for the program having to sign a non-disclosure agreement as well as adhering to Ubisoft's Code of Conduct.

"Ideal candidates are Skull & Bones fans with a keen interest in game development, with plenty of time to allocate to testing and reporting issues, bugs or just general feedback," the Insider page reads, leading some users on social media to question whether the program requires actual game development experience, and whether the Insider Program is asking too much from unpaid community testers.