Skull & Bones Leaks In A Big Way, Ubisoft Responds

Ubisoft's long-in-development swashbuckling pirate game Skull & Bones has leaked in a big way, with a lengthy gameplay video emerging from a technical test.

The video, posted on Streamable, begins by setting up the focus of the game, which is to become the most infamous pirate on the seas during the golden age of piracy. Players can disembark their ship at a place called Saint-Anne where they can craft new ships and equipment, collect provisions, take on contracts, and socialize with other human players, according to the video.

The video also reveals that players will have their reputation tracked through an "infamy" scale that they can grow by taking on contracts with rewards for succeeding and penalties for coming up short. Users can also take part in world events and plunder treasure chests to gain infamy. What's more, the video reveals some of the character creation and customization options available to players, as well as the systems that call on players to manage their ship health and crew morale when at sea.

Ubisoft seemingly reacted to the leak by sharing an official video of its own for Skull & Bones with the caption "Keep your eyes on the horizon." Reading between the lines here, it appears Ubisoft might be gearing up to make some kind of an official announcement about the game soon.

Ubisoft historically holds a summer games showcase of some kind, but the company has not yet announced plans for this.

Skull & Bones has been in development for many years, and it has undergone some changes. In 2020, Ubisoft confirmed it was shifting the game to a "new vision" after a report claimed the project had been rebooted. In May 2021, Ubisoft formally delayed Skull & Bones to its fiscal year 2022-2023, which runs April 1, 2022-March 31, 2023.

There is also a Skull & Bones TV show on the way. On whether the game's new delay will affect the TV show, Ubisoft told GameSpot, "The Skull & Bones TV series has no impact on the development of the game--and vice versa."