Already something of a meme due its extraordinarily protracted development, we’re assured that Ubisoft’s Skull And Bones will finally set sail this month. Originally planned as a quick follow-up to 2013’s Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag (a fan favourite thanks to its novel piratical action), Skull And Bones has changed course countless times over its troubled decade-long development. Its initial launch of 2018 was missed (and how), giving rival Microsoft the space to release its hugely successful pirate game Sea Of Thieves which has now reached more than 30 million players. Ubisoft has some serious catching up to do.

Set during the Golden Age Of Piracy at the end of the 17th century, players must found a pirate empire in the Indian Ocean by looting treasure and establishing a fearsome reputation through sea battles and land grabs. Although it’s playable solo, there’s a focus on co-op and PVP, with players able to team up in trios as they seek to dominate the waves; however, unlike Sea Of Thieves, players control their own ships rather than operate as part of a crew.

Ubisoft has been unusually shy about the core gameplay of Skull And Bones, perhaps because its development has been in constant flux. It now awkwardly describes it as a solo and co-op ‘RPG experience’ which suggests that the single-player campaign has been dropped in favour of a live-service game. All will be revealed soon, unless it runs aground yet again. 

Skull And Bones is published by Ubisoft and released on PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X/S on Friday 16 February.