Ubisoft’s pirate adventure Skull and Bones is struggling to attract players according to new reports. With less than one million total players since launch, it seems this ambitious naval combat game still has a long voyage ahead.
After over a decade in development across 11 studios, Skull and Bones launched on February 16th to lukewarm reviews. While the core naval combat retains the thrills of swashbuckling on the high seas, critics found much of the open world busywork and progression left them adrift. The Metacritic score of 57 suggests these Skull and Bones may not be enough to carry the whole experience.
Rough Waters Ahead
Insider sources have now revealed some of the challenges Skull and Bones faces on the open seas. With only around 850,000 players as of now including free trial users, maintaining engagement will be key. The high $70 price point was also internally criticized as too much for what many see as a $30-40 experience. With development costs estimated at $200 million, Ubisoft will need to win over far more salty sea dogs to find profits.
There may be a glimmer of hope on the horizon however. While Skull and Bones will need to prove itself as a viable live service game, plans are reportedly underway at Ubisoft for a full remake of 2013’s acclaimed Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag. Fans longing for more golden-age piracy action on current platforms may yet get their chance to hoist the colors high once more in a proper remake down the line. For now though, Skull and Bones will have to fly its black flag proudly and recruit new scallywags to join its motley crew.