Summary
An updated release window for the frequently delayed pirate gameSkull and Boneshas been provided by Ubisoft. The status ofSkull and Bonesis nebulous even at the best of times, given the game’s past development issues. But Ubisoft has remained wholly dedicated to making the project a reality. While it’s entirely possible thatSkull and Bonescould be further delayed in the future, right now Ubisoft has an increasingly clear picture of when the game should be launching.
The last that was heard ofrelease plans forSkull and Boneswas that it was delayed into its now-current fiscal year. At that point,Skull and Boneswas assumed to have been planned for late summer or fall 2023. The most recent delay was specifically said to have been for polish and balance changes. The time since has apparently persuaded Ubisoft thatSkull and Bonesneed more time, however. That’s potentially due to the reception of aSkull and Bonesclosed beta held in August.
On Thursday, Ubisoft issued earnings figures for the first half of its 2023-2024 fiscal year. As part of its reporting, Ubisoft confirmed thatSkull and Bonesis planned to be released in the first several months of 2024. That would be the later quarter of Ubisoft’s current fiscal year, meaning this isn’t quite a delay so much as a more specific idea of current plans.
The future ofSkull and Bonesand Ubisoft remains tumultuous, regardless of current plans. Ubisoft also confirmed that it had reduced staff by more than 1,300 employees as part of its cost reduction plan over the past year. That plan is ongoing, meaning the development of some projects could yet be further impacted byUbisoft layoffs and limited recruitment.
Skull and Bonesisn’t the only game making adjustments to prior release plans. Ubisoft also confirmed that an unannounced “big” project previously planned to launch this fiscal year had been delayed. It’s now scheduled to launch sometime after March next year. Speculation hints that itcould be eitherStar Wars Outlawsor a newFar Cry.
As a new IP,Skull and Bonesalready had a difficult path ahead of it to build up an audience and maintain success long-term. The multiple substantial delays have helpedSkull and Bones' name become familiar, but in trade, there’s little anticipation built for the project. IfSkull and Boneslaunches in early 2024, that will give time to Ubisoft to try and build up excitement once more. Whether that’s manageable or not remains to be seen.
Skull and Bonesreleases in early 2024 on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.
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