Trials, tribulations, and somehow, the Singapore government
Skull & Bones, Ubisoft’s standalone pirate sim that’sundergone years of developmentanddelays, has reached a milestone. In response to a new report fromKotaku, a spokesperson confirmed thatSkull & Boneshas just passed Alpha. But according to the report, it’s been quite a journey.
An Ubisoft spokesperson provided the following statement to Kotaku, in response to a list of questions:
“TheSkull & Bonesteam are proud of the work they’ve accomplished on the project since their last update with production just passing Alpha, and are excited to share more details when the time is right. That being said, any unfounded speculation about the game or decisions being made only works to demoralize the team who are working very hard to develop an ambitious new franchise that lives up to the expectations of our players.
“Over the past year, we’ve made significant changes to our policies and processes to create a safe and more inclusive workplace and empower our teams to create games that reflect the diversity of the world we live in.”
Kotaku’s report, from both current and former Ubisoft developers as well as those familiar with the game’s development, outlines a process that’s dealt with too many managers vying for power, reboots and mini-refreshes, and no clear creative vision. According to Kotaku’s sources, Ubisoft has spent a significant amount of money on the project already, and that a deal with the Singapore government requires the launch of original brand new IPs from the Ubisoft Singapore branch in exchange for reported subsidies.
Thefull report goes greater into detail, with quotes from those familiar with the development, reporting on issues the project has dealt with over the years, and it’s very much worth reading the whole thing. This isn’t the first report indicating issues withSkull & Bones‘ development either, as another fromVGC last yeardetailed a shifting approach to a live-service model.
Hopefully we seeSkull & Bonessurface at some point, though expectations from Ubisoftcurrently place the game somewhere past June 29, 2025.
