The development of Ubisoft’s pirate gameSkull and Boneshas been a fiasco of high order. First announced in 2017,Skull and Boneshas since been retooled and rebooted, which is why in 2022 the project still doesn’t have a firm release window. That could be changing soon, however. Ubisoft appears to be preparing for the newSkull and Bonesto have its first closed playtest, teasing that the pirate game could finally be reaching the end of its development cycle.The news comes from the officialSkull and Boneswebsite, as well as Ubisoft’s social media. The development team is recruiting for what it calls theSkull and BonesInsider Program, what it describes as an ongoing testing initiative. Applicants will have the opportunity totry outSkull and Bonesbefore anyone else, but only if they’re approved first. As is standard with these types of programs, only a select few will initially be accepted forSkull and Bonestesting with more invited over time.RELATED:Ubisoft Claims Skull and Bones Will Launch By April 2023Details about testing are being kept close to the chest, so far.Ubisoftdescribes initial testing as a “sneak peek” of what’s being made. No schedule for tests has been provided, which could mean that tests won’t be known publicly until Ubisoft is ready to take down an NDA.
All that Ubisoft does say is that the test will be entirely based on gathering feedback regarding real experiences withSkull and Bones. Those who apply should do so with the intention of sharing their experiences and discussing their impressions with other players and the development team. Since testing will be limited to just a few players, feedback from those players will be all the more important for thefuture ofSkull and Bones. Feedback will be private, however, as players won’t be allowed to discuss their thoughts publicly.
Skull and Boneswas confirmed to be rebootedwith a “new vision” in 2020, a year and a half ago. Since then, little has been said about whatSkull and Bonestruly is now. The unique pirate game first advertised in 2017 is likely very different, if not unrecognizably different, than whatSkull and Bonesis now. That alone makes the prospect of testing the new game intriguing.
Perhaps the most exciting implication of Ubisoft’s decision to start itsSkull and BonesInsider Program is that the game is currently in a playable state, to one degree or another. That could mean thatSkull and Bonesis approaching a release date, one currently unannounced. At the very least,Skull and Bonesnewsseems closer than it has in a very long time.
Skull and Bonesis in development for PC, PS4, and Xbox One.
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