Bilawal Bashir 
Skull and Bones is finally approaching its release date and the game is now available for pre-order, with two versions available for players to choose from.
Fans of Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag loved the naval combat in the game and Ubisoft is capitalizing on it almost a decade later. Skull and Bones is a pirate game set in an open world with co-op and multiplayer elements. The pirate RPG was initially meant to be an expansion for Black Flag but is now divorced from Ubisoft’s long-running series and its upcoming trip to Japan.
Skull and Bones’ release date has seen several delays, six delays over six years, but is finally going to set sail. Here’s when it comes out and what’s in store for it.
Skull and Bones editions, version differences
Skull and Bones will have a standard version alongside a Premium Edition, with the premium version offering offering DLC, extra missions, and other features.
The Skull and Bones Premium Edition comes with a number of various bonuses for players relative to the standard version. Here’s a full breakdown of what’s offered:
- Three days early access
- 84-page digital art book
- Digital soundtrack
- Ballad of Bloody Bones Collection
- Two extra missions
- Smuggler Pass token
The Ballad of Bloody Bones Collection includes a set of skins based on the two extra missions; The Ashen Corsair and Bloody Bones Legacy. The lineup of cosmetic items includes the Bloody Bones Captain outfit and Ashen Corsair Ship Set, which includes 11 different ship vanity items. The Skill and Bones Premium Edition includes two extra missions. There will also be cosmetic items available for pre-order bonuses.
Skull and Bones will tide over fans of Ubisoft’s style of naval warfare until the eventual Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag Remake becomes a reality.
Skull and Bones release date, confirmed platforms, and Steam availability
Skull and Bones will be released on February 16, 2024, on Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5, and PC, while Premium Edition early access begins on February 13, 2024.
Skull and Bones is a full-priced game and will cost $70 on consoles and $60 on PC. However, the game also has full crossplay support, so players on every platform will be able to form a crew with their friends regardless of platform. Creating a crew is also a core mechanic in Skull and Bones and its emphasis on co-op makes this a welcome addition. That said, PC players may have to make some adjustments.
Skull and Bones will not be available on Steam at launch. PC players looking to enjoy the game will have to look toward competing DRMs including Ubisoft Connect and the Epic Games Store. It may make its way to Steam eventually, but it’s unknown when that time may come.
