Ubisoft’sSkull and Bonesis an upcoming pirate game which hopes to take a successful element ofAssassin’s Creed: Black Flag, naval battles, and expand those principles into a full game set in the Indian Ocean. However, updates about the game since its reveal at E3 2017 have been few and far between.
Sea of Thieveshas set the standard for modern multiplayer pirate games, and there will likely be more than a few similarities betweenSea of Thievesand the waySkull and Boneshandles ships and multiplayer. However, one difference already hinted at inSkull and Bones’ promotional material could make or break Ubisoft’s swashbuckling adventure game.
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Sea Of Thieves' Ship Upgrades
When designingSea of Thieves’ multiplayer,developer Raremade a key decision regarding the game’s balancing.Sea of Thievesplayers can use gold to upgrade their ships aesthetically, but there’s no way for players to spend their in-game booty to make their ships faster, cannons more powerful, or otherwise upgrade their ship for combat in any way.
The only stat differences betweenships inSea of Thievesare found between the different types of ships themselves, all of which are available to players from the get-go. A galleon, for example, has a stronger hull and has more cannons, but this comes at the cost of speed and generally requires a larger crew to operate. On the other end of the spectrum, a smaller ship like a sloop is able to move far quicker and be operated by a smaller crew, but has far less firepower and resilience than its larger counterparts.
One of the reasons this works so well is that it has likely helpedSea of Thieves’ multiplayercommunity sustain itself with a steady stream of new arrivals. If long-time players were able to upgrade their ships’ weapons and armor, there would be a risk that new players would find themselves completely outmatched and unable to attain the treasure needed for those upgrades even if they tried, especially several years after the game’s initial release. Instead, the success of a crew inSea of Thievesis mostly determined by its coordination and skill at handling its ship, making the game far more accessible to new players once they’ve been shown the ropes.
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Skull And Bones' Upgrades
Based on some of theSkull and Bonesgameplay videosreleased so far, it looks like players will be able to upgrade their ship aesthetically, but also statistically. One part of the 2018 gameplay video shows the many different cannons that players will have access to. The fact that the menu those variants are selected from includes some that are locked off implies that some cannons will only be available to players who have progressed further through the game, likely making those options more powerful.
It’s possible that the different upgrade types inSkull and Boneswill simply complement different playstyles while still being roughly balanced. This could be very difficult to pull off, and could be one of the biggest differences betweenSea of ThievesandSkull and Bonesbeside the fact that the latter game will be third-person as opposed toSea of Thieves’ first-person perspective.
IfSkull and Bonescontains significant statistical upgrades for player ships unlockable later in the game, this could have big implications for the game’s longevity. There is the risk that, once a community has firmly established itself, it will be uninviting to new players. It’s also possible that the opportunity to attain statistical upgrades will motivate individual players to stick with the game for longer, giving the game a clearer sense of progression thanSea of Thieveshas. Regardless,Skull and Boneshas seen delays already, and it remains possible that the game will look quite different the next timeUbisoftreleases gameplay footage.
Skull and Bonesis currently in development for PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One.
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