Ubisoft Forward: Skull and Bones Previews Ship Customization and Smuggling Networks

Skull and Bones, coming to Xbox Series X|S on November 8, lets players explore a fictionalized version of the Indian Ocean during the Golden Age of Piracy — but piracy didn’t just spring up from nowhere. It fed off a rich trade in spices, silks, and other hot commodities for 17th-century Europeans. These lucrative pickings led pirates to a new business opportunity: their own secret smuggling networks.

During Ubisoft Forward, the Skull and Bones team revealed a bit more about these networks, which are only revealed to you once you’ve earned the right to know. To achieve that, you’ll have to grow your Infamy and eventually unlock your own pirate lair — known as The Helm — which becomes the base of your smuggling operations. This is where you’ll be able to manufacture high-value goods, like Rum and Opium, before selling them to whoever’s got the deepest pockets. From here, you’ll also have more leeway to choose your own contracts, rather than be at the mercy of other pirate Kingpins.

The Ubisoft Forward presentation also revealed more about how you’ll be able to build and customize your ships. Each ship type is geared toward different kinds of playstyles, whether you’re looking for maneuverability, power, or cargo capacity, but each also comes with certain perks; for example, the Sambuk gives an advantage to players using fire weapons, while the Brig — already a heavy hitter — can deal even more damage when it’s anchored. And that’s just the start — each ship can then be fitted with different weapons, ammo, armor, furniture, and cosmetic items, letting players tailor them to specific tasks and make them uniquely their own.

Arming your ship is about more than just stockpiling cannonballs; you’ll need to consider what you want to accomplish. Do you prefer to sink enemy vessels and plunder their watery remains? Then you’ll want piercing ammo, which punches through armor and lets the water rush in, or fire ammo, which can wreak all kinds of havoc on a big wooden structure. If you want to disable ships for easy boarding, however, tearing ammo will make short work of their sails. And there’s a huge variety of weapons to choose from, with different cannons, ballistae, mortars, rocket launchers, and even torpedoes, each with unique damage types to keep your enemies guessing.

That said, each weapon also has an armor type that can counter it; you wouldn’t want to use a flamethrower against a ship clad in leather panels, for example, as leather is strong against fire damage. Learning to recognize what your enemies are using to protect themselves, and responding with a weapon that can completely destroy it, is one of many ways to survive at sea.

As a fully online game, Skull and Bones will require an Xbox account and Xbox Live Gold subscription to play. Do you have what it takes to survive and become a pirate Kingpin on the high seas? Find out on November 8, when Skull and Bones launches for Xbox Series X|S.

Skull and Bones

Ubisoft

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Pre-order and get the Highness of the High Sea Pack, which includes the Notoriety Garb and the Coronation Firework! Enter the perilous world of Skull and Bones, a co-op pirate open world action-RPG experience, to become the most infamous pirate kingpin! Engage in thrilling naval battles, craft a variety of unique ships, and forge unlikely alliances as you overcome the odds and bring mayhem on the seas. Be part of an immersive open world that introduces new challenges and features every season. – Engage in thrilling naval battles and equip a multitude of powerful weapons as you risk it all for the biggest loot. – Sail the lawless seas solo, or team up with two friends or other players to partake in shareable contracts and rewards. – Face cutthroat pirate hunters, deadly sea monsters, unpredictable weather, dangerous rogue waves, supernatural threats, and more as you explore a vast open world. – Craft and sail up to 10 different ships at launch, each with unique perks to match your own personal playstyle. – Grow your infamy and unlock resources and opportunities to get riskier contracts and upgrade your equipment. Persistent internet connection, Ubisoft Account, Microsoft Account, and Game Pass Ultimate or Core (subscriptions sold separately) required.

SKULL AND BONES™ PREMIUM EDITION

UBISOFT

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Premium Edition Includes: The Ballad of Bloody Bones Collection, two missions,* digital artbook, soundtrack,** and Smuggler Pass token. Enter the perilous paradise of Skull and Bones™, inspired by the Indian Ocean during the Golden Age of Piracy, as you overcome the odds and rise from an outcast to an infamous pirate. – Grow your infamy to gain access to more resources and opportunities as you take on riskier contracts to gain the most loot. – Craft up to 12 ships and customize them with a variety of weapons and armor to maximize your chances for success. – Be wary in this untamed open world inspired by the Indian Ocean. There are predators lurking around every corner. – Choose how you want to take on the seas. Sail solo or team up with two friends to watch your back in either PvE or PvEvP. * You must have reached Infamy Tier: Buccaneer to unlock the missions. **Access the digital artbook and soundtrack upon game release on the official Skull and Bones website: https:\\skullandbonesgame.com\digital-artbook Xbox account and Xbox Live Gold subscription (sold separately) required. Persistent internet connection and Ubisoft account required. Pre-order now to get the Highness of the High Sea Pack, which includes the Notoriety Garb and Coronation Firework.