Ahoy, mateys! Skull and Bones sets sail for open beta with Year One Roadmap revealed

Ubisoft has announced its endgame and post-launch plans for Skull and Bones along with providing dates for next month’s open beta.

During year one, you will face Legendary Pirate Lords like Philippe La Peste and the Hubac Twins. To best these threats, you will need to strategize carefully as each encounter escalates in difficulty. Strategic ship loadouts and seasonal ships and gear will aid in your quest to take them down during a showdown at the end of each season.

To help expand and defend your empire, you will need to loot stronger equipment and resources. This will be accomplished through world events introduced each season. Expect to face Merchant Convoys, Elite Warships, and other predators on the high seas, a know that bigger challenges bring greater rewards.

The endgame of Skull and Bonee will feature more dangerous challenges, higher stakes, and alliances [possibly transforming into rivalries. You will start off working for Kingpins before eventually becoming their rivals which can bring about consequences as part of the pirate life. To become a force to be reckoned with, take control of the massive smuggling ship The Helm, control manufactories across the Indian Ocean, take control of trade routes, and use your newfound wealth to invest in upgrades for your operations for even more wealth.

Participating in Legendary Heists and Hostile Takeovers activities will also contribute to your building your empire, with new end-game features introduced each season.

High-risk rewards such as Helm Wagers and Cutthroat Cargo can be earned through PvP activities, you can accept challenges, and find a target about your head when coming into possession of a legendary treasure map. You can earn rewards based on your leaderboard placement, participate in free time-limited events each season, collaborate with fellow pirates, complete exclusive community events, and claim plenty of loot. The leaderboard resets each season with new rewards, so aim for the top.

If you’d like to give the game a go before it sets sail on February 16, you can participate in the Skull and Bones open beta February 8-11. The beta will feature cross-play and cross-progression on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC through the Epic Games Store and the Ubisoft Store. You will be able to reach the Infamy Cap of Tier 6 and earn up to five exclusive rewards including unique ship cosmetics, emotes, weapons, and a Pandal Lemur pet.

Carry-over will also be available, giving you a head-start when the game releases.

Skull and Bones will be available on the aforementioned platforms along with Amazon Luna. If purchased through Ubisoft+, you will be able to play the game three days early, on February 13.