Press Start may receive a commission when you buy from links on our site at no extra cost to you.
Yesterday, Ubisoft ANZ celebrated the impending launch of the long-gestating piracy sim, Skull and Bones, yesterday with a night full of swashbuckling activities including sea shanties, pirate treasure and even a themed tall ship docked right in Sydney Harbour.
As pirates descended on the harbour, lucky Sydney-siders had the chance to check out the game’s open beta – which is available now to download and play – as well as enjoy a number of pirate-y festivities in Saint Anne Tavern.
Sydney, we’re here ???? #SkullAndBonesSYD pic.twitter.com/ADulj6G2F5
— Ubisoft ANZ (@UbisoftANZ) February 8, 2024
The Skull and Bones Open Beta runs from now until Monday, February 12th at 10AM EDT on PS5, Xbox Series X|S and PC. Eager pirates can experience a selection of early game content and start increasing their Infamy (up to a point) for free, ahead of the game’s full launch on February 16th, and progress made will carry over to the full game for anyone who decides to pick it up.
We recently published a lengthy preview of Skull and Bones after going hands-on at Ubisoft’s Singapore office.
In it, James said, “Despite how focused an experience Skull and Bones has turned out to be, it’s almost impossible to cover it all in a single preview. The crew’s sea shanties, the great inventory management, the overwhelming initial combat encounters, the weirdly non-committal politics of the world, the sheer scope of customisation – there’s a lot in here and almost all of it points toward a game I will enjoy, but for how long exactly I’m still unsure. Live service is a fickle, crowded market, and Skull and Bones’, well, bones, have a great deal of weight to bear if they’re to chart those waters. But if I ignore the market, forget the stats and systems, and just take to the sea with a nicely decorated boat and a vague sense of direction, that’s when it becomes a pirate’s life for me.”
Skull and Bones launches on February 16th for PS5, Xbox Series X|S and PC. Amazon has pre-orders available for $89 with free shipping.
