Skull & Bones will take gamers to the Golden Age of Piracy where they will create their own unique pirate captains and sail through the beautiful yet treacherous Indian Ocean filled with rich merchant trade routes to loot. Whether it is on their own or as part of a pirate gang, gamers will take the helm of their powerful warship and lead their crew into the endless battle to rule the seas and become the deadliest pirate kingpin.

In Skull & Bones, you are an insatiable, upstart pirate captain who has refused the king’s pardon. Having nothing to lose, you sailed from the Caribbean to the Indian Ocean, an exotic and untamed frontier full of lavish riches.

However, these rich and idyllic waters are also a battleground where far-reaching colonial empires, powerful trading corporations, and ruthless pirate gangs are fiercely competing for their share of these valuable treasures.

During your journey to become the ultimate pirate kingpin, you will build a fleet of ships you can customize, prey upon lucrative trade routes, and take down rival pirate captains, memorable characters, or other players. In order to survive in this ruthless ocean, you will have to ally with other pirate captains to form the most influential pirate gang, becoming too big to fail and joining the endless struggle for supremacy of the Indian Ocean.

Skull & Bones is an online naval game that will take players across a dynamic, shared open-ocean that reacts to their actions and evolves to continuously challenge them. Building upon the studio’s naval gameplay expertise, Skull & Bones introduces an innovative wind system that gives gamers tactical opportunities to navigate more quickly, shoot further, hit harder, escape deadly blows, and position themselves to decimate their victims. Gamers will also be able to build their own fleet of ships, which can specialize in different battle conditions using the game’s extensive customization options.

Skull and Bones will launch a Closed Beta on August 25, giving players who register via the official site a chance to experience the multiplayer pirate open-world game first-hand as the team continues to work toward release.

Why is this the right time to announce a Closed Beta, as opposed to pushing ahead toward release?

Neven Dravinski: We are pushing ahead towards our game's release, which is set for this fiscal year, but we wanted to build on the lessons we've learned from the community since our comeback a year ago. So we're getting the game into the hands of a wider group of players with a public-facing Closed Beta, which is aligned with our ethos: to create a game for the community, with the community.

Over the past several months, we have gathered valuable insights from hundreds of players worldwide over multiple closed, live tests, and through our Insider Program. Crafting something new and original takes time, and we want to continue this journey with our players to create a space where they can have fun for years to come.

Can you tell us about the feedback you've received from Insider Program players, and what those tests have been telling you about the game?

ND: Sure - for one, our game's naval combat stood out the most to the community, and we're doubling down on this. We are creating even more depth to the combat by increasing the number of ship and weapon variants available at launch, allowing players to build customized playstyles to make the game experience their own.

This depth in combat also extends to other aspects of the game. For example, improved naval navigation and the addition of an external ship camera are some of the ways that the community has made this experience better through our Insider Program.

Answering another community request, we've ensured that the entire game can be played in co-op, with shareable contracts and rewards; a "call for help" feature should you run into trouble; multiple chat functions; and other gameplay mechanics.

As we've always said, our game is best played with friends. This feedback helped us bring more focus to the social experience.

Our servers will be able to host up to 20 players with crossplay functionality across PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and Luna. So those who want to play in co-op can form groups of up to three seamlessly by finding and inviting others to join their fleet.

Our community has also constantly pushed for more variety in activities, and we're really excited for players to discover some of the surprises we have in store during the Closed Beta. Lastly, We'll also continue to refine our endgame, which you'll hear more about in the coming months.

What needs to happen in order for Skull and Bones to be ready for release? Can you talk a bit about what aspects of the game are being worked on?

ND: The tests that we've conducted over the past months have helped us to gather player feedback and polish our game. The upcoming Closed Beta brings us one step closer to release. Rather than setting a new date at this time, we are doing what's needed to make the best naval-combat game possible.

We've seen solid, incremental progress in our players' sentiment throughout these tests, and it makes us believe we're on the right path. As mentioned, our key priorities for launch continue to be polishing our combat systems, focusing on a more co-op intensive experience, while also bringing more variety to the game so players can choose their own path to becoming a pirate kingpin.

How can interested players claim a spot in the Closed Beta, and/or participate in future live tests?

ND: You can be a part of our pirate crew by registering now via our website at skullandbonesgame.com/livetests. The Closed Beta will run from August 25-28, so stay tuned for more details in the coming weeks.

It's very important for us to engage and grow with the community, and the Closed Beta is our next step to doing so. We hope to see you on the high seas this August!

Key Features:

• Choose your own pirate captain and grow into the fierce legend that you have always wanted to be.Select your pirate ship class based on your preferred playstyle, evolving it with a rich RPG system. From the safe harbor of your hideout, recruit your crew, customize the ship of your dreams, and pick up on the latest rumors before you set sail to leave your mark on the world. With each successful heist, as your wealth and reputation increases, the world and other players begin to challenge your ascension. Sailing alone becomes a dangerous gamble. Your long-term survival depends on your ability to form the most powerful pirate gang in the Indian Ocean.
• Experience unparalleled naval gameplay delivered by the studio who pioneered and designed naval combat for the Assassin’s Creed franchise. Live the thrills, brutality, and intensity of naval combat as you fight for domination of the seas. Harness the innovative wind system in order to navigate more quickly, shoot further, hit harder, escape deadly blows, and position yourself to decimate your victims. Stalk your enemies and use your spyglass to identify weaknesses. Rally your gang to hunt and overpower large merchant ships and outsmart powerful rivals. Approach combat your own way with a wide number of tactical options at your disposal.
• Explore a systemic shared world that reacts to your actions and challenge your ascension across multiple parts of the Indian Ocean. Choose your path: engage in combat solo, or team up with other players to take down vicious predatory factions and well-defended convoys. The rewards are yours to share, or steal, if you are willing to face the consequences of betrayal and become a target for other players. There are even rumors of horrifying dangers lurking beneath the surface…
• Treacherous disputed waters separate the unique regions of the Indian Ocean, where pirate gangs compete for riches in explosive naval battles. Confront rival players in competitive 5v5 matches, and experience the ultimate pirate fantasy in a variety of game modes while you plunder the most valuable loot from the Indian Ocean’s richest trade routes and grow your influence.
• Fighting your way to the top will attract greater challenges for you and your gang. As the world evolves, Skull & Bones will continuously test the heights of your skill, the depths of your greed, and the resolve of your alliances. Vast new regions to explore, powerful ships, devastating weapons, and daring enemies, along with greater rewards, will tempt you from across the four corners of the Indian Ocean. Every victory will bring you closer to glory and raises the price on your head.

In preparation for launch, Skull & Bones will conduct several live alphas and betas. Gamers interested in participating can sign up here.

Skull & Bones will launch for PS4, Xbox One, and PC in 2023.