Skull & Bones plans to intertwine single- and multiplayer narratives

Ubisoft surprised many lovers of naval combat with their presentation of Skull & Bones at this year’s E3. With graphics and gameplay straight out of Black Flag, it blew the other naval combat game, Sea of Thieves, out of the proverbial water. This time around, the talk concentrates on the narrative elements, where multiplayer and singleplayer will not be separated.

Justin Farren, who is the creative director on Skull & Bones, points out that you will be able to play the game solo, if that is what you prefer. Of course, he would be delighted if you tried your hand in the multiplayer mode as well, since the narrative elements will be available in both modes. Justin says that they want to create a world “where you meet historical pirates, historically inspired characters, and that you have a narrative where you develop a bond with your crew and interesting characters along the way, taking out kingpins, all those things are part of our narrative”.

Those who have played Black Flag should feel right at home, while the others should pick it up quickly as well. And let us not forget that combat is not the only thing where players will be expected to prove their mettle – as ocean will play a role itself. As Justin says “When I think about my vision for the ocean itself, I want players to feel as if the ocean is a threat.”

The team would of course like the players to participate in PVP, which is being worked on and improved every single day, creating a more cohesive experience than, say, games like Battlefield or Call of Duty. Perhaps something more in the lines of the popular co-op shooters, MMO-lite shooters such as Destiny?

There is still a long way to go for Skull & Bones, as they are not planned before autumn 2018, on PS4, Xbox One, and PC.