Skull and Bones Dev Diary Outlines Setting and Real-World Influences

Skull and Bones is finally launches next week for Xbox Series X/S, PS5 and PC, with an open beta kicking off on February 7th. A new developer diary is available to discuss the setting and how Ubisoft Singapore brought it to life.

Set in the Indian Ocean during the Golden Age of Piracy, the region is “one of the most culturally rich and biodiverse.” Singapore’s sunsets and tropical storms helped “tremendously” when entering the visual concepting stage. However, the development team also spent time understanding the lifestyles of that period, which “informed the distinct look and feel of the different regions in the game.”

Locations like the Red Isle are also inspired by real-world countries like Madagascar. There’s plenty to discover, including wildlife like lemurs and hippos in the wetlands off the coast of Africa to the cliffs and vegetation of the East Indies’ cliffs.

Sainte Anne is the first Pirate Den players will explore, but other outposts exist throughout the in-game world. One of these, the Lost City of Prey, is “loosely based on a remnant of Angkor Wat in Cambodia.”

Skull and Bones is available February 16th for Xbox Series X/S, PS5 and PC. Head here for more details on its post-launch roadmap.