Ubisoft’s Skull and Bones seems set to launch next month, with the developer releasing a new trailer on the endgame and Year 1 roadmap. The former sees players going against the Pirate Kingpins and venturing to The Helm to craft contraband.
First, you must capture manufactories near Sainte-Anne’s Pirate Den and other regions, including lumberyards, foundries and more. You can also control trade routes and start passively making money. Players can then invest in upgrades like increased production rates and contraband quality.
Of course, the manufactories won’t go down without a fight, leading to two activities – Legendary Heists and Hostile Takeovers. Heists involve robbing golden convoys, holding out against warships and meeting a contact for rewards. Takeovers are a free-for-all, with everyone battling it out for the manufactory.
Post-launch will see new seasonal features like assigning ships to trade routes and bribing officials. There are also PvP modes like Helm Wagers, where you bet all your in-game coins for a huge payout. Cutthroat Cargo is about finding a treasure map and making it to an outpost while other pirates hunt you down.
There are also leaderboards and Kingpin ranks, influencing the rewards doled out. Leaderboards reset each season and offer new things to unlock.
Skull and Bones launches February 16th for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC. Check out the gameplay deep dive here.