Skull and Bones, Ubisoft's oft-delayed pirate game that finally arrived earlier this month after nearly a decade in development, has launched its first season of post-launch content on Xbox, PlayStation, and PC, featuring, among others things, new world events, new bounties and rewards, plus a battle pass-style progression track.
Raging Tides, as the first live-service season of Skull and Bones is officially titled, focuses predominantly on new antagonist Philippe La Peste (aka the Plague King) and his Pestilence Fleet. By defeating the vanguard of The Plague, the Plaguebringers, as they appear across the world, players can increase the fleet's hostility level. Once they cross a certain threshold, they will face a “powerful enemy”, who rewards a “rare item” when sunk.
So, that's the core of Raging Tides' new content, but Season 1 also adds two Kingpin bounties against elite bosses: Jaws of Retribution: Introducing Zamaharibu and Anguish of the Abyss: Rode Maangodin, running from the 5th to the 26th. March and from March 26 to 16. April respectively.
Skull and Bones: Season 1 Gameplay TrailerIt also brings three unique bounties (The African Ailment, The Pursuing Plague, and The Encroaching Epidemic) that can be completed to earn seasonal cosmetics for your captain and ship, plus a repeatable bounty, Plague Control, which gives players the opportunity to earn money. and White Skull Gin giving two Captain Plaguebringer heads to Robin Blackwood.
And finally, Season 1 introduces the first Skull and Bones Battle Pass-style Smugglers Pass, which includes a free and paid track. The track pays, according to Ubisoft's publication about it.exclusively features cosmetic rewards, while the free track gives players the opportunity to unlock new ship blueprints, weapons, armor and furniture, plus cosmetics and more, by earning Smugglers Points through different gameplay activities.
The free pass is actually divided into three separate tracks, each catering to a different playstyle (offensive, defensive or strategic), meaning players can focus on the track that interests them most or complete all three. Any items that are not unlocked before the end of the season will be available for purchase on the Black Market using the endgame currency, the Piece of Eight, starting in Season 2. Details on gameplay adjustments and Bug fixes accompanying today's update can be found on ubisosft Season 1 Patch Notes.
So far, Ubisoft has promised one year of post-launch support for Skull and Bones, divided into four seasonal updates. Unfortunately, I wasn't a big fan of the main game when I reviewed it last week, and I'm not sure Season 1 is going to do much to liven up a disappointingly boring pirate-themed live service that, despite some entertaining stuff, is a big fan of the main game. combat and an often beautiful world, sinks into the middle of boring work and tedious traversal. As I wrote in my two-star review, “No game, much less a swashbuckling pirate adventure, should be this boring.”
