When it rains, it pours, but as far as Ubisoft‘s Skull & Bones is concerned, it remains a torrential storm that blankets the entire development of this pirate adventure.
In a press release shared by the company, Ubisoft has announced that Skull & Bones is being delayed for the sixth time, with three unannounced titles being cancelled as the organisation looks to prepare for an uncertain future.
Ubisoft stated that the move was a result of the company “facing major challenges as the industry continues to shift towards mega-brands and long-lasting titles than [sic] can reach players across the globe, across platforms and business models.”
Although we got a preview of Skull & Bones in July last year, issues remain. The new target release window is now set to be sometime in “early 2023-24”. If Ubisoft means a fiscal year window, then it could be some time before we see any sight of the game.
Several titles from the company also underperformed, with both Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope and Just Dance 2023 being the two big examples.
Ubisoft is also depreciating €500 million (S$700 million) of research and development on upcoming premium and free-to-play games, and the games they’re cancelling. The company will also focus on fewer games moving forward, with a potential restructuring and cost reduction coming later this year.
Although it seems like all bad news with the Skull & Bones delay and the cancellations, there are still some highly anticipated Ubisoft games on the horizon. Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora and Assassin’s Creed Mirage are still in the pipeline, but investors have every right to worry, and so do the fans and players.
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This article was first published in Geek Culture.
