Ubisoft has announced Skull and Bones at their press conference today, a standalone naval combat game based off Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag, coming fall of 2018 for PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC.
Developed by Ubisoft Singapore, the online naval open-world game takes place in a shared world, where players can set sail solo or with friends.
In a gameplay trailer, several different types of ships were shown off, from long-range, cannon-packed dreadnoughts to quicker boats. Not just size and armaments, but the wind and nature of the ocean will affect the positioning and tactics in the game’s naval skirmishes.
Multiplayer mode Loot Hunt pits two teams of five ships apiece against each other in a race for treasure, competing to take in gold and stay afloat.
Players can stay at a distance, launching volleys of cannonballs and mortars, or close the distance to ram and board ships. Combat looks similar to the naval warfare of past Assassin’s Creed games like Black Flag, but with more ammo and guns, but still plenty of sea shanties.