The long-developed open-world pirate adventure Skull and Bones is finally going to see its release on February 16. However, a beta event that is open to everyone kicks off in just a few days on February 8 and lasts through February 11. Anyone can jump in and play for free up to the rank of Infamy Brigand, which is Tier 6 Rank 1. Thankfully, all progression from the beta carries over to the full release, so anyone interested in checking it out has no reason not to!
A Content-Filled Open Beta
Even though progression in the open beta only goes up to the Infamy Brigand rank, there is a ton of content in the beta. All of the regions are accessible and explorable, as well as the ability to access the Helm of your ship. There are also dynamic events active in-game allowing players to battle against Ghost Ships, Sea Monsters, Merchant Convoys, and Elite Warships.
Also, cross-play and cross-progression are enabled for the open beta. This means players across all platforms—PC(Ubisoft Connect, Epic Games Store), PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S can all play together. Furthermore, you can switch between the platforms you are playing on and your data will be saved and available on each.
Those who participate in the beta also get access to some exclusive cosmetic rewards including a Basilisk I Culverin cannon, a Sail Emblem and Sail Pattern for your ship, a Cookie the Lemur pet, and a sign language emote.
Skull and Bones has had quite a journey over the past few years. I was a huge fan of ship combat in Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag which is where Skull and Bones supposedly originally got its premise. It’s evolved quite a bit since then, but even still I’m interested in seeing what it has to offer.
