Ubisoft Defends High Price for Skull and Bones: A New Level of Quality or Arrogant Recklessness?

Ubisoft plans to release its new pirate game MMO, the Skull and Bones, on February 16th after developing it for 11 years. However, the open beta has divided player opinions, leading some to question the game’s hefty price tag.

After 11 years of development, the developers will finally release the highly anticipated pirate MMO game Skull and Bones (which can be pre-ordered on Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk) on February 16th. However, players will nee++-+d to pay the full price of $70 or £90 to access the game. During a Q&A session for the quarterly figures’ publication, the audience asked Ubisoft’s CEO, Yves Guillemot, why the game wasn’t offered as a free-to-play option, as it could have appealed to a larger audience. Guillemot’s response was clear: Skull & Bones is not just a AAA game, but an “AAAA” game and is therefore worth the full price.

Skull and Bones: Justified Criticism?

The recently concluded open beta for Skull and Bones, which took place until February 11th, has elicited mixed reactions from players. The Ubisoft new pirate game has faced criticism for its mechanics on social media platforms like Reddit, with players citing unrealistic sailing mechanics and the absence of boarding animations when engaging other ships as their main grievances.

Moreover, fans have expressed their dissatisfaction with the game‘s heavy reliance on ship-based gameplay, as the ability to explore land as the captain yields limited interactions beyond basic movement and historical context. In light of these prevailing opinions, Yves Guillemot’s assertions now appear unfounded.

However, amidst the criticisms, there are also positive voices. Some players have praised aspects such as the thrilling ship battles and the loot system. Whether Skull and Bones can live up to its self-proclaimed “AAAA” game status will depend on its official release in February.

Is there another motive for maintaining the original price?

If Skull and Bones fails to live up to its claimed quality, it raises questions about Ubisoft’s true motivation for keeping the game at full price. Since its development in 2013, Ubisoft has invested a substantial amount of money, and they want to recover those costs as soon as possible. However, with the confirmation of microtransactions in Skull and Bones, this process might take considerably longer. If the current reviews discourage many players from paying the full price, it could have adverse consequences.