"Skull and Bones Adds Land Combat This Fall: Ubisoft Reveals Year 2 Plans"

Ubisoft is charting a bold new course for Skull and Bones, aiming to make Year 2 the most ambitious chapter yet for its pirate-themed multiplayer experience. With a treasure trove of upcoming content—including new game modes, powerful ships, a fearsome Kraken, and a long-awaited fan request—land combat—the game is set for its biggest evolution since launch.

The roadmap was unveiled during a special Year 2 showcase, revealing a full year of updates designed to deepen gameplay and expand the world of high-seas domination. The highlight? Season 3: Guts and Glory, arriving this fall, will finally introduce land combat, allowing players to step off their ships and onto shorelines for intense close-quarters action. For the first time, pirates will be able to engage in swordfights and fire pistols in dynamic environments like sandy beaches and shadowy caves. This feature is part of the Rogue Warlord expansion, which tasks players with rescuing elite crew members known as Officers. A teaser video offered a glimpse of the action, though full details remain under wraps until later this year.

While land combat stands as the flagship addition, the Year 2 plan delivers consistent thrills across all seasons. Season 1: Ascent into Chaos launched on April 15, bringing with it an item ascension system to boost loot value, new World Tiers for increased challenge, a new Schooner-class medium ship, and the arrival of Death Tides, a team-based PvP mode that ramps up competitive play.

Season 2: Oaths of War, set for summer 2025, raises the stakes with Megaforts—massive fortified zones—and the introduction of the towering Frigate, a powerful new large ship built for dominance. Then, in winter 2025, Season 4: Eye of the Beast will unleash the legendary Kraken upon the seas, alongside the Hunter’s Guild and the agile Corvette, another formidable large vessel.

For those curious to try the game, a free weekend is coming soon. From April 17 to 21, players can dive into pirate PvP at no cost, with the option to purchase the game at a discounted rate—details on pricing to follow.

Skull and Bones originally launched on February 16, 2024, for PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S, earning a solid 7/10 in our review. While Ubisoft has kept sales figures under wraps, the studio confirmed the game achieved “record player engagement” post-launch. Notably, its release also sparked a 200% surge in players returning to Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag—a testament to the enduring appeal of pirate adventures.