Skull and Bones Adds Land Combat in Fall Update: Ubisoft Reveals Year 2 Plans

Ubisoft is setting sail for an ambitious Year 2 for Skull and Bones, aiming to make it the most expansive year yet for this pirate-themed multiplayer game. The company unveiled a slew of exciting content additions during a special Year 2 showcase, including new modes, ships, the legendary Kraken, and a long-awaited feature—land combat.

The centerpiece of Ubisoft's plans is Season 3: Guts and Glory, launching this fall, which will finally introduce the much-anticipated land combat. This feature will allow players to engage in swordfights and use firearms on land, expanding the gameplay beyond the high seas. As part of the Rogue Warlord additions, players will explore sandy beaches and damp caves to rescue skilled crew members known as Officers. A teaser video provided a glimpse into this feature, but players will have to wait until later this year to experience it fully.

While land combat steals the spotlight, Skull and Bones Year 2 is packed with more content to keep players engaged throughout 2025. Season 1: Ascent into Chaos, which kicks off today, April 15, introduces a loot-enhancing item ascension feature, challenging World Tiers, a new Schooner medium ship, and the team-based Death Tides PvP mode. Season 2: Oaths of War, scheduled for summer 2025, will bring Megaforts and the formidable Frigate large ships. Finally, Season 4: Eye of the Beast, set to launch this winter, will feature the fearsome Kraken, the Hunter’s Guild, and the Corvette large ship.

If the new content sounds appealing, you're in luck. Ubisoft is offering a free weekend for Skull and Bones from April 17 to 21, giving players a chance to dive into the pirate PvP experience. Additionally, the game will be available at a discounted price during this period, though the exact discount has yet to be announced.

Skull and Bones launched on February 16, 2024, for PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X | S, earning a 7/10 in our review. While Ubisoft has been tight-lipped about official sales figures, they did mention that the game achieved "record player engagement" shortly after its release. Interestingly, the launch of Skull and Bones also saw a 200% surge in players of Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag.