In these pirate dens, players will be able to craft ships, buy provisions and take on sea contracts. The story starts with the player surviving a shipwreck and beginning their adventure on St.Anne Island, one of many pirate dens in the game. The game world takes its inspiration from the Indian Ocean and is set during the golden age of piracy. According to various reports, this project reportedly cost Ubisoft $120 million.

Due to a lack of proper direction and other issues, the game went through development hell. The game has gone through numerous changes in direction including the setting. Later on, it became an MMO title under the name Black Flag Infinite and finally an independent project. And lastly, we know that Sea of Thieves will have a penalty for failure if your ship sinks, you'll respawn at the closest Pirate Den and only some of your cargo will be recovered – you can go back for the rest in another ship, although you should be prepared to fight other players over it once you get there.Inspired by the naval combat in Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag, Skull and Bones originally were viewed as an expansion for the game. Additionally, you'll also need to be wary of ship condition and crew morale – Ubisoft has even teased that your crew can call for a mutiny if they aren't properly fed or kept happy. You'll be able to customize all of the available ships (12 in total) to better dial in your preferred playstyle. Navigation ships are the fastest of the lot, which is great for when you're moving over large distances Cargo ships allow you to carry the most items, perfect for when you go off in search of valuable loot or resources for crafting and Firepower vessels, naturally, pack the biggest punch in combat. Each ship has its own proficiencies and perks, and you'll ultimately want to build out a fleet of ships that leave you prepared for any situation you may find yourself in or contract that you take on.

There are three Skull and Bones ship types: Navigation, Firepower, and Cargo. It's kind of like the naval sections in Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag, albeit with nine years of iteration behind it. While something like Sea of Thieves has you controlling individual aspects of your vessel to make it function, Skull and Bones has you controlling all of the ship's functions – such as navigation, combat, and crew management.

The Skull and Bones gameplay is designed to make you feel like a deadly pirate captain.

Skull and bones gameplay