Skull and Bones Adds Land Combat This Fall: Ubisoft's Year 2 Plans Unveiled

Ubisoft is setting sail to make Skull and Bones Year 2 the most thrilling chapter yet for this pirate multiplayer game, with a treasure trove of new content including new modes, ships, a Kraken, and the much-anticipated land combat feature that fans have been clamoring for since the game's launch.

During a special Year 2 showcase that premiered yesterday, Ubisoft unveiled its ambitious plans for the upcoming year. The presentation was brimming with exciting updates, but it's Season 3: Guts and Glory, set to launch this fall, that promises to bring the long-awaited land combat feature. Players will finally be able to step away from the sea and engage in swordfights and gun battles on land. This feature is part of the Rogue Warlord additions, where players will explore sandy beaches and damp caves to rescue skilled crewmembers known as Officers. A teaser video offered a glimpse of what to expect, though we'll have to wait until later this year to see the full implementation.

While land combat is the headline addition for Skull and Bones Year 2, the showcase revealed a wealth of other content to keep players engaged throughout 2025. Season 1: Ascent into Chaos, which launches 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, slated for summer 2025, will bring Megaforts and the formidable Frigate large ships. Finally, Season 4: Eye of the Beast, set for this winter, will introduce the legendary Kraken, the Hunter’s Guild, and the Corvette large ship.

If the announced updates have piqued your interest, you'll be pleased to know that Skull and Bones is hosting a free weekend from April 17 – 21. This is your chance to dive into the pirate PvP action and even purchase the game at a discounted price, though the exact discount has yet to be revealed.

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