By Sagar V. Mankar Ubisoft has reportedly spent a staggering $650 to $850 million on its “AAAA” pirate simulator, Skull and Bones, over more than a decade of development. This massive investment, as claimed by YouTuber Endymion, far exceeds the previously reported $200 million. Despite such an enormous budget, the game’s failure is now seen as a primary factor in Ubisoft’s ongoing financial struggles, overshadowing the much-discussed Star Wars Outlaws and Assassin’s Creed Shadows.
The excessive cost of Skull and Bones stems from its prolonged development, which involved multiple complete reworks over the years. Endymion highlighted this as the root of Ubisoft’s current troubles, stating:
“Skull and Bones failed so badly for Ubisoft, it was the actual reason why they’re dying the way that they are. It’s not actually Outlaws and Shadows if you can believe it. So they sunk a legendary amount of resources into that game, and it clearly did not work out for them at all.”
Released earlier in 2024, Skull and Bones fell flat with players, attracting only around 850,000 users during its first week—many of whom accessed the free trial. The game faced sharp price cuts shortly afterward and now averages just 350–400 daily players on Steam. While it’s also available on Xbox and PlayStation, these numbers paint a bleak picture of its reception.
Critics have lambasted the game for its mediocrity, with a current Metacritic score of 3.3/10. Beyond its poor reviews, the game failed to capture lasting interest, quickly fading into obscurity. Ubisoft itself has remained tight-lipped about its sales figures, barely mentioning the game in financial reports or statements.
With Assassin’s Creed Shadows now delayed to 2025, Ubisoft faces increasing pressure to deliver a hit to regain its footing. The studio, once synonymous with blockbuster franchises like Far Cry and Assassin’s Creed, now risks acquisition by larger developers if it cannot recover from its losses.
Sources: Endymion, SteamDB, Metacritic