Many fans were waiting for the first Triple AAA pirate game a week ago. The world-renowned game developer CEO even promised the first-ever Quadruple A game. However, the reality was quite far from the promises.

Skull and Bones, a video game by Ubisoft, seems to have become a notable example in discussions about video game development challenges, budget management, and project expectations.

The development of Skull and Bones was indeed a subject of concern due to its prolonged production time and escalating costs, which reportedly reached around $200 million. This situation raises several points about the video game industry, project management, and consumer expectations.

Skull and Bones cost Ubisoft 200 million

A new report alleges that Ubisoft’s new pirate game, Skull and Bones, cost roughly $200 million to produce, and the company doesn’t think it’ll make all that money back.

This is according to Insider Gamer, who claimed to have spoken with several Ubisoft employees to discuss the company’s current state and its plans. If this $200 million figure is accurate, it would make Skull and Bones the most expensive video game ever made, at least as far as the general public knows.

Skull and Bones was Ubisoft’s new big game. (Credit: Instagram)

Development budgets aren’t typically shared, but considering officially known figures, Cyberpunk 2077 is the most expensive game ever developed at the time of writing, as it costs around $174 million, not including marketing.

Skull And Bones has also been a critical flop, with a current Metacritic score of 64, compared to 83 for Helldivers 2 (nobody has given Palworld a scored review yet, but current assessments are mixed, unlike the very positive rating on Steam).

Skull and Bones’ development has been tumultuous, a severe understatement. Multiple behind-the-scenes reports have documented its troubled history; just last September, it was reported that the game had lost its third creative director.

Even without these reports, it’s evident that progress has been far from smooth, considering Skull and Bones was announced nearly seven years ago, and Ubisoft has publicly delayed it no less than six times.

Many players slammed Skull and Bones for being boring to play. Skull and Bones is focused on updating ships with better weapons, perks, and armor and on aiming to exchange them all as soon as possible for bigger and better ships.

Why are Ubisoft games flopping?

The perception that Ubisoft games have been underperforming or flopping can be attributed to a combination of factors that reflect broader challenges within the video game industry as well as specific decisions made by the company.

While not all Ubisoft games have failed to meet expectations, several high-profile titles have faced criticism and commercial disappointment for reasons such as lack of innovation, technical issues, and market saturation.

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One common critique of Ubisoft games is their tendency to rely on a formulaic approach to game design. Many of their franchises, including Assassin’s Creed, Far Cry, and Watch Dogs, have been criticized for repetitive gameplay mechanics and a lack of innovation across sequels.

While this strategy can ensure a consistent level of quality and familiarity for fans, it can also lead to franchise fatigue, where players become disinterested due to perceived sameness.

Disappointment of Assassin’s Creed Games

Several Ubisoft games have launched with significant technical issues, undermining player trust and satisfaction. High-profile examples include the problematic launch of Assassin’s Creed Unity, which was plagued by bugs and performance problems. These issues can stem from tight development timelines that prioritize meeting fiscal targets over delivering a polished product.

The video game market is highly competitive, with numerous high-quality games vying for players’ time and money. Ubisoft’s titles compete with those from other major studios, and a growing number of indie games often offer unique experiences or innovative gameplay at a lower price point.

Additionally, Ubisoft’s focus on open-world games means they are directly competing in one of the most saturated segments of the market.

There’s been growing scrutiny and backlash from the gaming community regarding the use of microtransactions and aggressive monetization strategies in AAA games. Some players feel that Ubisoft has overly embraced these practices, detracting from the gameplay experience and pushing players towards additional spending to enjoy or complete their games fully.