In Ubisoft’s latest earnings report, it was announced that the release of the long-awaited pirate adventure game, Skull and Bones, has been delayed once again. The game, which has been in development since 2013, was originally scheduled for release in 2017 but has faced multiple delays. The most recent delay was in order to create a more polished and balanced experience. Now, Ubisoft has revealed that Skull and Bones is expected to arrive sometime in the first few months of 2024.
In addition to Skull and Bones, another game listed as a “large game” in Ubisoft’s release lineup has also been delayed. This mysterious title, rumored to be Star Wars: Outlaws from Massive Entertainment, was initially set to launch before the end of the current fiscal year in March 2024. However, it will now be released in Ubisoft’s next financial year, which begins after April 2024.
For the remainder of its current fiscal year, Ubisoft has several other releases planned. These include Assassin’s Creed Nexus VR, Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora, Just Dance 2024, Prince of Persia The Lost Crown, and Skull and Bones. In addition, free-to-play titles Rainbow Six Mobile, The Division Resurgence, and XDefiant are also scheduled to launch before March 31, 2024.
In its earnings report, Ubisoft also discussed its “cost reduction plan” and the resulting reduction in headcount. Through restructuring and tight control on recruitment, the company has reduced its workforce by over 1,300 employees worldwide between September 2022 and September 2023. However, the report does not specify how many of these reductions were through departures or layoffs.
Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot expressed satisfaction with the sales momentum of recently launched games, including Assassin’s Creed Mirage and The Crew Motorfest. Guillemot also mentioned the finalization of the cloud streaming rights agreement between Ubisoft and Activision Blizzard, which was implemented by Microsoft to address concerns from UK regulators regarding Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision for $69 billion.