Skull and Bones

Skull and Bones’s 11-year development cycle culminated in a launch that failed to surpass even the middling reception of #10 Mighty No. 9. Ubisoft reportedly spent over $200 million on this pirate game, only to deliver a hollow live-service experience that stripped out the boarding combat fans anticipated from its 2017 E3 reveal. Upon release in February 2024, the game’s user score on Metacritic sits at a paltry 4.2, a 60% drop from the average for major studio releases that year. Compared to other pirate-themed titles, Skull and Bones is an expensive flop that underwhelmed critics and players alike.