Ubisoft is reportedly working on a remake of one of the most popular Assassin’s Creed games, Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag. According to a report published by Kotaku, one of the developers is Ubisoft Singapore, the same studio still trying to get the pirate adventure 'Skull and Bones' out the door. The game has been in developmental hell for many months now but its release is still reportedly 'at least a few years' away.
Black Flag, was the fourth mainline entry in Ubisoft's saga, and was originally released in 2013. Although it is considered one of the most popular titles among the old-school releases, owing to its pirate storyline, its ship combat was a core aspect of the gameplay. Reports have also suggested that a variation of the ship combat has also been used in other games, specifically in Skull And Bones.
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As Black Flag Rumors Swell, Fans Fear Ubisoft Has Abandoned Skull And Bones
Kotaku's sources haven't revealed how extensive the remake of Assassin's Creed: Black Flag might be. When it was first released, it was the first game in the series to go backward in time rather than forward. It followed Edward Kenway, a privateer turned pirate turned assassin, who took control of the Caribbean with a fleet of ships.
Some fans have even speculated that Ubisoft has abandoned the Skull and Bones project and has instead picked up Black Flag. Skull and Bones notably started out as a Black Flag expansion. According to sources at Kotaku, some key decision-makers at the studio have already discussed pivoting Skull And Bones back towards a more co-op-focused game similar to Black Flag, which leaves room for more exploration and hand-to-hand combat.
During Ubisoft's Summer Game Fest showcase earlier this month, the publisher revealed Skull and Bones would get a closed beta in August. Kotaku has also reported that management at Ubisoft Singapore is making all developers on the game give up remote work to come work in the office and is encouraging staff to stay later and work longer hours.