Even with free trials.
Image credit: Ubisoft
Insider Gaming's sources say that only about 850,000 people play Skull and Bones, including those with free trial. This might sound like a lot, but it's not actually, considering it's what Ubisoft calls an "AAAA game".
After years of development and several delays, the pirate adventure is finally out. However, I can already see Ubisoft's next financial report lamenting its low sales if nothing changes. According to Insider Gaming, fans play three to four hours a day and seem "fairly engaged," although no one knows if those enjoying it for free now will turn into paying users when the trial ends.
There are several reasons for the numbers, one of which is the price: the game costs $70. "It's a really full AAA… AAAA game that will deliver in the long run," said CEO of Ubisoft, Yves Guillemot. Not everyone agrees, though, even within the studio. “I think we all know this is a $30-$40 game at best, but it’s not in our control to determine those things”, said one employee who worked on the project.
However big it is, I think being postponed and remade didn't help its cause, and its prime time waned when the company didn't deliver soon after its announcement.
The mood at Ubisoft is said to be grim; the development of Skull and Bones cost about $200 million, but Ubisoft itself doesn't expect to get that money back from sales. If the player count doesn't improve, this will certainly be a sad story in the company's history.
Thankfully, there should be an Assassin’s Creed Black Flag remake waiting for us in the future, and hopefully, it will be what fans wanted from Skull and Bones from the beginning.
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