Overview
- Alex Hutchinson says the lead team on Skull and Bones was junior and lacked the experience to deliver a Black Flag–meets–World of Warships live-service game.
- He argues the concept aged during an 11-year development that began as a Black Flag multiplayer offshoot in 2013 and finally released in 2024 to weak reception and sales.
- Ubisoft Singapore led its first original project on Skull and Bones after years in support roles, a jump Hutchinson suggests left key expertise gaps.
- Hutchinson contends Ubisoft became very allergic to greenlighting new games, citing canceled ideas like Pioneer and pointing to a broader loss of senior talent.
- The critique lands as Ubisoft navigates layoffs, restructuring, and stalled live-service bets, with PC Gamer noting Tencent now controls over 26% of the Assassin's Creed-focused Vantage Studios.