Assassin’s Creed 4 Seems to Be Getting a Boost from Skull and Bones

Highlights

• Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag seems to be experiencing a surge in player count due to Skull and Bones.
• The iconic pirate naval combat and on-foot action-adventure gameplay of Black Flag may be drawing players back in.
• There has been a significant 31% increase in Xbox players for Black Flag.

Ubisoft’s ten-year-old Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag has been enjoying a boost in player count as its spiritual successor Skull and Bones has finally been released after years of delays. Having been revealed all the way back in 2017, Skull and Bones takes the lauded naval combat introduced by Assassin’s Creed 4 and expands upon it as an ongoing live service experience, letting players partake in online ship battles in a shared open world.

One of the more widely beloved titles of Ubisoft’s iconic historical stealth franchise, Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag is remembered as one of the best in the series. The pirate naval combat was a major highlight, as it’s something seldom other AAA games have tried before, let alone an Assassin’s Creed title. Swashbuckling protagonist Edward Kenway became a fan-favorite assassin with his tongue-in-cheek personality and ties to Assassin’s Creed 3′s Haytham Kenway. Just last year, rumors began swirling about a full-blown remake of Assassin’s Creed 4, causing a stir of excitement and speculation around the fanbase.

Just a few days after the launch of Ubisoft’s Skull and Bones, Xbox Achievement site TrueAchievements has noticed that more and more players are flocking to Assassin’s Creed 4: Blag Flag. Ever since Skull and Bones had its first beta weekend on February 8, Black Flag has been seeing a growing number of players. This continued through Skull and Bones’ early access launch and, finally, its full launch on February 16. According to TrueAchievements, Blag Flag has experienced an impressive 31% jump in Xbox players over this two-week period.

It’s difficult to say exactly why Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag is seeing such a big boost. Skull and Bones seems to have had a lukewarm reception, with many feeling like the service title isn’t quite living up to Blag Flag. Instead, many players may be choosing to revisit the decade-old title again for its exceptional naval combat, as well as its on-foot action-adventure gameplay, which Skull and Bones disappointingly lacks. Additionally, TrueAchievements made mention of a recent sale Black Flag was a part of last month, where the classic Assassin’s Creed title was available for only $8.99. It’s important to note that TrueAchievements only accounts for Xbox gamers, and it’s possible Blag Flag‘s surge could be even larger across players on PC and PlayStation.

What’s Next For Assassin’s Creed Fans?

Time will tell whether Skull and Bones will be able to stay afloat as a live service game for years to come. As for fans of Assassin’s Creed, the Black Flag remake rumor may still turn out to be true, though Ubisoft certainly has its hands full with a multitude of other major Assassin’s Creed projects in development. Perhaps Assassin’s Creed fans may learn more about the rumored Black Flag remake or some of the next big titles sometime this year.