Ubisoft Unveils Year 3 of Skull and Bones with Four Seasons and a Galleon

Season 1 (Shattered Seas) Launches on May 12

The first season kicks off on May 12, 2026, with the introduction of the Galleon, a large ship specialized in damage (DPS) featuring 40 cannons, the highest number in the game to date. It also introduces two new difficulty levels (World Tier 3: Rogue Storms and World Tier 3: Brutal Tempest) where enemies appear with seasonal modifiers forcing players to adapt their gear compositions and strategies. The season introduces a new Seasonal Mastery Tree and Seasonal Perks offering over 500 customization nodes, as well as new features of Mythic Ascension and Mythic Overhaul to increase the progression ceiling. A new Faction War event titled Safeguard invites players to defend their factories against increasing waves of enemies. The update includes new weapons (Hullcarver Culverin), armors (Needle Shield Armor), furniture (Royal Ramming Works), and time-limited events (The Honorless and Moonshine Larceny, with a revised reward). Season 1 also brings Steam Deck verification and full support for portable devices, as well as additional optimizations for PCs with lower specifications.

Content Planned Across Year 3

The following three seasons will continue to expand the game with new ships (Junk and Fluyt), the introduction of a new feature called Trials (high-pressure trials with rankings), new challenges including Abyssal Depths and enhanced elite bosses. The expansion of the Faction War system will add new factions. Additional progression features will be added, including Modifier Transfer and Gear Sets, allowing players to refine and transport their gear compositions. Quality of life improvements are also planned (increase in the number of ships per fleet, expansion of group sizes, improvement of the Smuggler Pass progression, ship management, and user interface enhancements).