Does Skull and Bones have Early Access?

Taste the life of a pirate early.

Skull and Bones header image
Image via Ubisoft

Want to jump into the perilous paradise of Skull and Bones earlier than its official release date in 2024? For those of you wondering whether Ubisoft’s upcoming action-adventure title—based on maritime piracy—will be available in early access, everything you need to know is right here.

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Will Skull and Bones be available in early access? 

Ships fire cannons at one another in a bay in Skull and Bones.
Do you have what it takes to be a pirate? Image via Ubisoft

Skull and Bones will be released in early access for players who’d love to experience the game as soon as possible thanks to a perk included in its Premium Edition and Ubisoft+. Those who purchase the Premium version of the title or subscribe to Ubisoft’s cloud gaming service will be eligible for up to three days of early access.

For those of you wondering, Skull and Bones’ Premium Edition is priced at $89.99 USD and is currently available to pre-order. If you want to choose the Ubisoft+ route instead, the subscription is available at $14.99 per month

When is Skull and Bones’ early access scheduled?

Ubisoft is yet to announce the early access date and time for Skull and Bones, but we can take an educated guess for now. 

The official release is slated for Feb. 16, 2024, and considering the three-day window that has been promised, eligible players can expect the early access to begin three days before the launch, possibly on Feb. 13. We’ll update this article when Ubisoft releases more information. 

What is the closed beta for Skull and Bones and how to participate? 

According to Ubisoft’s announcement, Skull and Bones will enter a closed beta test phase on Dec. 15, allowing players across PC, Xbox Series X|S, and PlayStation 5 to step into the shoes of a pirate kingpin for a limited time before the official launch.

The closed beta test will end on Dec. 18 but will allow only six hours of total playtime for each participant. Note that the closed beta is based on invitations only. You can only join the test if Ubisoft sends you an invitation after you register, but if you are invited, you can invite two of your friends to join too. 

You don’t have to purchase a copy of Skull and Bones to be eligible for the closed beta test—it’s not the same as early access. 

Author
Image of Sharmila Ganguly
Sharmila Ganguly
Freelance Writer at Dot Esports. An enthusiastic gamer who bumped into the intricacies of video game journalism in 2021 and has been hustling ever since. Obsessed with first-person shooter titles, especially VALORANT. Contact: sharmila@dotesports.com