Skull and Bones launches Shattered Seas

Ubisoft launched “Shattered Seas,” the first season of Skull and Bones Year 3, on May 12, positioning the update as a broader overhaul of ship progression rather than a conventional content drop. The publisher said the season adds a Seasonal Mastery Tree, two new world tiers, Mythic Ascension and Mythic Reforge systems, and the Galleon, a new large ship. Ubisoft’s May 13 launch trailer described the season as “a new era of ship-focused progression” and tied the update to escalating endgame challenges. (news.ubisoft.com 1) (news.ubisoft.com 2) The release gives Ubisoft another chance to expand a live-service game that has continued to receive seasonal updates after its February 2024 debut. The company’s Year 3 roadmap, published this month, said the new annual cycle will focus on “deeper progression, stronger build customization, and new challenges” across four seasons. (news.ubisoft.com) That roadmap also laid out later additions including new ships, leaderboard-based Trials and larger party sizes. ### What, exactly, arrived in Shattered Seas this week? May 12 was the start date for Shattered Seas, according to Ubisoft’s season post. The company said the update raises the game’s power ceiling through a Seasonal Mastery Tree with more than 500 nodes, plus Seasonal Perks unlocked at mastery levels 10, 30 and 60. (news.ubisoft.com) Ubisoft said those systems are designed to push ship rank from 13 to 30 over the course of the season. Two new world tiers also arrived with the season. Ubisoft’s roadmap lists them as Rogue Storms and Brutal Tempest, with enemies gaining seasonal affixes that require players to change builds and tactics. The company also said Shattered Seas includes the return of limited-time events “The Honorless” and “Moonshine Larceny,” along with new weapons, armor and furniture. (news.ubisoft.com) ### Why is Ubisoft emphasizing the Galleon? The Galleon is the headline ship in Season 1. Ubisoft said it is the third large ship in the game and the first large DPS ship in Year 3, with 40 gunports — “the most in the game so far,” according to the roadmap. In the season breakdown, Ubisoft described the ship as nicknamed “The Oppressor” and built for close-range, high-damage combat. (news.ubisoft.com) The ship is also central to Ubisoft’s messaging about stronger fleet play. The company said the Galleon’s “Iron Thunder” perk increases damage within 350 meters and builds toward a damage surge that can rally nearby allies. That language, along with the broader Year 3 roadmap, points to a season built around heavier ship specialization and group encounters rather than only incremental story additions. (news.ubisoft.com) ### Did Ubisoft verify the battle-pass and seasonal reward push? Ubisoft tied the update to a refreshed seasonal reward structure, though it framed that progression around mastery and the Smuggler Pass rather than using only trailer language. The roadmap says Year 3 will include “improved Smuggler Pass progression,” while the season post says players gain Infamy to increase Mastery Level and earn points for the Seasonal Mastery Tree. (news.ubisoft.com) Seasonal Perks reset each season, which keeps the reward loop tied to the active seasonal cycle. The company’s official YouTube launch trailer repeated that emphasis. Ubisoft said Shattered Seas brings the Galleon, Mythic Ascension, Mythic Reforge, Seasonal Perks and the Seasonal Mastery Tree, alongside “escalating challenges across two new World Tiers.” (news.ubisoft.com) ### What about the claims of bigger fleets and 24-player battles? Ubisoft’s official materials reviewed here do not verify a 24-player encounter count for Shattered Seas. The main U.S. game page currently describes Skull and Bones as an open world “of up to 20 players,” while the Year 3 roadmap says the company plans “larger party sizes” as an ongoing quality-of-life improvement. Because Ubisoft’s own launch post and roadmap do not state 24-player battles, that figure could not be confirmed from the official sources examined. (news.ubisoft.com) What Ubisoft has confirmed is a broader push toward bigger fleets, more ships per fleet and group-oriented progression systems over the course of Year 3. (youtube.com) ### What comes next in Year 3? Ubisoft’s Year 3 roadmap says later 2026 seasons will add the Junk and Fluyt ships, a new Trials feature built around leaderboards, additional elite bosses and more Faction War content. The company also listed Mod Transfer, Equipment Sets, more ships per fleet, improved ship management and UI changes as upcoming features. (ubisoft.com) The next concrete step for players is already live. Ubisoft said Shattered Seas is available now on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and PC through the Ubisoft Store, Steam and the Epic Games Store, with access also available through Ubisoft+, PlayStation Plus Ubisoft Classics and Game Pass Ultimate. (news.ubisoft.com)