History YMMV / SkullAndBones

* AudienceAlienatingPremise: One of the many reasons why the game struggled to resonate with a playerbase is the fact that, despite being a game marketed heavily around the fantasy of being a pirate, the game eschews most of the aspects one would expect out of the traditional pirate fantasy in favor of more run-of-the-mill tropes typical in opem-world/live service games. There is no melee combat, meaning that there is no swashbuckling of any kind, and boarding ships amounts to little more than a cutscene that plays after you sink a ship. Likewise, instead of killing, stealing and looting (the ways one would expect a pirate to get the things they need), the game places far greater emphasis on mining ore, cutting trees, collecting blueprints and crafting in order to grow in strength and get upgrades.

* AudienceAlienatingPremise: One of the many reasons why the game struggled to resonate with a playerbase is the fact that, despite being a game marketed heavily around the fantasy of being a pirate, the game eschews most of the aspects one would expect out of the traditional pirate fantasy. There is no melee combat, meaning that there is no swashbuckling of any kind, and boarding ships amounts to little more than a cutscene. Likewise, instead of killing, stealing and looting (the ways one would expect a pirate to get the things they need), the game places far greater emphasis on mining ore, cutting trees, collecting blueprints and crafting, all of which are seem as pretty run of the mill activities seen in tons of other, better open-world games.
* SugarWiki/AwesomeMusic:

* MemeticMutation: AAAA[[labelnote:Explanation]]The Ubisoft CEO justified the hefty $70 price tag for ''Skull and Bones'', despite being a live-service game riddled with micro-transactions, season passes, and premium in-game currency by stating that it was beyond the scope of a triple-A game, it was a "''[[RankInflation quadruple-A game]]''". This comment was widely mocked as a desperate attempt to drum up hype for what many clearly see as a sinking ship, given the game's infamously prolonged TroubledProduction and going massively over-budget.[[/labelnote]]

* SpiritualSuccessor: ''Skull and Bones'' is widely seen as Creator/{{Ubisoft}}'s standalone successor to ''VideoGame/AssassinsCreedIVBlackFlag'', a game often touted as one of the great modern pirate games (at least before ''VideoGame/SeaOfThieves'' came along as competition). This reputation worked heavily against ''Skull and Bones'' after it was released to tepid reception, with one of the most common criticisms being its notable lack of features from ''Black Flag'' (swashbuckling combat, robust story, world map size and most land-based interaction in general), with many wondering how Ubisoft made such an inferior game to one they had over a decade to build on their own solid foundation.

* SpiritualSuccessor: ''Skull and Bones'' is widely seen as Creator/{{Ubisoft}}'s standalone successor to ''VideoGame/AssassinsCreedIVBlackFlag'', a game widely touted as one of the great modern pirate games (at least before ''VideoGame/SeaOfThieves'' came along as competition). This reputation worked heavily against ''Skull and Bones'' after it was released to tepid reception, with one of the most common criticisms being its notable lack of features from ''Black Flag'' (swashbuckling combat, robust story, world map size and most land-based interaction in general), with many wondering how Ubisoft made such an inferior game to one they had over a decade to build on their own solid foundation.

* TaintedByThePreview: Pre-release footage shows that the game lacks any boarding combat and instead has a harpoon mechanic that shows a cutscene and gives loot after completion. Many were upset about this and quickly pointed out that [[VideoGame/AssassinsCreedIVBlackFlag Black Flag]] did have boarding combat.

* SoOkayItsAverage: General consensus is that while not terrible, the game also is nothing to write home about, and it feels undercooked despite the years it spent in development, still barren of content (with the idea being that it will be filled over the course of its lifetime as a lot of live-services do). Many critics have called out the game for not justifying its asking price on release or the now infamous title of being the first AAAA game.
* TaintedByThePreview: Pre-release footage shows that the game lacks any boarding combat and instead has a harpoon mechanic that shows a cutscene and gives loot after completion. Many were upset about this and quickly pointed out that [[VideoGame/AssassinsCreedIVBlackFlag Black Flag]] did have boarding combat.

* {{Narm}}: There is an irony to be had where a trailer brings up how piracy is good and CapitalismIsBad... Yet the game follows [[TheManIsStickingItToTheMan the same capitalistic grindfest of live service battle passes that other Ubisoft games have]] and having the infamous $70 price tag that has been associated with corporate greed.

* SugarWiki/AwesomeMusic: [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vye7cMe7wJE&pp=ygUTMndlaSB3ZWxsZXJtYW4gc29uZw%3D%3D 2wei's rendition of the Wellerman sea shanty]], which plays during the game's trailer, has been praised for being an enjoyable pirate song with excellent vocals.

* MemeticMutation: AAAA[[labelnote:Explanation]]The Ubisoft CEO justified the hefty $70 price tag for ''Skull and Bones'', despite being a live-service game riddled with micro-transactions, season passes, and premium in-game currency by stating that it was beyond the scope of a triple-A game, it was a "''[[ReadingsAreOffTheScale quadruple-A game]]''". This comment was widely mocked as a desperate attempt to drum up hype for what many clearly see as a sinking ship, given the game's infamously prolonged TroubledProduction and going massively over-budget.[[/labelnote]]

* MemeticMutation: AAAA[[labelnote:Explanation]]The Ubisoft CEO justified the hefty 70 USD price tag for ''Skull and Bones'', despite being a live-service game riddled with micro-transactions, season passes, and premium in-game currency by stating that it was beyond the scope of a triple-A game, it was a "''[[ReadingsAreOffTheScale quadruple-A game]]''". This comment was widely mocked as a desperate attempt to drum up hype for what many clearly see as a sinking ship, given the game's infamously prolonged TroubledProduction and going massively over-budget.[[/labelnote]]
* {{Narm}}: There is an irony to be had where a trailer brings up how piracy is good and CapitalismIsBad... Yet the game follows [[TheManIsStickingItToTheMan the same capitalistic grindfest of live service battle passes that other Ubisoft games have]] and having the infamous 70$ price tag that has been associated with corporate greed.

* TaintedByThePreview: Many were upset by how the game would not have boarding ships in the gameplay.

* {{Narm}}: There is an irony to be had where a trailer brings up how piracy is good and CapitalismIsBad... Yet the game follows [[TheManIsStickingItToTheMan the same capitalistic grindfest of live service battle passes that other Ubisoft games have]].

* FandomRivalry: With ''VideoGame/SeaOfThieves''. Due to notable [=SoT=] streamers being hired for marketing ''Skull and Bones'', with a few even announcing their ([[TenMinuteRetirement temporary]]) retirement from the former game, some ''Sea of Thieves'' fans resented the implication of ''Skull and Bones'' being hyped as [=SoT=]'s replacement.

* FandomRivalry: With ''VideoGame/SeaOfThieves''. Due to notable [=SoT=] streamers being hired for marketing ''Skull and Bones'', with a few even announcing their ([[FiveMinuteRetirement temporary]]) retirement from the former game, some ''Sea of Thieves'' fans resented the implication of ''Skull and Bones'' being hyped as [=SoT=]'s replacement.