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

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