Summary
A developer at theCyberpunk 2077studio, CD Projekt Red, has playfully mocked Ubisoft’s use of the term “Quadruple-A” to describe its latest release,Skull and Bones. Inspired by the exceptional naval combat that debuted inAssassin’s Creed 4: Blag Flag,Ubisoft’sSkull and Bonesattempts to refine that system in a shared-world live service experience. Despite Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot boastingSkull and Bonesas a “AAAA” game, its February launch left a lot to be desired, so much so that its release gaveAssassin’s Creed 4an unexpected spike in player count.
CD Projekt Red is certainly no stranger to an underwhelming game launch, to put it lightly. The 2020 release ofCyberpunk 2077was disastrous, as the futuristic open world sci-fi RPG was drowning in bugs and technical issues abound. The backlash was so extreme that PlayStation removed the game from its digital storefront. As bad as the sentiment surrounding CD Projekt Red was, the studio didn’t give up onCyberpunk 2077and continued to release updates and bug fixes in the years following. With the game finally running as intended, CD Projekt Red releasedCyberpunk 2077’s Phamtom Liberty DLClast year to raving reception, solidifying the game as a must-play RPG and redeeming CD Projekt Red as one of the industry’s premier RPG studios.
In a recentCD Projekt Red investor call Q&A, one developer poked a bit of fun when asked about Ubisoft and itsfreshly releasedSkull and Bones. The investor brought up Ubisoft and its use of “AAAA” to describe its new games, asking “Will you therefore dare to reassess whether CD Projekt will continue to produce ‘only’ AAA?”, to which the CD developer jokingly responded “Ours will be AAAAA”. Many feel this newfound use of “AAAA” to describe AAA games may set a dangerous precedent in terms of setting incorrect expectations for games that already have exorbitant budgets and difficult time constraints.
What Is CD Projekt Red Working On?
The rest of the investor call made mention of some of the othergames CD Projekt Red currently has in productionnow thatCyberpunk 2077has wrapped up with Phantom Liberty. The company currently has threeWitchergames in the pipeline: Project Solaris, which is believed to beThe Witcher 4, a multiplayerWitcherspinoff known as Project Sirius, and a remake of the original 2007Witchergame. CD Projekt also has the sequel toCyberpunk 2077,Project Orion, currently in the concept phase. On top of all this, the studio additionally has a new IP in the concept stages as well, which is being referred to as Project Hadar.
It’ll be interesting to see whether Ubisoft continues to describe its upcoming games as AAAA. Its highly anticipatedopen worldStar Wars Outlawsgameis supposedly aiming to release sometime later this year. The next bigAssassin’s Creedtitle, codenamed Red, may also be looking for a 2024 launch.
Skull and Bones
WHERE TO PLAY
Set sail into the vibrant open world of Skull and Bones, a naval online action RPG where you rise to become the most fearsome pirate kingpin.ENGAGE IN SPECTACULAR NAVAL COMBATPrepare for devastating battles by crafting a dozen different ships and equip your fleet with powerful loadouts. Unlock stronger weapons as you progress and customize your ships to reflect your unique pirate playstyle.SAIL INTO A DANGEROUS HELL IN PARADISEVoyage into the Indian Ocean and explore a vast open world teeming with cutthroat pirates, deadly sea monsters, supernatural threats, devastating storms, and more.TEAM UP WITH FELLOW PIRATESSail the lawless seas solo or team up with two friends or other players to partake in shareable contracts and rewards.ENJOY EVER-EVOLVING CONTENTEach season, face a brand-new legendary sea lord and discover fresh content, limitless endgame opportunities, and new exciting features designed to enhance your pirate experience.
