Ubisoft announced a closed beta for Skull and Bones, its highly anticipated pirate-themed cooperative game. It’s invitation-only for participants who sign up using their Ubisoft Connect account. Note that the closed beta is only for PC and only in English, so console and non-English speaking players will have to wait to experience Skull and Bones’ seven seas.
Here’s when you can play the Skull and Bones closed beta and how to sign up for it.
What is the start date for the Skull and Bones closed beta?
The Skull and Bones closed beta runs from Thursday, August 24 to Monday, August 28. However, it ends very early on Monday in North American time zones, so you should plan to have most of your testing finished on Sunday, August 27. You can preload the Skull and Bones closed beta as soon as Tuesday, August 22 at 6 AM ET / 3 AM PT.
Here’s a list of the preload, start, and end dates for the Skull and Bones closed beta:
- Preload: Tuesday, August 22 at 6 AM ET / 3 AM PT
- Start Date: Thursday, August 24 at 10 PM ET / 7 PM PT
- End Date: Monday, August 28 at 3 AM ET / 12 AM PT
How do I sign up for the Skull and Bones closed beta?
Ubisoft has an entire blog dedicated to the Skull and Bones closed beta without actually including the information for how to sign up for it. That said, you can sign up for the Skull and Bones closed beta from the Skull and Bones page on Ubisoft’s website.
There are two tabs in the upper corner of the page on desktop: “Closed Beta” and “Pre-Order Now.” Click the Closed Beta tab. Scroll all the way down to the section that reads “Register Now” with a Ubisoft Connect icon and “Register” button underneath it on a golden yellow background. Click Register. If you’ve reached the FAQ, you’ve gone too far.
After you click Register, you should be prompted to log in to your Ubisoft Connect account. You need one to participate in the beta, so make one if you haven’t already. Follow instructions from there and you should be good to go. If selected for the beta, Ubisoft will contact you at the email connected to your Ubisoft Connect account.
What PC specs do I need for the Skull and Bones closed beta?
In its blog, Ubisoft lists the following requirements for the Skull and Bones closed beta. It also offered the minimum requirements and alternative specs for even higher-quality experiences in 2K and 4K resolution.
Recommended requirements (1080p at 60fps)
- Operating system: Windows 10 / Windows 11
- Processor: Intel Core i7-8700K, AMD Ryzen 5 3600, or better
- RAM: 8 GB (running dual-channel mode)
- Video card: NVIDIA RTX 2070 (8 GB), AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT (8 GB), or better
- Hard drive: 65 GB available storage (SSD recommended)
Minimum requirements (1080p at 30fps)
- Operating system: Windows 10
- Processor: Intel Core i7-4790, AMD Ryzen 5 1600, or better
- RAM: 8 GB (running dual-channel mode)
- Video card: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 (6 GB), AMD Radeon RX 570 (8 GB), or better
- Hard drive: 65 GB available storage (SSD recommended)
Recommended 2K configuration (1440p, 60fps)
- Operating system: Windows 10 / Windows 11
- Processor: Intel i7-9700K or AMD Ryzen 5 5600X, or better
- RAM: 16 GB (running dual-channel mode)
- Video card: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 (8 GB) or AMD Radeon RX 6800 (16 GB), or better
- Hard drive: 65 GB available storage (SSD required)
Recommended 4K configuration (2160p, 60fps)
- Operating system: Windows 10 / Windows 11
- Processor: Intel Core i5-11600K or AMD Ryzen 5 5600X, or better
- RAM: 16 GB (running dual-channel mode)
- Video card: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 (10 GB) or AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT (16 GB)
- Hard drive: 65 GB available storage (SSD required)
How do I invite my friends to the Skull and Bones closed beta?
You should see the option to select “Invite My Friends” in your Skull and Bones closed beta confirmation email. Have your friends create Ubisoft Connect accounts, and then select their usernames in the Invite My Friends menu. If you successfully send the invite, your friend will receive an invitation in their inbox for the email connected to their Ubisoft account.
Skull and Bones is currently in development for PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S.
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