Skull & Bones test footage appears online
UPDATE: Ubisoft acknowledges leaky ship.
UPDATE 4pm UK: Ubisoft has acknowledged today leak of Skull and Bones test footage, and told fans to keep an eye on the horizon for official news.
A short clip of footage from the game was posted by Ubisoft to Twitter this afternoon, hours after the leaked footage begain circulating. More on all that below.
ORIGINAL STORY 2.30pm UK: Footage of Ubisoft's unreleased pirate game Skull & Bones has leaked.
Taken from the alpha test, a four-minute tutorial video has been uploaded to reddit showing a detailed look at gameplay.
The game has long been in development and suffered high-profile delays, so this leaked footage offers a new chance to see what all the fuss is about after its last showing at E3 2018.
"You'll start your journey as an underdog whose goal is to become the most infamous pirate to sail these waters," explains the video.
That means raising your infamy - essentially experience - by completing contracts, exploring, plundering, and completing treasure hunts. The higher your infamy, the more opportunities available to you.
Before embarking, you'll need to stock up your ship on rations and cargo at nearby ports, as well as customise your character. As your infamy rises, you'll be able to craft bigger and stronger ships with a unique playstyle.
Ship battles appear to be a core part of the game, with the ability to board enemy ships offering greater rewards. Crew morale depletes over time though, especially through defeat, and they will mutiny if morale isn't restored (through food and drink, naturally).
There's a Souls-esque element too with its persistent online multiplayer, player pirates who can turn on you, and the ability to collect lost cargo at the point of defeat (unless other players steal it).
There's also crafting, which is very Far Cry as you skin animals and harvest raw materials.
There's still no release date for Skull & Bones and it's not clear exactly why the game has been so heavily delayed.
Still, the waves look nice.
Check out the footage for yourself on reddit.