Though it may not seem it at first glance, history has always been a vital part of the gaming industry. From early titles likeWolfenstein 3Dall the way up tomodern series likeAssassin’s Creed, history is baked into the DNA of countless gaming franchises, and though some series take an alternate approach to their respective subject matter, real-world inspirations are still prevalent. Ubisoft’s upcomingSkull and Bonesis taking such an approach, setting its sea-faring adventure in the 17th century and on the Indian Ocean.
Originally planned to be a spin-off ofAssassin’s Creed Black Flag,Skull and Boneshas been scrapped and restarted more than just about any AAA game out there. Over the years,Skull and Boneshas had three different settings, going from the Caribbean to the mythical, Greek-inspired high seas of Hyperborea, before finally landing on the Indian Ocean. WhileSkull and Bonesis sure to take some creative liberties with its setting, there’s plenty of real-life history surrounding the Indian Ocean to draw inspiration from.
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A Brief History of the Real Indian Ocean
Thethird-largest ocean on the planet, the Indian Ocean stretches from Asia on its northern side, to Australia on its east, Africa to its west, and Antarctica at its south. Though the ocean has obviously existed for thousands of years, its history before the Colonial period is relatively undocumented, which leaves just the biased, Eurocentric accounts to learn from.
According to recent theories, it’s believed that some species of Homo sapiens spread across different continents by sailing across the Indian Ocean about 75,000 years ago. Over tens of thousands of years, human civilizations began to emerge, eventually resulting in a variety of cultures surrounding the Indian Ocean, including those fromthe Middle East, South East Asia, and India itself. Around 7000 years ago, the maritime trade industry would begin to flourish, and the Indian Ocean was home to a plethora of trade routes. Pottery, bronze, grain, copper, timber, and stone were all popular trading goods, with tons of each being sailed across the Indian Ocean on a constant basis.
In the 8th century, Arabic missionaries would cross the Indian Ocean to spread their teachings of Islam, and gradually, more civilizations began spreading to the smaller islands and archipelagos throughout the ocean. In the early 1400s, Zheng He ofthe Ming Dynastysailed his fleet through the Indian Ocean in an attempt to gather more exotic treasures. In 1497, Vasco da Gama became the first European to sail to India, which subsequently led to a series of Portuguese raids on the African coast. The early 1500s saw the Ottoman Empire spread across the Indian Ocean, first conquering Egypt.
In the 17th century, the Dutch East India Company was established. Along with the East India Company, the two organizations were the largest contributor to the slave trade, with the Indian Ocean unfortunately being the site of countless slave ship routes.Skull and Bonesis apparently set at some point within the 17th century, though the exact date hasn’t been confirmed just yet. It seems extremely unlikely that there’ll be any mention of the real-world history at the time, given the nature of the subject matter. Instead, it seems much more likely thatSkull and Boneswill simply use the real-world locales of the 17th century Indian Ocean as opposed to any actual events or people.
Skull and Bonesis set to release on July 26, 2025 for PC, PS5, Stadia, and Xbox Series X/S.
