Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Fans Can Compete in Ubisoft’s Real-World $500K Treasure Hunt

Ubisoft has been had a tumultuous time in the current gaming landscape, forcing the publisher to cancel several projects and close some of its talent laden studios. It’s hoping to turn its fortunes around by remaking one of its most beloved games, however, Assassin’s Creed Black Flag. While the announcement of the game itself was enough to get long time fans hyped, the company is looking to generate extra excitement by offering a treasure hunt inspired by the game’s world.

Ubisoft is partnering with Unsolved Hunts to create Gold & Crystal - The Lost Treasure of Edward Kenway, which is described as a “unique and immersive pirate experience.” Players who participate will have a shot at winning a trip to the Caribbean where they hunt for a treasure consisting of a crystal skull, which is a replica of the skull found in the game, in addition to a chest full of gold coins. This haul is reportedly worth a cool $500,000.


Wannabe treasure hunters are going to need to bring their A game if they want to get their hands on the goods, though, because the hunt is designed to take at least two years to solve. To obtain the location of the loot participants will need to decipher an encrypted message in a bottle and 15 different puzzles contained within various letters and archives. To give everyone a taste of what lies ahead, Ubisoft has released a free preview puzzle, which can be submitted before May 23.

This is an interesting way for Ubisoft to get more attention for Black Flag, and compete with other huge titles like Grand Theft Auto VI, which tends to dominate headlines and gamers’ headspace. With this approach, updates on the treasure hunt’s progress are an obvious opportunity to generate additional buzz.

If you’d like a chance to live out your pirate dreams then head on over to the contest’s official site for more information and details, including links to purchase a game pack that will grant access to the treasure hunt.