Fans say Skull and Bones’ messy UI looks like Elden Ring meme

The recent Skull and Bones reveal showcased a messy UI that people online were quick to mock as near-identical to the Elden Ring UI meme.

Elden Ring’s minimalistic user interface received plenty of praise from critics and players alike when the game launched earlier this year.

After some pushback from Ubisoft developers, famous for making its own open-world games, it didn’t take long for artists to begin mocking up what the Elden Ring HUD would look like under the French company’s leadership.

Memes boasting an Elden Ring screenshot littered with a host of intelligible icons began flooding the internet as a consequence. Unsurprisingly, the memes resurfaced not too long after Ubisoft debuted the first gameplay footage of Skull and Bones.

Elden Ring UI meme returns due to Skull and Bones

Bandai Namco Entertainment

Players loved Elden Ring’s minimalist HUD.

On July 7, Ubisoft finally lifted the veil on Skull and Bones in a stream showcasing gameplay for the first time. Viewers caught a closer look at the User Interface about halfway through the broadcast. Many noticed the clutter straightaway.

Icons and written instructions coat every corner of the screen. The top half of the Skull and Bones UI looks especially messy given the design of a few thick black bars dense with information.

Fans on social media such as Twitter user bluefootednewt quickly pointed out the screen’s resemblance to the Elden Ring UI meme that made the rounds some months ago.

Since Skull and Bones remains a work-in-progress, it’s possible the HUD in the recent reveal won’t reflect the final product.

And the Exploration Modes in Assassin’s Creed Odyssey and Valhalla indicate players may be able to adjust the contents of Skull and Bones’ UI to their liking. The crew at Ubisoft Singapore has yet to confirm whether such customization options will make the jump to the new IP, however.