Ubisoft is inviting a select number of players to play (and test) its pirate game Skull & Bones.

Its new Insider Programme (spotted by Eurogamer,) will let carefully selected players access a very early version of the game in order to feedback issues to Ubisoft.

This isn't quite the same as a beta, where players can sample a near-complete version of the game early, but instead is more like a quality assurance position, where early access testers will work closely with Ubisoft to iron out problems in the game.

Anyone can apply for the Insider Programme but only those "dedicated to testing work in progress versions" of Skull & Bones will be admitted. They will also require a lot of patience and commitment and must adhere to a non disclosure agreement and Ubisoft's code of conduct, the company said.

It added in its application form: "Our main objective is to get real data & feedback. We want to see what our players do when they're free to play our game whenever they want, however they want. Most importantly, we want to know how they feel about the game."

Ideal candidates, Ubisoft said, must be fans of Skull & Bones and have a keen interest in game development, with plenty of free time to play and give feedback.

Skull & Bones was first revealed in 2017 but has since suffered delay after delay. It was eventually moved to 2020 before Ubisoft revealed it had undergone a major reboot.

It entered alpha in July last year after a reported eight years in development but soon after, in August Ubisoft once again delayed the game to 2022. Skull & Bones is inching closer to release, it seems, as Ubisoft is now prepared to show it to at least some members of the public.

Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN freelancer who occasionally remembers to tweet @thelastdinsdale.