"Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag" has been officially released and you've realized in order to get far in the game you'll need a good amount of Reales.

From rebuilding your hideout to upgrading the Jackdaw, you'll need to spend some time plundering away.

Here are four of the best ways to make money in "Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag," courtesy of IGN:

Plundering Ships: Like any good PIRATE, go steal some booty!

"Plundering ships is by far the fastest way to rake in those Reales. Simply sail around, finding ships that have plenty of sugar, rum, or just plain cash on board. Convoys also offer an opportunity to plunder massive amounts of money in one fell swoop."

Legendary Ships: They're strong, but the spoils are worth the fight.

"These ships are incredibly strong and do massive amounts of damage. If you want to take one out, you will need to have a heavily-fortified Jackdaw. If you do manage to take one out, you will be rewarded with a healthy amount of Reales though."

Assassin Contracts: Want to make some cash on the side without hitting the high seas? Assassin's contracts are your best bet.

"Assassin Contracts will earn you at least 1,000 Reales each. Some even have the opportunity to get you an additional 500 Reales if you remain undetected. Doing all of these will also earn you the most awesome Pistol Swords, which are exactly what they sound like."

Cheating: There's a glitch in the game that will give you money.

If you move fast enough, you can earn 20,000 Reales in about 10 minutes. Watch the video below to learn how this "cheat" works.

Once you have your money in order, you'll want to get all the upgrades you can.  Check out upgrade tips here, including where to find necessary craft items 

Have any tips of your own for "Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag" gamers? Tell us what you found out in the comments section below!