After sailing the briny Caribbean for some six years, Disney announced this past week that Pirates of the Caribbean Online would be shutting down on September 20th. Pirates, along with Toontown and Pixie Hollow, was part of Disney’s Virtual World MMO games.
Now, like many other buccaneers, I find myself facing being laid off. So, what does an Amazon pirate do now?
It’s not easy, mates, to simply put down the cutlass, drop anchor, and put all those years of plunder and pillage behind you. We pirates don’t exactly integrate well. After all, many of the lads won’t wear shirts to work. A lot of us don’t wear shoes. Bathing is sometimes considered optional. Then, there’s the issue of drinking on the job and anger management to consider.
But, there must be other opportunities for real go-getters in the world of cutthroat business practices. After all, we’re experts in the hostile takeover. We are good at settling disputes, acquisition of goods, evasive navigation and even legal matters.
Pirates Arrrr A Social Lot
There are definitely a lot of pirate-themed games out there. The mobile app stores are filled and over-flowing with them. There are many other games based on everything from One Piece and the Pirates of the Caribbean movies to various adventure games and even the upcoming Assassin’s Creed: Black Flag.
But, part of the pirate experience is being part of a crew and interacting with your mates before, during, and after you plunder the high seas. Sure, you can go solo to fight the Knights Templar or build a Lego ship, but what we’re talking about here is MMOs.
That means the ability to board a ship, travel the waves, fight the good fight and have a swig of rum with those around you.
Candidates
Once it was official that Disney was dropping anchor, social media become the place for out-of-work pirates to discuss their options. A number of names were dropped in hopes that everyone could once again share their swashbuckling fun.
- Florensia – A fantasy MMO with sailing elements. Might be a bit too anime for some folks’ taste.
- Pirate 101 – The kids game from the Wizard 101 folks. Not very challenging, and Saccharin cute. Might give one a cavity.
- Pirates of the Burning Sea – The long-time MMO pirate standard though some have said they weren’t the biggest fans of the sailing mechanics.
- Uncharted Waters Online – The Japanese classic which has continued to evolve over the years.
- Voyage Century – Another long-time, but not well-known, RPG.
I know there may be a few others, so feel free to drop their names in the comments.
Non-Piratey Options
In addition to classic nautical-themed games, a number of fellow buccaneers have been considering other popular MMORPGs, including some of the more popular fantasy games, even if you can’t own a ship or sail the briny in them.
- World of Warcraft – The 800lbs MMO gorilla in the room, and a number of old salts already play it. So, it would likely be an easy transition.
- Guild Wars 2 – This gorgeous game’s a very detailed RPG and allows for great customization, but it is also very demanding on the GPU. Many pirates may have to upgrade their rigs to play it.
- Lord of the Rings Online – Another beautifully rendered RPG from an epic and well-known world. And you get horses!
- Star Wars The Old Republic – The free-to-play space saga has a familiar setting that may make for easy gatherings, though the game’s system for acquiring, customizing, and flying starships is quite restricted. Have to say that this picture makes me think Jabba the Hutt has a little pirate in him.
I’ll Be Your Huckleberry
Nothing ventured, nothing gained. So, to help me fellow pirates figure out their options, I will be demo’ing and trying out the free-to-play options for any game listed above that I haven’t already tried or now play.
It’s a dangerous mission, fraught with download times, lag, character creation fatigue, and getting my noob legs under me – but this Amazon pirate ne’er shied away from a proper challenge.
Soon, I hope to report back my finding out there beyond the horizon.
