SOE sets sail on Burning Seas

MMOG treasure collector will publish Flying Lab Software's pirate adventure; update planned for E3.

Flying Lab Software's massively multiplayer online buccaneer epic Pirates of the Burning Sea has found a harbor. Sony Online Entertainment announced it will be publishing the game through its Santa Monica-based Platform Publishing label.

Set around the year 1720, Pirates of the Burning Sea posits players on the open waters of the Caribbean sea, where they must defy their scurvy-dog status and become reputable and feared pirates. The game features player-versus-environment and player-versus-player elements, involving both ship-to-ship and cutlass-to-cutlass combat. Players will also be able to establish ports and secure resource-gathering locations to contribute to the game's player-run economy.

Though when the game will make its maiden voyage remains a mystery, SOE did state it would be showing Burning Sea at this year's E3 Media and Business Summit.

82 Comments

  • ub3132

    Posted Jul 16, 2007 7:35 pm PT

    cool

  • Cubehouse

    Posted Jul 10, 2007 2:28 pm PT

    "I guess this will have to compete with Disney Online's Pirates of the Caribbean MMO. I am not sure which one will be the better of the two though."
    Trust me, this one is going to be waaay better... I've been following it for at least a year and been trying to get into beta but failed... looks awesome

  • No-Go-Zone

    Posted Jul 10, 2007 11:32 am PT

    scary i always wanted them to make a pirates of the carrbean online MM on ps3 and now what do you know?.... SCARY..

  • DouglasBuffone

    Posted Jul 9, 2007 12:45 pm PT

    If his game is anything like Sid Meier's Pirates, I am definitely going to check it out

  • intence_gamer

    Posted Jul 9, 2007 9:20 am PT

    The screenshot looks exactly like Sid Meier's PIRATES, Live the Life, a game i have

  • comthitnuong

    Posted Jul 7, 2007 5:48 pm PT

    I guess this will have to compete with Disney Online's Pirates of the Caribbean MMO. I am not sure which one will be the better of the two though.

  • shyflower

    Posted Jul 5, 2007 12:31 pm PT

    i just know all the games i have played bye SOE have ben destroyed. thats all i am going to say. =P

  • Smintar

    Posted Jul 5, 2007 7:39 am PT

    Well those of us that know SOE knew this would happened, it only gets worst wont be spending my bucks here.

  • Danoli3

    Posted Jul 4, 2007 9:27 pm PT

    Publishers only have content control when its the only publishing medium.

    FLS have had talks with steam, ;D

  • rsrobinson76

    Posted Jul 4, 2007 10:39 am PT

    I've been following the development of PotBS for awhile and there are a lot of misconceptions about this deal flying around. FLS is an independent company that has sole control of the development of this game and will retain full control. They are not running out of money, they don't need SOE's money to bail them out and the game is almost finished is not being rushed out the door. They simply need a publisher to help distribute the game to a wider audience and SOE is quite capable of that.

  • Terrorantula

    Posted Jul 4, 2007 7:37 am PT

    Most people forget that SWG was a IP of Lucas Arts who made all the decisions to what happens to the game and then SOE would develop it in like w/e time they had lol which was little. I doubt evry much SOE would have done that to SWG if it was their IP and not Lucas Arts.

  • marnoldster

    Posted Jul 3, 2007 9:19 pm PT

    I see that some people are confused over the influence SOE will have in this game. Especially how it differs from the Vanguard arrangement.

    For the full information, directly from the CEO of FLS, and in a surprisingly honest fashion, follow this link: http://www.burningsea.com/pages/page.php?pageKey=news/article&article_id=10349

  • barlienb

    Posted Jul 2, 2007 1:28 pm PT

    I was looking forward too this. I was going to buy it. I thought this developer knew better. I used to play Star Wars Galaxies... 'nuf said!

  • foulu625

    Posted Jul 2, 2007 9:04 am PT

    To anybody saying that SOE will have no control over the product at all: you're right. What screwed Vanguard up wasn't SOE, but Sigil botching things up and wasting funds and time. SOE won't screw it up, they'll sit there, hope the makers of the game botch this title too, then buy it and milk it for everything it's worth. They've done that with every MMO they've ever published.

  • akikisaragi

    Posted Jun 30, 2007 10:33 pm PT

    SOE is publishing it so they have plenty of opportunity to screw it up. Just because they are the publishers means nothing. The developers send the content to the publisher and it's on the publisher what they do with it. That's how it works.

  • Pharoah6

    Posted Jun 30, 2007 7:02 pm PT

    If you guys and a decent pirate mmo try this one

    http://voyagecenturyonline.com/ its free to play but if you want certain items you have to buy them.

  • Trindris

    Posted Jun 30, 2007 10:39 am PT

    Why does everyone use Vanguard as an example of SOE's failures, has no one played SWG pre-CU thru CU thru NGE. Basically it went from best game I have ever played, to OK game, to terrible game.
    www.swgemu.com ftw.

  • Griminald

    Posted Jun 29, 2007 11:58 am PT

    Anyone who says this will be the next Vanguard is ignorant. Vanguard didn't fail because of SOE -- Vanguard failed because Vanguard sucked.

    Plain and simple.

  • pmcubed

    Posted Jun 29, 2007 11:19 am PT

    Vangaurd all over again. SOE will push this out too early and it will be an unfinished pile of SOE excrement

  • Smintar

    Posted Jun 28, 2007 12:47 pm PT

    Looks Like a BIG mistake for FLS, to bad too, might had been a good one.

  • kieranm2005

    Posted Jun 27, 2007 4:55 pm PT

    Do you guys at gamespot read the gaming news or just make it up as you go along!? lol

  • axia_777

    Posted Jun 27, 2007 4:16 pm PT

    Hey geniuses, SOE is not developing at all on this game. They are PUBLISHING. That means that the Devs are in control of content, not SOE. See how stupid you all sound now? Oh wait, I guess you all missed that IN THE ARTICLE ABOVE.

  • ScreamDream

    Posted Jun 27, 2007 3:41 pm PT

    It's going to be a great E3.

  • blancobo

    Posted Jun 27, 2007 3:11 pm PT

    Sounds interesting, though the overall Pirate theme seems kind of dry for a Massive Multiplayer game.

  • LockdownLA

    Posted Jun 27, 2007 2:01 pm PT

    Won't touch ANYTHING associated with SOE ever again.

  • roams

    Posted Jun 27, 2007 1:43 pm PT

    "SOE can't screw it up they can't touch the game other than selling/distribution."

    Wasn't it the idea behind the whole Vanguard arrangement?

  • Undercova

    Posted Jun 27, 2007 1:10 pm PT

    Most people that hate SoE prolly haven't even played their games, they just go with the **** flow. I have had very good experiences with SoE games, just like many others.

  • Jerian

    Posted Jun 27, 2007 12:56 pm PT

    Pirates should be fun. but most movies and games with anything pirates is usually not. I wish them luck

  • Sonovius

    Posted Jun 27, 2007 12:08 pm PT

    "SOE can't screw it up"

    new to MMOs i see.

  • KingBuns

    Posted Jun 27, 2007 12:05 pm PT

    SOE can't screw it up they can't touch the game other than selling/distribution.

    Flying Lab Software
    • Game Development
    • Community
    • Customer Support
    • Server Operations Sony Online Entertainment
    • Billing
    • Launcher
    • Retail Distribution
    • Localization
    • Marketing

    http://www.burningsea.com/pages/page.php?pageKey=news/article&article_id=10349

  • Pablo620

    Posted Jun 27, 2007 11:56 am PT

    Pirate's are cool

  • 360player_eq12 posted Jun 27, 2007 11:44 am PT (does not meet display criteria. login to show)

    360player_eq12

    Posted Jun 27, 2007 11:44 am PT (hide)

    game is weak.

  • ginoon

    Posted Jun 27, 2007 11:31 am PT

    interesting

  • chris98092 posted Jun 27, 2007 11:27 am PT (does not meet display criteria. login to show)

    chris98092

    Posted Jun 27, 2007 11:27 am PT (hide)

    sounds pretty cool. too bad SOE will mess it up.

  • maxmax1234

    Posted Jun 27, 2007 11:15 am PT

    2005E'3 wow PREHISTORICAL

  • Slider14206 posted Jun 27, 2007 10:49 am PT (does not meet display criteria. login to show)

    Slider14206

    Posted Jun 27, 2007 10:49 am PT (hide)

    Everything SOE touches turns to poo.

  • jimejo

    Posted Jun 27, 2007 10:42 am PT

    Pretty lousy reporting Gamespot,/Magrino , try a little Research before you write an article. BTW Gamespot, it's not a" Fantasy Online Role-Playing " Game.

  • RockySquirrel

    Posted Jun 27, 2007 10:08 am PT

    I just hope I get to sink a ship full of Chinese gold farmers.

  • DrKill09

    Posted Jun 27, 2007 9:55 am PT

    SOE? State of Emergency?!

  • pneumoniaprone

    Posted Jun 27, 2007 8:46 am PT

    Everyone can comment on how SOE will not ruin the game and that may be true but because SOE has ruined gamers' experiences in the past many will think twice about buying this game. Personally, this game will have to get very good reviews across the board for me to begin sinking my time into it. Like it or not there is a stigma attached to SOE because they alienated a large fan base.

  • SavoyPrime

    Posted Jun 27, 2007 8:22 am PT

    A pirate-themed MMOG? I'm all for it!

  • NandoSupes

    Posted Jun 27, 2007 8:18 am PT

    this game brings something fresh to the MMO genre,I would like to try this at least before making any judgements like some of you ignorant people do. just because is a SOE MMO, doesn't mean is bad,theres too many MMO's based on Orcs,Elves,Dwarves and the like,lets see how this one turns out

  • Truax

    Posted Jun 27, 2007 8:14 am PT

    Very disappointing (lack of) research. The game was first set to just be ship-to-ship combat, but it now includes full avatar combat and boarding combat as well, hence the delay. The reason the GS editor hasn't heard of any updates is because he never cared to look for them. And since SOE has just signed up as publisher now, the GS editor is hearing all about it... independant developers don't have time to do press releases for every little update like publishers do.

  • bbwolf24

    Posted Jun 27, 2007 8:09 am PT

    What a weak article, I hope the author didn't strain himself.

  • wc85

    Posted Jun 27, 2007 8:08 am PT

    The project was never scuttled to begin with.

  • Keledron

    Posted Jun 27, 2007 7:50 am PT

    No offense Gamespot, but if you had actually done any reporting on this, you would have noticed that PoTBS has been been going pretty strong, even moreso since this 2005 date you mention. They've hit almost every expo that's been held since, held expos of their own and demo'd the game all over.

    This is extremely shoddy reporting and flat out misleading, Flying Labs wasn't even CLOSE to 'scuttling' the project, as clever as you thought you were being, do your homework before you write an article.

  • Sonovius

    Posted Jun 27, 2007 7:40 am PT

    I've been following this game for about a year and they just seem to never be progressing on it. I bet now they are trying to cash in on the Pirate movie's popularity. Sadly, it will likely be a buggy mess like all SOE MMOs.

    too bad the game had a lot of promise a long time ago.

  • steven141

    Posted Jun 27, 2007 7:31 am PT

    I'm interested in this and i would love to try it out or play a beta but............then i seen whos behind it, SOE. I'v had the misfortune to play at least 2 SOE games, neither are good now. However, i will remain undecided till i have learned more of it.

  • bigmick07 posted Jun 27, 2007 6:45 am PT (does not meet display criteria. login to show)

    bigmick07

    Posted Jun 27, 2007 6:45 am PT (hide)

    looks stupid.

  • Kiaininja

    Posted Jun 27, 2007 5:39 am PT

    Their are so many MMO but few are good, so it's not just SOE. This game looks good and seems fun to play. But it would be even more intresting if they put this on the PS3 with the game coming in a keyboard and mouse bundle and support voice chat.

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