Pirates set sail on Burning Sea Jan. 22

When Flying Lab Software announced Pirates of the Burning Sea in January 2003, the independent studio expected to be plundering the seven seas that fall. Turns out, making a massively multiplayer online game is no short order, and the Seattle-based studio has been swabbing its decks since. However, with the announcement this June that FLS had conscripted Sony Online Entertainment to add a favorable wind to its sails, a release date seemed to be just over the next horizon.

True to expectation, SOE announced today that Pirates of the Burning Sea would ship out in search of gamers' booty come January 22 for the PC. For those looking to cast off early, SOE also said that those who preorder the game can ship out 15 days prior to launch, as well as receive their very own in-game parrot, a weapon, and the game's soundtrack.

Set in the 18th century, Pirates of the Burning Sea lets players affiliate themselves with one of four factions and then take to the high seas as captain of their own ship. Players seek to capture more than 80 ports in the Caribbean, as well as square off in both land and sea-based battles accommodating 25 scurvy dogs to a side. GameSpot's previous coverage has more on the undeniably ambitious vessel.

Pirates of the Burning Sea has not yet been rated. According to the game's site, it will require a monthly subscription fee, though exact details have not been announced. The pirate MMOG is the second project from Fly Labs Software. The studio, which was founded in 1997, initially played robber baron in 2001 with Rails Across America, a 19th century railroad-tycoon strategy game.