Ahoy everyone!
On behalf of Skyward Digital, I am excited to announce our next game, Buccaneers! - a classic pirate game with a modern twist, coming soon to PC, Xbox One and VR devices.
Check out the Steam page: Buccaneers! on Steam
Here's the official description:
But enough PR; here's a more detailed explanation...
This game has been in development for the past year and a half, and was built from the ground up to be fully playable in VR and non-VR, as well as scaling all the way from top-end PCs to entry-level hardware. Alongside PC, the game will be available on Oculus Rift, HTC Vive and the Oculus Go standalone headset. Additionally, the game will launch on Xbox One via the ID@Xbox program, which we're really excited about.
For me, this game is a chance to do something creative within the pirate genre. It has a limited scope, so don't expect a massive open world and 100-hour playthroughs, but instead it focuses on a simple, replayable formula drawing inspiration from the likes of Sid Meier's Pirates!. We chose a first-person perspective primarily for VR support, but in both modes, it lets you appreciate the scale of your ship up-close, especially when boarding. That's why we kept to full-size recreations of real ship designs, and we've found that they fit the game remarkably well with minimal concessions for gameplay.
Here's a quick look at the six playable ships in the game, each with its own strengths and weaknesses.
Of course, the low-poly art style is a bit different to what you might expect in this genre, but we chose it specifically because it looks good on any hardware, regardless of graphics settings. It has also allowed us to have a bold, colourful look and feel, which is especially evident in the ship colours. There are nearly 30 paint schemes in the game (so far), and they can all be used on any ship. That's not even counting your ship's cabin, which you will be able to customise separately.
I hope Buccaneers! has piqued your interest, and I look forward to sharing more with you all over the coming months. There might even be some exclusive benefits for PA! members, so stay tuned!
I'll be happy to answer any questions below, but I've included an FAQ for the most common ones:
On behalf of Skyward Digital, I am excited to announce our next game, Buccaneers! - a classic pirate game with a modern twist, coming soon to PC, Xbox One and VR devices.
Check out the Steam page: Buccaneers! on Steam
Here's the official description:
Become a fearless captain in Buccaneers!, a classic pirate game with a modern twist. Embark on a first-person single-player adventure on PC, console or in VR, and join a faction with unique abilities to conquer an ever-changing Caribbean sea. Featuring hours of replayability, Buccaneers! lets you find legendary treasures, battle powerful ships and leave your mark on the world. Will you bring about a new Golden Age, or stomp out piracy once and for all?
Rewrite History
Pledge your allegiance to one of four factions with unique abilities tailored to different playstyles. Sign up with the British, French or Spanish empires or join the fearsome Buccaneers’ League and fight for dominance in the region. Each faction’s starting location and number of colonies changes when you start a new game, tipping the balance of power and allowing endless possibilities.
Rule the Waves
Take command of your own sailing warship and engage in intense naval battles where superior strategy wins the day. Sink or capture enemy ships and storm coastal forts to gain land for your faction, then upgrade your ship or acquire a larger one to become the most feared captain in the Caribbean!
Fight on Land or at Sea
Whether you’re boarding a ship, assaulting a fort or sneaking into an enemy harbour in the dead of night, you have a wide variety of melee and ranged weapons at your disposal. Equip up to five weapons from swords and pistols to muskets and grenade launchers, and switch weapons on-the-fly to deal with any situation.
Full VR Support
Buccaneers! is fully-playable in VR as well as standard mode, with shared game saves between both modes. In VR, your full-scale warship is brought to life as you steer it by hand and use any combination of melee and ranged weapons to slay your foes however you want.
But enough PR; here's a more detailed explanation...
This game has been in development for the past year and a half, and was built from the ground up to be fully playable in VR and non-VR, as well as scaling all the way from top-end PCs to entry-level hardware. Alongside PC, the game will be available on Oculus Rift, HTC Vive and the Oculus Go standalone headset. Additionally, the game will launch on Xbox One via the ID@Xbox program, which we're really excited about.
For me, this game is a chance to do something creative within the pirate genre. It has a limited scope, so don't expect a massive open world and 100-hour playthroughs, but instead it focuses on a simple, replayable formula drawing inspiration from the likes of Sid Meier's Pirates!. We chose a first-person perspective primarily for VR support, but in both modes, it lets you appreciate the scale of your ship up-close, especially when boarding. That's why we kept to full-size recreations of real ship designs, and we've found that they fit the game remarkably well with minimal concessions for gameplay.
Here's a quick look at the six playable ships in the game, each with its own strengths and weaknesses.
Of course, the low-poly art style is a bit different to what you might expect in this genre, but we chose it specifically because it looks good on any hardware, regardless of graphics settings. It has also allowed us to have a bold, colourful look and feel, which is especially evident in the ship colours. There are nearly 30 paint schemes in the game (so far), and they can all be used on any ship. That's not even counting your ship's cabin, which you will be able to customise separately.
I hope Buccaneers! has piqued your interest, and I look forward to sharing more with you all over the coming months. There might even be some exclusive benefits for PA! members, so stay tuned!
I'll be happy to answer any questions below, but I've included an FAQ for the most common ones:
When does Buccaneers! launch?
We haven’t announced a specific release date yet; the game will launch when it’s ready!
Will it come to other platforms as well?
We have no other plans to announce right now, but we’re keen to explore more possibilities after the game launches.
Will the game have multiplayer?
No, Buccaneers! is a single-player game only.
What languages does the game support?
At launch, Buccaneers! will only support English text and voice-overs. We will look into localising the game for other languages post-launch.
Does it have controller support on PC?
Yes! The game works with any PC-compatible controller, including Xbox, PS4 and third-party controllers.
We haven’t announced a specific release date yet; the game will launch when it’s ready!
Will it come to other platforms as well?
We have no other plans to announce right now, but we’re keen to explore more possibilities after the game launches.
Will the game have multiplayer?
No, Buccaneers! is a single-player game only.
What languages does the game support?
At launch, Buccaneers! will only support English text and voice-overs. We will look into localising the game for other languages post-launch.
Does it have controller support on PC?
Yes! The game works with any PC-compatible controller, including Xbox, PS4 and third-party controllers.
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