A Pirates of the Caribbean game released in 2003 still has an active community thanks to a huge overhaul mod named New Horizons,

Pirate games are often popular in the gaming industry simply due to the popularity of pirates in mainstream pop culture. But there are surprisingly few pirate games, despite that. Sea of Thieves and Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag are two modern examples, as well as the now-rebooted Skull & Bones multiplayer game. But some gaming fans havebeen looking for, and have found, something more authentic in the 17-year-old action RPG Pirates of the Caribbean.

Pirates of the Caribbean is a 17-year old game developed by a now-defunct developer named Akella. Akella was, at the time, well known for its pirate games, including Sea Dogs and Age of Sail 2. A sequel for Sea Dogs was ultimately re-branded to be a licensed Pirates of the Caribbean game to coincide with the movie's release. Now, 17 years later, a mod named New Horizons has resurrected the game and has led to a new thriving community.

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PCGamer recently ran an in-depth piece exploring the surprisingly active community surroundingNew Horizons and Pirates of the Caribbean. It describes how a community of around 8,000 members has been built around the game mod, going all the way back to the game's launch in 2003.

The New Horizons mod is a massive complete overhaul of Pirates of the Caribbean filled with new content. It's difficult to even summarize. There are new features for International Relations, Time Periods, a Realism Game Mode,Careers, Abilities, and more. The graphics have been improved with new models and textures, new pirate ships and customizations have been added, and that's just scratching the surface. A lot can be done in 17 years.

But New Horizons' biggest addition is the release of several Storylines for players to experience. These are campaigns filled with a rich narrative experience including quests and goals. For game players looking for a proper pirate story to experience, many of New Horizons Storylines provide something special.

The development of New Horizonsmay have run its course, however. In 2017 the modding team announced the development of New Horizons Remastered, which was scuttled in 2018 as the developers moved in new directions. However, the lead modder joined a studio named Skyward Digital, which is currently working on a classic pirate game named Buccaneers!. Hopefully, it can live up to the legacy of the now 17-year-old Pirates of the Caribbean game and the community that still enjoys it.

Pirates of the Caribbean is no longer available from storefronts, but can be found on abandonware sites on PC. The New Horizons mod is available via ModDB.

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Source: PC Gamer

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Pirates of the Caribbean Game Still Has a Faithful Mod Community - GameRant