Players will sail the high seas and hunt for buried treasure in Pirates of the Caribbean Online, an upcoming massively multiplayer online (MMO) game based on the successful movie franchise. Players will immediately encounter the famous Jack Sparrow even before they create their characters. Soon after breaking free from a jail cell, players make names for themselves, battling with both the Imperial Navy and the undead for fame and fortune. Along the way, they'll bump into Sparrow again, and assist other key movie characters like Will Turner and Elizabeth Swann.

The early beta build of Pirates still has a major bug that spontaneously kicks players out of the game. Despite this, the game still holds a great deal of promise. Its cartoon-like graphics fit the Disney name well, and offers a slightly more casual experience than the average MMO does. Even selecting a name for a would-be pirate comes down to selecting details from pre-made lists. The game has an option to type in a custom name, but they need to go through an approval process before it can be applied.

Soon after breaking out of jail, players will get hold of a personal chest, which works as the game's catch-all system interface, where they can check their quests, inventory and treasure. From there, would-be pirates increase their reputation by embarking on one of two types of quests. Fame quests increases one's reputation in the Caribbean, and with some that apply to an overarching storyline, while Treasure quests focus on getting money. Eventually, gamers will be able to put together their own crews and set sail across the Caribbean.

Skills include famous pirate past-times like sword fighting, cannon gunning and sailing. As players work their way up in notoriety, they can add additional points to different moves, making them more effective. Chaining moves together with timed left mouse button clicks create combos, while the right button selects special attacks. In additional to traditional forms of combat, players can spice things up by using Voodoo powers to put odds in their favor, but magical powers won't be limited to just fighting. They can be applied to other aspects, like cursing enemies, healing, traveling or cheating at cards. Yes, pirates who want to take a break sailing the seas have a chance to put their card shark skills to work, and can set the interface to keep on the lookout for nearby poker and blackjack games. Joining in will automatically teleport them to the nearest tavern.

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