Pirates of the Burning Sea dev details SOE publishing deal
Massively multiplayer swashbuckler Pirates of the Burning Sea was recently announced to be sailing under the flag of Sony Online Entertainment's Platform Publishing. While joining hands with a publisher is generally considered good news, some fans following the game throughout its development have expressed concern over SOE's involvement, citing its indelicate handling of Star Wars: Galaxies. Addressing these concerns is Russel Williams, CEO of developer Flying Lab Software, who updated the game's official website with a surprisingly straightforward explanation of what the publishing deal entails.
Williams specifies the responsibilities carried by each party in the deal and is quick to point out that Flying Lab Software retains complete ownership of Pirates of the Burning Sea and remains independent. "Platform Publishing is a channel for independent developers to compete on the same level as a big publisher – without selling their soul," says Williams. He goes on to stress that the deal will ultimately allow Flying Lab to focus on development of the game and deliver it on time this Fall. "I've put my money where my mouth is. And I want more developers to do the same."
Aye, Mr. Williams! Aye!
Williams specifies the responsibilities carried by each party in the deal and is quick to point out that Flying Lab Software retains complete ownership of Pirates of the Burning Sea and remains independent. "Platform Publishing is a channel for independent developers to compete on the same level as a big publisher – without selling their soul," says Williams. He goes on to stress that the deal will ultimately allow Flying Lab to focus on development of the game and deliver it on time this Fall. "I've put my money where my mouth is. And I want more developers to do the same."
Aye, Mr. Williams! Aye!




















(Page 1) Reader Comments
Reply
Besides, SOE doesn't make the game, the publisher does. If you are basing your purchase singularly on SOE, then sadly, you are probably going to miss a great game.
Me, I'll just wait until it comes out to judge. You may end up being right in the end, but I don't think it will be because SOE if the game sucks.
Reply
Feel free to play the game and make your decision, that is of course your right. My decision is based on the Ethics of SOE and not if the game sux or not.
It could be the best game in the world and I will not play it because I was once a loyal customer of SOE and they pulled an unethical bait and switch on me, and told me if I didn't like it then they didn't care. They basically kicked their loyal fan base to the curb overnight with no warning.
Realize this happened days after they released an expansion promising their customers content we never received and had paid for.
They did return our money only because they legally had to.. bait and switch is against the law.
They kicked their customers to the curb to go after an audience they thought they could get that ended up not existing.
SOE treated it's customers unfairly and I find no reason to give them money ever again. Even if they are just publishers they still make money off the deal and not even a dime of it is going to be mine.
There must be other publishers out there that Flying Lab Software could have considered, then I would have given the game a chance.
Reply
You bought it with the box.
Reply
Reply
I might still give the game a chance, but I'm really sad about this.
Reply
AFter all SWG was also handled by lucasarts and anything SoE did in terms of developing had to be Ok'd by LA,s o SWG is as much an SOE debacle as it is a LA debacle...yet no one ever cites LA for that.
outside of SWG... i've never had any qualms with SoE or LA about anything and i still play SOE and LA games. I mean after all each companies portfolio is bigger than that ONE game
Reply
All i remember them doing is revamping the game from the ground up really, everything with the expansion was STILL there... it was just...different and even then they at least gave us 2 weeks warning =p heh.
Reply
It's time to start weaning yourself from the tit of Sony. Then you're comments won't come off as fanboy defending his favorite mega corporation.
Reply
You bought it with the box."
Are people seriously *that* stupid?! That isn't a disclaimer by the game developer, it is an addition required by the ESRB for online games. You know what it really means genius? It means that the game that you bought that is rated "Teen" might *not* be so teen when you start playing online. It means people might say naughty words and even create maps/mods that have "adult" content in them.
Reply
For Andir - http://www.esrb.org/ratings/ratings_guide.jsp
In case you can't figure out how to navigate to that site yourself it says;
"Online Rating Notice
Online games that include user-generated content (e.g., chat, maps, skins) carry the notice "Game Experience May Change During Online Play" to warn consumers that content created by players of the game has not been rated by the ESRB."
Reply
Quit being so ignorant about a game.
Reply