Captain Blood, Revealed In 2004, Is Finally Launching This Fall
What were the initial circumstances surrounding the announcement of "Age of Pirates: Captain Blood" at E3 2004?
"Age of Pirates: Captain Blood" was initially announced at E3 2004 with a short trailer, marking it as an upcoming third-person action-adventure pirate game. The announcement was met with anticipation, as this was during a time when pirate-themed games and media were becoming increasingly popular. However, the development process was far from smooth, with multiple instances of team members leaving and development restarting from scratch due to bad management decisions. Despite these setbacks, the game was eventually completed in 2009, but due to legal battles over the IP, it never saw a release.
What is known about the efforts made by the studio to prepare for the game's release prior to the legal complications?
Before the legal complications surrounding Age of Pirates: Captain Blood, the studio had made significant efforts to prepare for the game's release. Development progressed to a point where the game was essentially finished in 2009. The studio reportedly began printing discs and preparing to ship copies to retailers. A trailer was also released in 2010, promising a 2011 release. However, the legal troubles with the game's previous publisher, Playlogic, prevented the game from actually launching.
Despite the setbacks, the studio persevered, and as revealed in a new “world premiere” trailer on June 17, the game is now set to launch this fall on Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, and PC. Based on the gameplay seen in the new trailer, this version of Captain Blood appears to be based on the last build we saw in 2010, with some enhanced lighting and (hopefully) solid performance.
How did the change in direction in late 2004, turning "Captain Blood" into a "God of War" clone, affect the progress of the game's development?
The change in direction in late 2004, turning "Captain Blood" into a "God of War" clone, actually helped the progress of the game's development. Before this shift, the game had gone through multiple restarts and struggles, but after this change, development moved forward and the game was essentially finished by 2009. However, legal issues prevented its release at that time.