The entire economy is player-driven from the harvesting of natural resources to the manufacturing of goods. Everything from textiles for clothes to line for a ship must be created by players. Obviously, this creates a potential issue since not everyone will want to full engage in the game's economy. The game gets around this sticky problem by rewarding you for real-time effort away from the game. Goods require real-time in order to be crafted; as such, time logged out of the game equates to time spent manufacturing items and mining resources. Setting up an economic queue and then leaving the game for a day or two yields a return that you can then sell on the market or to another player for further crafting. It's an economic system nothing short of brilliant because of how it enables every player to have some piece of the financial pie. Certainly, those who spend more of their piratical efforts on financial matters get a larger slice, but the game is designed in such a way that minimal effort receives at least some return.

Investing in the economy also has deeper ramifications on your game since greater wealth and access to goods affects your ability to wage war. On the most basic level, wealth to purchase equipment and weapons makes you better prepared for battle; however, economic influence can also have more far-reaching impact. Strong economic players have the option of driving the markets in competing ports down, crippling their local economy and inciting unrest. Should that unrest grow without check from local authorities, a PvP arena opens and the port can be seized.

We've only done a fly-by of the game, as there's so much to interact with from gorgeous atolls to ghost ships to customizing the color of your peg-leg. Pre-boarding has already gotten underway, allowing those who have a pre-order to start in on their account. The game's full launch, which is set for January 22 with a $15 a month monthly fee, will open up the high seas world for public perusal. We've already started in on our review of the game, so stick with us in the coming weeks when we'll grant this promising title parlay or force it to walk the plank.