Sea Dogs (video game)

Sea Dogs

Developer(s)| Akella
Publisher(s)|

* Russia: 1C Company
* EU: Ubi Soft
* NA: Bethesda Softworks

Producer(s)|

* Dmitry Arkhipov
* Joel Breton
* Brent Erickson

Designer(s)|

* Dmitry Arkhipov
* Constantine Sapronenkov
* Renat Nezametdinov

Programmer(s)| Dmitry Demianovsky
Composer(s)| Yury Poteenko
Platform(s)| Microsoft Windows
Release|

* EU: November 24, 2000[2]
* NA: November 27, 2000[1]

Genre(s)| Role-playing
Mode(s)| Single player

Sea Dogs (Корсары) is a 2000 Russian role-playing video game for Microsoft Windows, developed by Akella and published by Bethesda Softworks. In it, the player is the captain of a ship and can serve as a privateer to a European power, or as a pirate. The game uses a custom 3D game engine and includes gameplay similar to Sid Meier's Pirates!, while also being a true inter-character dialog-centered RPG.

The game is often credited as one of the first successful Russian games, which had a notable influence on Russian game industry.[3] It was followed by four sequels, one of which was tied in to Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean franchise.

## Contents

* 1 Plot summary
* 2 Development
* 3 Critical reception
* 4 Sequels
* 5 References
* 6 External links
* 7 Features
* 8 History
* 9 See also
* 10 References
* 11 External links

## Plot summary

The player's character, Nicolas Sharp, was raised by his mother since he was a child. The only memories left of his father are his departure on a ship, as well as a golden medallion he gave him. Nicolas grows, and as his father did before, goes to sea to seek adventures. Soon, he is captured by the Spanish, but manages to escape with a small ship and a crew. He arrives at the central British colony, where he has to start a new life.

Since the game is nonlinear, the player may work for any of the three nations, as well as start a pirate's career. Searching for his father is always possible, but in order to succeed, the player will need to change his ship's flags a number of times. This quest will reveal the secrets of the main character's father's life story and his death, as well as his legacy.

## Development

The game was announced in March 2000.[4] The game drew inspiration from games like Sid Meier's Pirates!.[5]

## Critical reception

Reception

| Aggregate score

Aggregator| Score
Metacritic| 71 of 100[6]
Review scores
Publication| Score
AllGame| [7]
CGW| [8]
Game Informer| 8.5 of 10[10]
GameFan| 77%[9]
GameSpot| 7.9 of 10[11]
GameSpy| 77%[12]
IGN| 8.5 of 10[13]
Next Generation| [14]
PC Gamer (US)| 81%[15]
PC Zone| 70%[16]
X-Play| [17]

Samuel Bass reviewed the PC version of the game for Next Generation, rating it four stars out of five, and stated that "flawed design choices and lack of atmosphere aside, Sea Dogs inarguably remains one of the finest action-trading simulations since the halcyon days of Elite".[14]

Sea Dogs received "average" reviews according to the review aggregation website Metacritic.[6] IGN was impressed with it, calling it "one booty call you won't want to miss".[13] GameSpot was also positive about the game, saying it's "an adventure that can be enthralling despite its many problems".[11]

## Sequels

Sea Dogs has received a number of sequels, most of which do not bear the same English title due to legal reasons. The first sequel, Sea Dogs II, was renamed Pirates of the Caribbean when Disney acquired the game in mid-development. Despite being marketed as a tie-in to Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, which was released around the same time, it is largely unrelated to the plot elements of that film.

The second sequel, Age of Pirates, is a direct sequel to the original Sea Dogs. The title was changed because Akella wanted to create a brand name that they could control, rather than their publisher.

Two indirect sequels would follow: Age of Pirates 2: City of Abandoned Ships and Sea Dogs: To Each His Own in 2009 and 2012, respectively. Caribbean Tales and City of Abandoned Ships would eventually be digitally re-released on GOG and Steam in 2017 under the original Sea Dogs title.

## References

1. ↑ "PC Games: Sea Dogs". http://pc.ign.com/articles/163/163467p1.html.
2. ↑ "WWW.1C.RU Фирма "1С"". 2000-12-05. http://www.1c.ru/.
3. ↑ Чеченская мафия, влияние Disney и спасительные моды: как создавались легендарные «Корсары» — Индустрия игр на DTF
4. ↑ Ocampo, Jason (March 27, 2000). "Bethesda's Sea Dogs Announced". Archived from the original on December 16, 2000. https://web.archive.org/web/20001216172700/http://www.gamecenter.com/News/Item/0,3,0-3922,00.html. Retrieved March 12, 2022.
5. ↑ Steinberg, Scott (February 8, 2001). "Yo-Ho-Ho, It’s a Pirate’s Game for You". Archived from the original on August 6, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230806143901/https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2001-feb-08-tt-22850-story.html. Retrieved August 6, 2023.
6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 "Sea Dogs for PC Reviews". https://www.metacritic.com/game/sea-dogs/critic-reviews/?platform=pc. Retrieved July 6, 2014.
7. ↑ Kazhdan, Alex. "Sea Dogs - Review". AllGame. Archived from the original on November 13, 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20141113224007/http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=24358&tab=review. Retrieved June 25, 2015.
8. ↑ Desslock (May 2001). "Ship Shape (Sea Dogs Review)". Computer Gaming World (202): 84–85. http://www.cgwmuseum.org/galleries/issues/cgw_202.pdf. Retrieved November 24, 2017.
9. ↑ "REVIEW for Sea Dogs". GameFan. December 30, 2000.
10. ↑ "Sea Dogs". Game Informer (95). March 2001.
11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 Dulin, Ron (December 11, 2000). "Sea Dogs Review". https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/sea-dogs-review/1900-2662849/. Retrieved July 6, 2014.
12. ↑ McConnaughy, Tim (January 2, 2001). "Sea Dogs". GameSpy. Archived from the original on February 23, 2005. https://web.archive.org/web/20050223214729/http://archive.gamespy.com/reviews/december00/seadogs/. Retrieved July 6, 2014.
13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 Steinberg, Scott (November 30, 2000). "Sea Dogs". http://www.ign.com/articles/2000/12/01/sea-dogs. Retrieved July 6, 2014.
14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 Bass, Samuel (March 2001). "Finals". Next Generation (Imagine Media) 4 (3): 93.
15. ↑ Muir, Ian (July 2001). "Sea Dogs". PC Gamer: 70. Archived from the original on September 11, 2005. https://web.archive.org/web/20050911144407/http://www.pcgamer.com/reviews/archives/review_2001-08-10d.html. Retrieved July 6, 2014.
16. ↑ Anderson, Chris (2001). "PC Review: Sea Dogs". PC Zone. http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=3700. Retrieved July 6, 2014.
17. ↑ Roberts, Josh (February 3, 2001). "Sea Dogs Review". X-Play. Archived from the original on April 17, 2001. https://web.archive.org/web/20010417222922/http://www.techtv.com/extendedplay/reviews/story/0,23008,3309777,00.html. Retrieved July 6, 2014.

## External links

* MobyGames is a commercial database website that catalogs information on video games and the people and companies behind them via crowdsourcing. This includes over 300,000 games for hundreds of platforms.[1] Founded in 1999, ownership of the site has changed hands several times. It has been owned by Atari SA since 2022.

## Features

Edits and submissions to the site (including screenshots, box art, developer information, game summaries, and more) go through a verification process of fact-checking by volunteer "approvers".[2] This approval process after submission can range from minutes to days or months.[3] The most commonly used sources are the video game's website, packaging, and credit screens. There is a published standard for game information and copy-editing.[4] A ranking system allows users to earn points for contributing accurate information.[5]

Registered users can rate and review games. Users can create private or public "have" and "want" lists, which can generate a list of games available for trade with other registered users. The site contains an integrated forum. Each listed game can have its own sub-forum.

## History

Logo used until March 2014

MobyGames was founded on March 1, 1999, by Jim Leonard and Brian Hirt, and joined by David Berk 18 months later, the three of which had been friends since high school.[6][7] Leonard had the idea of sharing information about computer games with a larger audience. The database began with information about games for IBM PC compatibles, relying on the founders' personal collections. Eventually, the site was opened up to allow general users to contribute information.[5] In a 2003 interview, Berk emphasized MobyGames' dedication to taking video games more seriously than broader society and to preserving games for their important cultural influence.[5]

In mid-2010, MobyGames was purchased by GameFly for an undisclosed amount.[8] This was announced to the community post factum , and the site's interface was given an unpopular redesign.[7] A few major contributors left, refusing to do volunteer work for a commercial website.{{Citation needed|date=June 2025} On December 18, 2013, MobyGames was acquired by Jeremiah Freyholtz, owner of Blue Flame Labs (a San Francisco-based game and web development company) and VGBoxArt (a site for fan-made video game box art).[9] Blue Flame Labs reverted MobyGames' interface to its pre-overhaul look and feel,[10] and for the next eight years, the site was run by Freyholtz and Independent Games Festival organizer Simon Carless.[7]

On November 24, 2021, Atari SA announced a potential deal with Blue Flame Labs to purchase MobyGames for $1.5 million.[11] The purchase was completed on 8 March 2022, with Freyholtz remaining as general manager.[12][13][14] Over the next year, the financial boost given by Atari led to a rework of the site being built from scratch with a new backend codebase, as well as updates improving the mobile and desktop user interface.[1] This was accomplished by investing in full-time development of the site instead of its previously part-time development.[15]

In 2024, MobyGames began offering a paid "Pro" membership option for the site to generate additional revenue.[16] Previously, the site had generated income exclusively through banner ads and (from March 2014 onward) a small number of patrons via the Patreon website.[17]

On February 13, 2025, Freyholtz stepped down as the site lead to move onto new projects, leaving operations to Tracy Poff, a veteran coder on the site, and Atari staff.[18]

## See also

* IGDB - game database used by Twitch for its search and discovery functions

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Sheehan, Gavin (2023-02-22). "Atari Relaunches The Fully Rebuilt & Optimized MobyGames Website". https://bleedingcool.com/games/atari-relaunches-the-fully-rebuilt-optimized-mobygames-website/.
2. ↑ Litchfield, Ted (2021-11-26). "Zombie company Atari to devour MobyGames". https://www.pcgamer.com/zombie-company-atari-to-devour-mobygames/.
3. ↑ "MobyGames FAQ: Emails Answered § When will my submission be approved?". Blue Flame Labs. 30 March 2014. http://www.mobygames.com/info/faq7#g1.
4. ↑ "The MobyGames Standards and Practices". Blue Flame Labs. 6 January 2016. http://www.mobygames.com/info/standards.
5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Miller, Stanley A. (2003-04-22). "People's choice awards honor favorite Web sites". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
6. ↑ "20 Years of MobyGames" (in en). 2019-02-28. https://trixter.oldskool.org/2019/02/28/20-years-of-mobygames/.
7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Plunkett, Luke (2022-03-10). "Atari Buys MobyGames For $1.5 Million". https://kotaku.com/mobygames-retro-credits-database-imdb-atari-freyholtz-b-1848638521.
8. ↑ "Report: MobyGames Acquired By GameFly Media". Gamasutra. 2011-02-07. https://www.gamedeveloper.com/game-platforms/report-mobygames-acquired-by-gamefly-media.
9. ↑ Corriea, Alexa Ray (December 31, 2013). "MobyGames purchased from GameFly, improvements planned". http://www.polygon.com/2013/12/31/5261414/mobygames-purchased-from-gamefly-improvements-planned.
10. ↑ Wawro, Alex (31 December 2013). "Game dev database MobyGames getting some TLC under new owner". Gamasutra. https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/game-dev-database-mobygames-getting-some-tlc-under-new-owner.
11. ↑ "Atari invests in Anstream, may buy MobyGames". November 24, 2021. https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2021-11-24-atari-invests-in-anstream-may-buy-mobygames.
12. ↑ Rousseau, Jeffrey (2022-03-09). "Atari purchases Moby Games". https://www.gamesindustry.biz/atari-purchases-moby-games.
13. ↑ "Atari Completes MobyGames Acquisition, Details Plans for the Site's Continued Support". March 8, 2022. https://www.atari.com/atari-completes-mobygames-acquisition-details-plans-for-the-sites-continued-support/.
14. ↑ "Atari has acquired game database MobyGames for $1.5 million" (in en-GB). 2022-03-09. https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/atari-has-acquired-game-database-mobygames-for-1-5-million/.
15. ↑ Stanton, Rich (2022-03-10). "Atari buys videogame database MobyGames for $1.5 million". https://www.pcgamer.com/atari-buys-videogame-database-mobygames-for-dollar15-million/.
16. ↑ Harris, John (2024-03-09). "MobyGames Offering “Pro” Membership". https://setsideb.com/mobygames-offering-pro-membership/.
17. ↑ "MobyGames on Patreon". http://www.patreon.com/mobygames.
18. ↑ "An update on MobyGames leadership". 2025-02-13. https://www.mobygames.com/forum/3/thread/269628/an-update-on-mobygames-leadership/#post-269628.

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