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Corsairs - Battle of the Caribbean

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Corsairs - Battle of the Caribbean

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Get ready to scour the waves of the Caribbean in search of glory and riches! An immersive strategy game set amidst the world of buccaneering. Navigate tumultuous seas and manage a diverse crew to establish maritime dominance and ensure your fleet's future.

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🎙️Fishing Cactus Studio Interview

Apr 27

Interview with Fishing Cactus: Behind the Scenes of Corsairs: Battle of the Caribbean
As we await the release of Corsairs: Battle of the Caribbean on May 18, we had the opportunity to talk with the studio Fishing Cactus to learn more about the game. It was the perfect chance to look back at the development process and discover a few anecdotes and fun facts about the team.

Q1: What are the main new features and improvements compared to the original 1999 game?We already covered this topic in the first news update, so we’ll just recap the main ones: online multiplayer, new game modes (Supremacy, Gold Rush, Relic Collector and Master of the Seas), a brand-new relic system, dynamic weather conditions with storms and ocean currents, a new playable faction (Denmark), a complete overhaul of the interface and user experience, and obviously a full visual and technical refresh. If you want all the details, the full article is available here!

Q2: How did you design the naval combat mechanics, particularly the balance between the various types of ships and ammunition?The main idea was to offer gameplay that was both enjoyable and slightly arcade-like without compromising on the strategic aspect. Each type of ship has its own strengths and weaknesses, but we’ve made sure that no gameplay style is disadvantaged – whether you prefer speed, firepower or armed trading, every approach is open to you.

As for ammunition, we built on what was in the original game, but reworked it so that each type offers real tactical value. Used effectively, it can really turn the tide of battle. We wanted it to be a fully fledged game tool, not just some minor detail.

Q3: What challenges did you encounter while developing the boarding and close-combat systems?
To be honest, boarding was one of the most complex parts of development in a number of ways.
The main technical challenge was getting boarding to take place in the same scene as the game world, but with no loading times between the two, which was an absolute must for multiplayer. The world had to keep turning while a player was busy boarding a ship, and vice versa, all while maintaining reasonable performance. That’s no mean feat.

Pathfinding for units during boarding was also tricky. When ships join or leave an ongoing boarding engagement, the battlefield shifts in real time, with platforms appearing or disappearing, units obstructing each other, and so on. It took a lot of trial and error to get all of this working smoothly and consistently.

Ship orientation when joining a boarding engagement during battle also created problems – a ship heading north on entry would keep that heading during boarding, causing all sorts of unexpected behaviour.
Multiplayer was added quite late in production, and it added an extra layer of complexity to everything.

Overall performance is also worth mentioning – ships are very CPU-intensive entities, especially when there are many of them in combat. A number of complex systems run simultaneously (pathfinding, formations, collision avoidance, shot calculation, etc.), and optimising them without breaking everything else took a lot of work.

Finally, saves turned out to be a real headache in their own right – saving the specific state of every ship, the progress of each boarding engagement, the status of each campaign mission, along with all their variables… but we got there in the end!

Q4: How did you modernise the visuals while remaining true to the original’s identity?Let’s be honest – the original game’s artistic direction wasn’t really usable as it was, not when taking modern standards into account. So, we modernised a number of elements, starting with the interface, which now has a sleeker design, clearer information and simplified navigation. The environment is also warmer and more colourful, recreating the bright, tropical atmosphere typical of the Caribbean.

At the same time, we wanted to maintain the historical accuracy of the original instalment, which already did a great job in that respect. So, we carried out further research and expanded the historical content while remaining true to the spirit of the original.

Q5: How important are the sea and the historical theme of corsairs to you?Here at Fishing Cactus, we’ve always felt a strong affinity with the world of pirates, and by extension, corsairs. Bruno, the studio’s director, has long been immersed in this world, whether through Sid Meier’ֺs Pirates!, Age of Sails, the original Corsairs or Monkey Island.
The studio also has two Bretons on the team, one of whom is originally from Saint-Malo… the quintessential city of corsairs. You don’t get any more authentic than that!

Q6: Will the game support advanced technologies such as 4K, ultrawide displays and HDR?The game supports modern 4K resolutions and ultrawide formats. However, HDR, upscaling and frame generation are unavailable.

Q7: How did you address the expectations of both players of the original and newcomers?That’s a question we asked ourselves throughout development, and the honest answer is that there is no magic formula. The aim was to preserve the original game’s DNA while making it accessible to players who are discovering it for the very first time. We hope we’ve struck the right balance, but we’ll let you be the judge of that!

Q8: Do you have a favourite faction?We’ve got a soft spot for the Danes. Their duplicitous and opportunistic nature – due to their late arrival in the Caribbean – makes them really fun to play. Getting a lot done with very little is quite rewarding. And you’ve got to admit – playing as a Viking corsair is pretty cool!

Q9: How challenging was it compared to your previous productions?There were many challenges. It was the first time Fishing Cactus had developed such a technically complex game, a cross between an RTS and a management game, with multiplayer to boot. A lot of research and development went into the game throughout production, which meant we couldn’t always sail a straight course while developing it. But we’re really proud to have risen to the challenge with a relatively small team.

Q10: Did developing the game make you want to visit the islands it features?Absolutely! Not that the weather in Belgium is especially… rainy. But the sun, sandy beaches and clear blue waters have been beckoning us for quite a few years now!

Q11: What challenges did you come up against when implementing multiplayer mode for up to four players?
Multiplayer was added quite late in production, meaning we had to convert a game that was originally single-player into a multiplayer format. Stability and synchronisation of games were a real challenge, especially for boarding engagements – which, as discussed earlier, are already technically very complex in their own right. The lobby system – used to create groups, manage the various game modes, connect players and start games – also required a huge amount of work.

Q12: What accessibility options are available?The accessibility options mainly focus on the interface. You can adjust the size of all interface elements, whether it’s the HUD or the world interface. You can customise how long notifications remain visible, as well as how long dynamic UI elements are displayed and how they appear. Key bindings can also be customised.

Q13: How do you adjust the AI difficulty?There are several parameters that can be tweaked. A more difficult AI will optimise its trade routes, make shorter and more profitable journeys, and thus progress more quickly. It will also be more aggressive, opportunistic and expansionist, and it will have a better understanding of the player’s positions and actions on the map. Basically, it plays better in every respect, making each game far more intense.

Q14: Who is the best player on the team?Leander, one of our lead developers. He’s already an avid RTS player, so let's be honest, he’s kind of cheating, in a way!

Q15: How long does it take to get ‘good’ at Corsairs?It usually takes around 15 to 20 hours to get to grips with most of the mechanics, even the more advanced ones. However, mastering the game as a whole and applying these mechanics effectively will take a bit more time. And that’s where the game really shows its depth!

Thank you all for your support, and we’ll see you on the seas of the Caribbean on May 18, 2026!

Corsairs - Battle of the Caribbean

Steam Cloud?

Will we get Steam cloud saves so we can keep our progress when we switch devices or perhaps later play it on the Steam Deck? It'd be quite annoying if we had to restart everything again like we do in some other games. Below is a handy guide as to how this can be done, doesn't take any coding, just flick a switch and determine a filepath. Shouldn't take longer than 10 minutes. Don't forget to turn on the Steam Cloud display on the store page either. https://partner.steamgames.com/doc/features/cloud Anothe...

[SBR1] Lt. 'Luna' Belle Zelensky

Mar 6 @ 1:58pm

General Discussions

📜Inspiration and Historical Research

Apr 20

Inspiration and Historical Research
In this new update, we wanted to highlight a key aspect of Corsairs’ development: the historical research and diverse sources of inspiration that shaped its world, campaigns and characters.

From the very earliest design stages, we conducted in-depth research into the Caribbean of the early to mid 18th century, focusing on diplomatic relations between major powers and the complex interactions between governments, corsairs, pirates, merchants and colonial governors. This era was defined by constant rivalries, opportunistic alliances and a frequently blurred line between legality and piracy – an atmosphere that perfectly fits the spirit of the game.

One of the core narrative pillars of the campaign is directly inspired by a major historical event: the sinking of a treasure-laden Spanish ship in the Caribbean at the beginning of the 18th century. This echoes the many Spanish fleets lost to storms, including the famous 1715 Treasure Fleet, which sank off the coast of Florida during a hurricane, scattering gold, silver and precious artefacts across vast swathes of the ocean. In Corsairs, we reimagined this type of event as a central thread linking all campaigns: relics from a sunken treasure are scattered across the map, drawing the covetous gaze of nations, corsairs, merchants… and, of course, pirates.

Our research also explored the geopolitical landscape of the time. For instance, Denmark, a latecomer to the Caribbean colonial race, historically had to navigate a world already largely dominated by other powers. This reality influenced our design: in the game, Denmark’s more marginal position naturally pushes it towards opportunistic alliances, often with unconventional actors such as pirates, prioritising strategic survival over direct confrontation.

Special attention was also paid to geographical and historical consistency in the game world. Maps were designed with close reference to the actual geography of the Caribbean, keeping island, port and town locations as faithful as possible to historical data. Place names and their strategic importance and economic roles were all carefully chosen to reflect the realities of the era while remaining suitable for gameplay.

The same level of research went into the ships. We studied the types of vessels used by each nation, their roles (combat, transport, escort, boarding) and their overall design, including deck layout, cannon placement and strategic use. Most of the ships in the game are inspired by real historical vessels, enhancing the authenticity of the in-game experience.

Beyond military and geopolitical aspects, we also explored social interactions from this period. The divide between nobility, officers, merchants, corsairs and the general population was vast, and this is reflected in dialogues and the way characters address one another. A noble governor speaks very differently from an ennobled corsair, whereas a merchant prioritises profit over loyalty to their nation, and pirates often view corsairs as instruments of the crown rather than independent sailors.

Relationships between nationalities were also built on historically credible foundations: longstanding rivalries between certain powers, differing policies towards piracy, the importance of trade for certain nations, and heightened hostility in the most unstable colonies. Even the way characters address the Corsair, the titles they use and the tone adopted by crews, governors and merchants were carefully chosen to reflect social rank, origin and political context.

Finally, recurring characters, quest givers and authority figures were created to fit a coherent timeline, with names, behaviours and motivations influenced by their national origin, social status and the events shaping each campaign.

As with the rest of the game, it is important to note that Corsairs draws heavily on historical events, real figures and the real geopolitical context of the Caribbean, but it is not a strict historical reenactment. Events, characters and situations have been reinterpreted and adapted to serve gameplay, narrative and the overall cohesion of the in-game experience.

Corsairs - Battle of the Caribbean

🚩Nation Focus: Netherlands

Apr 13

Profile of the Dutch Nation – Corsairs: Battle of the Caribbean
In Corsairs: Battle of the Caribbean, the Dutch nation establishes its presence not through military conquest, but through mastery of trade, diplomacy and opportunity. Where other powers attempt to assert dominance through force, the Dutch favour economic influence and strategic agreements. They observe, negotiate, invest and insert themselves into existing rivalries rather than confronting them head-on. Their approach is based on the philosophy that control over trade routes, commerce and relationships often outweighs direct territorial ownership.

Arriving later in the colonial race with the acquisition of a strategic island, they compensate for their disadvantage through exceptional political adaptability. For them, conflicts between major powers are not threats to be endured, but opportunities to be exploited. As tensions between Britain and France reshape the region, the Dutch focus on forging advantageous alliances – discreetly supporting one side or the other when it strengthens their economic position.

Their strength lies in a carefully maintained façade of neutrality. Insofar as possible, they avoid direct conflict, favouring trade deals, diplomatic arrangements and indirect operations. This doesn’t mean they reject violence entirely – only that they use it sparingly, where it clearly serves their interests. In their view, war is costly. Wealth and influence, on the other hand, are enduring instruments of power.

Captain Van Lubeck is the perfect embodiment of this philosophy. From a mercantile background himself, he presents a calm and approachable image, despite being more calculating than he first appears. He prioritises profitable outcomes and maintains cordial relationships with merchants and governors, readily using persuasion, financial agreements and secret negotiations to strengthen his position. He avoids open conflict where it threatens his interests, but he remains quick to seize any opportunity to expand Dutch economic power, even if that means operating behind the scenes or working around his own allies.

Over the years, his decisions reflect a persistent strategy of adaptation. Faced with growing British influence, he explores new alliances rather than direct confrontation. When rumours of a Spanish treasure draw covetous attention, he partners with questionable allies in pursuit of long-term gain, accepting the ensuing diplomatic fallout. After disputes over artefacts, he strengthens ties with Britain to secure his rise, only to reassess his strategy when British expansion begins to upset the regional balance. Conscious that direct conflict is not his nation’s strong suit, he ultimately returns to the driving force of Dutch power: trade, negotiation and strategic alliances, notably with other powers seeking partners, such as Denmark.

This faction offers a playstyle built around economic influence, opportunistic diplomacy and the constant pursuit of profit, providing a compelling alternative to purely military strategies through anticipation, alliances and indirect control of regional assets.

Corsairs - Battle of the Caribbean

2 Month remaining....

The game's Steam page indicates a 2025 release. There are two months left before the "deadline". Is there any way to report the game to Steam if Microid doesn't release it on time? We've been waiting for so long, and I've tried everything on social media and Discord to get updates, without success. No communication whatsoever, except "sorry, the game will be released when it's released," despite numerous requests for information. I might passing into hostile mode if the game is not released before 2026....

lithit

Dec 8, 2025 @ 2:53am

General Discussions

I was hyped for a remaster butt...

I don't think this game in light colors like being on a holiday resort and the 3D models are the way to go... The old one looked less childish and more mature if you ask me, when I was young I didn't want to play children games anymore, this one looks too childish cartoon to me. Edit: I also don't like the range indicators and the huge flags above the ships, I prefer the simple flag colors as the original. Instead of 3D this game should also be pre-rendered GFX like the original. Actually all I want i...