The Pirate Queen: A Forgotten Legend
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The Pirate Queen: A Forgotten Legend is a narrative adventure virtual reality (VR) game developed and published by Singer Studios. Starring Lucy Liu and Orion Lee, the game is set to be released in February 2024 for Meta Quest devices
It follows the story of Cheng Shih, a widow who took control of her husband's fleet and became the most powerful pirate of all time, commanding over 70,000 men during the lead-up to the Opium Wars.
The game focuses on the night of Cheng Shih's succession, as players navigate the moonlit decks of a 19th-century Chinese pirate ship, exploring different rooms and spaces to progress through the game while uncovering Cheng Shih's backstory.
The Pirate Queen: A Forgotten Legend has garnered critical acclaim for its “…outstanding technical execution, immersive user experience, and unique and untold story of a nearly forgotten woman in history.[1]”. The game received the "Discovery Award" at Raindance Film Festival in 2022[2] and the "Immersive Storyscapes Award" at Tribeca Festival in 2023[3].
Gameplay[edit]
Gameplay in The Pirate Queen: A Forgotten Legend combines a narrative adventure with puzzle elements. Players assume the role of Cheng Shih and must complete various tasks to outsmart enemies and unite the fleet. The game takes players through different locations such as the captains' cabin, a floating city composed of smaller vessels, and a shrine boat dedicated to the sea goddess, Mazu.
Using VR technology, players can explore the environment and interact with objects using hand-held controllers. The game progresses through a semi-linear series of environments with Cheng Shih's narration guiding the player, providing commentary on objectives, thoughts and experiences.
Objectives range from stealth tasks such as poisoning tea and sneaking around sleeping crew members to physical challenges like avoiding cannon fire. The ultimate goal is for players to become the leader of the Red Flag Fleet by daybreak, while fending off rival commanders' incursions.
Development[edit]
In 2018, Singer Studios’ founder Eloise Singer heard about the story of Cheng Shih and thought it would make for a compelling narrative, both because of its adventure elements and because Cheng Shih herself led an eventful but little-known life.
Recognizing the story’s potential, Singer initially collaborated with Seesaw Productions in Beijing to develop The Pirate Queen into a film. However, due to the coronavirus pandemic, the film project was put on hold, leading Singer to pursue the story as a VR game in collaboration with VR producer Siobhan McDonnell. Singer believed that VR technology would provide an immersive experience, allowing players to step into the shoes of the Pirate Queen.
Singer worked with Dr Dave Raynard, formerly the head of Sony’s PlayStation Studios in London, who became a mentor and executive producer on the project. The project was awarded funding through Creative England’s New Ideas grant[4], followed by a grant from BFI Screenskills[5], and German-Chinese writer Maja Bodenstein was hired to write the script.
Unlike the conventional approach to game development, where the mechanics of the game are typically the starting point, Singer Studios followed an unconventional route for The Pirate Queen: A Forgotten Legend. Instead of focusing solely on gameplay mechanics, Singer decided to prioritise the development of the story in collaboration with the writer, game designer and script editor to craft a storyline that would engage players from start to finish.
The emphasis on story development enabled them to explore Cheng Shih's character, her motivations, and the challenges she faced as a powerful female pirate in a male-dominated world.
This unconventional approach to game development reflects Singer Studios' ethos to develop work that focuses on storytelling and historical authenticity[6]. By prioritising the narrative elements of The Pirate Queen: A Forgotten Legend, the development team set out to create a game that not only entertained but also shed light on the figure of Cheng Shih and her contributions to history.
In an interview with Screen Rant, Singer notes that '...it adds a lot more nuance to developing the character as well, because we can add layers of complexity in terms of the relationship that she had with her husband, the relationship she had with her adversity, and those things are all grounded in historical accuracy which makes for a really interesting story. Don't get me wrong, I love fictional characters, and I think I'll tell stories of fictional characters in the future. But for this, it feels really powerful that it's based on someone from history.'[3]
Central to the game is its emphasis on historical sensitivity, which was prioritised during the development process. Singer Studios conducted extensive research to ensure historical accuracy in all aspects of the game, including names, storylines, objects and environments.
The Pirate Queen: A Forgotten Legend merges cutting-edge virtual reality technology, such as 3D spatial sound, eye-tracking and haptics, with a visually detailed art style. The game features hand-drawn cutscene illustrations inspired by the artistic style of the 19th-century Qing dynasty. This combination of advanced technology and authentic artistry immerses players in a rich and realistic experience that brings the story and world of Cheng Shih to life.
Critical reception[edit]
Though not yet officially released, The Pirate Queen has already received positive critical acclaim. The full game, The Pirate Queen: A Forgotten Legend, was awarded the "Immersive Storyscapes Award" at Tribeca 2023[7].
The demo of the game, titled The Pirate Queen: Night of Succession, won the "Discovery Award: Best Debut" at Raindance 2022 and was further nominated for Raindance 2022's "Best Immersive Game" award[8]
Coverage in Game Informer describes the game as 'enticing', with the reviewer noting that 'I'm especially interested in the team's focus on Cheng Shih's story and setting this VR game within a single night in her life.'[2]
Awards[edit]
| Year | Institution or publication | Award | Nominated work | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Raindance Film Festival | The Discovery Award: Best Debut | The Pirate Queen: Night of Succession | Won |
| 2022 | Raindance Film Festival | Best Immersive Game | The Pirate Queen: Night of Succession | Nominated |
| 2023 | Tribeca Festival | Immersive Storyscapes Award | The Pirate Queen: A Forgotten Legend | Won |
References[edit]
- ↑ "Announcing the 2023 Tribeca Festival Competition Winners". Tribeca. 2023-06-15. Retrieved 2023-10-28.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 "The Pirate Queen". Raindance Immersive. Retrieved 2023-10-28.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Announcing the 2023 Tribeca Festival Competition Winners". Tribeca. 2023-06-15. Retrieved 2023-10-28.
- ↑ "Creative England New Ideas Fund - Innovate UK KTN". Retrieved 2023-10-28.
- ↑ ScreenSkills. "Eloise Singer on a ScreenSkills bursary". ScreenSkills. Retrieved 2023-10-28.
- ↑ "About". singer studios. Retrieved 2023-10-28.
- ↑ "Tribeca". Tribeca. Retrieved 2023-10-28.
- ↑ "The Pirate Queen". Raindance Immersive. Retrieved 2023-10-28.
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