Any geek worth their salt is a fan of pirates, and whether you can tell the difference between a rapier and cutlass there is no doubt a "Yar!" has been yelled at some point. Why are the so few pirate themed MMO games and what challenges are keeping them from mainstream popularity? Ten Ton Hammer looks at a few of the more popular ones and what their development has taught the industry.

For centuries the romantic tales of pirates and their adventures have enthralled and entertained the hearts and minds of millions all over the world. While fiction and fact may be polar opposites, that hasn't prevented people from continuing the tradition. We've moved on from mere books, to movies and even videogames. Almost everyone playing PC games in the 1980s played Sid Meier's Pirates!, a game that catapulted Sid Meier to fame and set the tone for every pirate themed game in the future. Why don't we see more MMO games with pirate themes? Are there certain advantages or disadvantages and what have we learned from the games already released?

Read on for more about pirates in Are Pirate MMO Games in Davy Jones Locker?