In Brief:
- A former community member of Proof of Play’s Pirate Nation (official site) launched a new project called Booty Wars after the studio’s closure.
- Murdoch, a key creator, emphasizes this is not a continuation of Pirate Nation and will not use existing infrastructure or tokens.
- The project aims for a new NFT collection and gameplay centered on high-stakes PvP mechanics.
New pirate game emerges from shutdown
Two weeks after Proof of Play shuttered its operations, Booty Wars debuted as an independent venture from community member Murdoch, known for his contributions to Pirate Nation. The new game will not engage the studio’s former infrastructure or the $PIRATE token, framing itself as a distinct entity.
Booty Wars was announced on August 19, utilizing assets released under a CC0 license. Proof of Play previously raised over $33 million to create Pirate Nation, a fully on-chain RPG that ceased operations in September 2025.
Murdoch has enlisted two developers for the project and made clear its independence from the original game. “This isn’t Pirate Nation 2.0,” he stated, explicitly disavowing any connection to Proof of Play. The project centers on a new NFT collection, featuring 6,969 Booty Pirates—969 are reserved for the team, while 6,000 will be available for public sale.
The choice of blockchain is still undecided, with Robinhood emerging as a strong contender. Murdoch’s design will introduce an intense PvP experience, drawing inspiration from games like Cambria (official site), Gigaverse (official site), and MOG to enhance player retention.
Importantly, Booty Wars will not incorporate Pirate Nation’s economic layer. Murdoch specified the new game won’t use the existing $PIRATE token or the original Founder Pirates collection. Holders of original items can apply for a whitelist, without a promise of inclusion.
The initial version, Booty Wars V1, will focus on small-scale gameplay, aimed at testing engagement mechanics. The announcement has generated approximately 60,000 views, with many responses from Pirate Nation veterans expressing nostalgia.
The official website is set to launch more details on August 19.
