Sessions last from a week to a few months depending on configuration and each session can support hundreds of players. Picaroon has a unique end-game phase where players are awarded otherwise unobtainable units such as submarines and super-ships depending on who has tributed the most resources to the world's leaders.

Game-play has been enhanced with specials. These cards give players extra offensive and defensive powers including the abilities to make volcanoes erupt, build ships at quadruple construction speeds and cause nuclear explosions. Specials can be purchased in-game using gold raised by taxing settlers. In-game packs come in various flavours and have a random selection of specials. Players can also buy themed packs of specials using Nice Technology's secure micro-transaction system to provide more control over a pack's contents - the weekend away pack, for example, contains specials to enhance protection and defence of several islands for 72 hours.

Picaroon's beta affords Nice Technology the opportunity to gather feedback from even more players as the game is refined prior to release. Beta keys will be available on their blog and also given to their alpha group for distribution to friends and to those that signed up to be part of the beta over the summer.

Key Features:

• Picaroon is online real-time strategy (MMORTS) game - Battle, alone or with allies, as a futuristic pirate fighting to control the land in a water-world apocalypse.
• Build massive fleets, sail the seas (watching out for whirlpools, giant squid and pirates!) and settle or conquer new islands.
• Deploy Special cards to sink entire fleets, erupt volcanoes or call up a lightning strike!
• Revel in a unique climactic finale where you receive rare technology from the Warlord Kingdoms in return for your tributes: beware the mammoth ships that appear out of nowhere alongside submarines launching ancient nuclear tipped missiles.
• Picaroon has strategies for all, builders, attackers, defenders and diplomats.

Picaroon is a small 50MB download and is compatible with any PC running XP, Vista or Windows 7 that has a half-reasonable graphics card and a half a GB of RAM.