Every player in Maelstrom commands their own customized warship with a handpicked captain, crew and equipment offering a range of special advantages. From fast Orc raiders focused on ramming and boarding to mighty Human battleships decked out with cannons and armor for a long ranged brawl, there are extensive choices to be made even before a ship hits the water.

With wind in the sails (or stoked boilers if piloting a Dwarven steamship) it's a battle to the depths, where the last ship sailing claims victory and a wealth of upgrades. Mind the cannon’s firing angles, keep the ships strongest armor towards the enemy, and avoid (or utilize) the numerous dangers of the sea; especially the enormous leviathans lurking the waters.

Players begin each battle on the outskirts of a large map filled with fog banks to hide in, swift currents, deadly maelstroms and monsters. By sinking NPC ships or other warships, players collect treasure and powerups (called boons) which grant significant combat bonuses for the rest of  the battle. When a ship is sunk, its loot bobs to the surface, to be snagged by whoever can swoop in fastest! 

As more players sink, the monster infested ‘Dead Waters’ encroach on the outer areas of the map, reducing the play area and forcing a climactic showdown. Entering Dead Waters is not an instant death sentence, but no captain can avoid the wrath of the beasts which lurk there for long. Only one ship will be left afloat. All players receive rewards based on the gold collected during battle, bounties claimed by sinking others, and how long they survived

After a successful Early Access, Maelstrom will be leaving early access & launching on Steam for free September 19th with a host of new features and content.

Maelstrom had a successful Early Access period with thousands of players enjoying an early glimpse of the game. With tons of new features, polish & integrated feedback from players the game is ready to leave Early Access & is making the switch from premium to a Free-to-Play title.

No disruption of service is expected and existing players can continue to play the game by allowing Steam to update & patch the game.

Players who purchased or supported the game during Kickstarter and Early Access will receive reward packages filled with exclusive items that will be automatically granted upon logging in. 

Updates and Events

The game will be continuously updated with events & content as development continues. A development road map is located on the Steam store page.

New ships and upgrade options are purchased with gold, while mates and captains will be attracted by the infamy of those who perform well in battle. Before each battle, players choose one of nine ships, each of which has different strengths, weaknesses, and a unique passive ability. They can then customize it with up to three crew mates offering stat boosts, a captain providing a signature special ability, and a number of feature choices which can change everything from how the cannons work to providing a speed or maneuverability advantage. 

Key Features

• Tactical Combat: Positional damage, ammo types, and special captain abilities
• Monsters and Maelstroms: Survive a magical ocean and its deadly creatures
• Loot and Plunder: Power up your ship with loot from sinking enemy ships
• Customization and Progression: Pick a captain and crew that fit your combat style
• Fast-paced Action: Use cannons, ramming and boarding to sink opponents
• Solo or Team Modes: Go it alone or team with friends
• (New) Battle Pass system featuring one of the most generous free tracks around with rewards at every level!
• (New) Customize the look of each ship with the new cosmetics system featuring Ship Skins, Cannon Tracers, Wind Trailers, Lifeboats & Titles!
• (New) Always something to chase with the Quest system, Daily Bonus rewards and Epic Quests
• (New) A massively improved and updated mate upgrade system allowing players to upgrade mates with Gold
• (New) A new matchmaking system that enforces fair matches with players of similar strength and orneriness!
• (New) A medal system that rewarding players for thrilling gameplay moments