MapleStory players can "YARR" with joy at the inclusion of a new class: PIRATES! That's right, mateys! Pirates be on the horizon. See what's planned for all the would-be Jack Sparrows of MapleStory below.

Pirates set sail into Nexon America's MapleStory

An innovative class of characters delivers a new series of adventures and mythology to MapleStory

Los Angeles, CA - November 12, 2008 - Nexon America Inc. invites gamers to step aboard the Nautilus ship in MapleStory and become a member of the game's newest class, Pirates. This game-changing addition assures MapleStory, one of North America's most popular online games, remains a great gaming experience for its six million registered users.

The Pirate expansion provides Maplers with new gameplay features, which can be used throughout the entire Maple World. It also opens a variety of new maps, many of which are aboard the Pirate ship, Nautilus, the ultimate Pirate haven. Once a pirate, players can develop their characters and choose one of two paths through four tiers of job progression. Pirates can advance to become Brawlers, the masters of hand-to-hand combat, or Gunslingers, dynamic quick-draws that drown foes in a hail of iron lead, for a 2nd Job, Marauders and Outlaws as a 3rd Job and finally, Buccaneers or Corsairs as a 4th Job.

As players move through the ranks of the Pirate class, new skills can be obtained, including the ability to sneak past monsters in an oak barrel, sustain longer jumps and summon multiple sea creatures, including an octopus or seagulls, to boost attacks. Pirates can also earn a transformative power which gives a boost in strength, speed and jumping as well as summon dragon-like powers to attack multiple enemies at once.

To celebrate this expansion, Nexon America will host several Pirate-themed events throughout the month. Players can compete for prizes by dressing like a pirate, earning the top rating in the Pirate class, creating Pirate-only guilds or developing user-generated content for a Pirates commercial. The event coincides with the launch of a brand new server, Demethos, which provides a fresh start for new and veteran players.

Players can discover more about Pirates and the events at http://maplestory.nexon.net

I still say pirates over ninjas any old day o'the week. YARR!