Port Royale 3: Pirates & Merchants is set in the 17th century Caribbean, where you play as an independent captain amidst the kingdoms of Spain, England, France and the Netherlands, and independent factions of pirates. You are not limited to a single allegiance; the fluid diplomacy allows you to build alliances and rivalries throughout the game.
The gameplay focuses on two "career paths": Adventurer, which concentrates on combat and conquest, and Trader, which focuses on setting up trade routes and city building. You're free to pursue activities from both modes in the same game, but the single-player story mode is divided into two distinct campaigns that focus around these two career paths.
Port Royale 3: Pirates & Merchants offers a unique multiplayer mode, allowing up to 4 players to battle for control of the seas. This adds a new layer of strategy and competition to the game.
Port Royale 3: Pirates & Merchants was released on October 9th, 2012 for the Xbox 360 console.