Paper Pirates News

[h2]New Game Mode: Traits+[/h2]
We're super excited to launch our first new game mode since we introduced Traits way back in March 2021. Paper Pirates' new game mode, Traits+, is a whole new way to sail with traits!


When playing a Traits+ game, each crewmate will be given TWO traits - one active, and one passive. Active traits are traits that typically do something during the job phase when you either do, or don't, play in for a job. Think things like The Meddler, The Shapeshifter, and The Brawler. Passive traits are traits that are typically always in play. Think things like The Pure, The Tainted, and The Contrarian.


We've updated the Captain's Log and the game customisation screen to clearly list which traits are active and which are passive. If your voyage configuration doesn't have enough active or passive traits to go round the whole crew, some of the pirates might be declared Innocent (in place of a passive trait), or Inactive (in place of an active trait).

Traits+ offers a whole new strategic layer to Paper Pirates, with over three hundred potential combinations. Will your traits work well with each other? Will they force you to side with the human team, or the ghost team? Will they pull you in two different directions? And how will you ever know who you can trust.

[h2]New Trait: The Traders[/h2]
Our very first Traits+ exclusive Trait is The Traders, an active trait that always appears as a pair. The two pirates with The Traders can activate their shared ability any time either of them is not a job.


When activated, The Traders will exchange their passive traits with each other. When the traits swap, they carry all their charges, accumulated stats, and information with them. This opens up a raft of new strategic potential!

Be warned though... The Traders power only requires one of the two Traders to activate it, so if you're the second Trader, you might find yourself in an endless tug-of-war with your companion for a good passive trait!

[h2]New Trait: The Manipulator[/h2]
The Manipulator is a new active trait appearing in both Trait and Traits+ game modes. The Manipulator's powerful ability allows them to target a pirate on days when they don't play in and force them to vote for a specific pirate the next time they vote.


The Manipulator can use their power three times per voyage, and their power lasts until that player next votes, and also removes that pirate's option to pass their vote. The Manipulator could control of The Assassin to utilise them to nefarious means, take control of a mid-ship ghost engine, or force the Captain to vote for the Stowaway. The options are endless!

[h2]New Trait: The Retaliator[/h2]
The Retaliator is a new passive trait appearing in both Trait and Traits+ game modes. The Retaliator's base voting power is always increased by the number of votes currently cast against them.


The Retaliator's strength comes in taking revenge on those pirates that vote against them, but, it also has a raft of strategic potential. If you're willing to co-operate with other pirates, you could pool all your votes onto The Retaliator, concentrating the potential possession targets if you accidentally vote over a human...

But be careful, The Retaliator could always use all that accumulated voting power right back at you...

[h2]New Trait: The Torn[/h2]
The Torn is a new passive trait appearing in both Trait and Traits+ game modes. When it's The Torn's turn to vote, they have the opportunity to vote twice! Each vote has half their base voting power (rounded up).


The Torn can use each of their votes however they like. They can pass them both, use each one on a different pirate, the same pirate, or even use one and then pass the other. This allows them to be a little safer when throwing someone overboard, or to hedge their bets if they're just not sure.

[h2]New Event: Change of Trait[/h2]
Change of Trait is a new event appearing only in Traits+ games. When a Change of Trait happens, a randomly chosen pirate will be offered the opportunity to change their passive trait. If they choose to accept, their passive trait will immediately change into a new passive trait that isn't already claimed by anyone else on the ship.


The Change of Trait pirate doesn't get to see which passive trait they'll get in advance, so it's always risky. Watch out after a Change of Trait event - could a pirate have just become The Tainted?

[h2]Five New Achievements[/h2]
With new content comes new achievements, and with new achievements comes new hats! There are five new tasks for you to complete to earn a lovely bounty of new hats for your crew to enjoy. The new achievements are:

• A Traitorous Sequel: Play a Traits+ Game
  
• Murderous Mind Games: As The Manipulator, force another pirate to throw you overboard
  
• The Retaliator's Revenge: As The Retaliator, throw a pirate who voted for you overboard
  
• Proficient Prognosis: As The Psychic, correctly predict which pirate will next go overboard in a The Psychic's Prediction event
  
• Top and Tail: As The Traders, trade traits while occupying the Captain and Stowaway ranks
  

[h2]Time Warp in Trait and Traits+ Games[/h2]
With Traits+ offering the opportunity to be really playful with traits, we've updated the Time Warp event to now impact traits in both Trait and Traits+ game modes. This means that a Time Warp will now revert any trait progress, but also restores any charges spent in the aborted timeline. This means that The Witch recovers their used ingredients, The Legion might lose or gain ghosts, The Undecided might lose their current trait, and much more.

Make sure to check your Black Spot after a Time Warp to check who - or what - you even are...!

[h2]Trait Player Count Requirement Updates[/h2]
We've reviewed the player count requirements for all traits, mostly bringing more advanced traits into smaller games. This will help games to feel fresh and exciting no matter how big your crews, and helps to balance the active and passive traits available to all crew sizes. We'll keep this under review, making changes where necessary.

In this Paper Pirates update, we've added two brand new never-seen-before traits to the permanent roster of traits. We've also added two new events and two new trait events!

[h2]New Trait: The Gardener[/h2]
The Gardener is the first of our two new traits. The Gardener has access to three plant pots, and they can choose which plant to tend each day that they don't play in. There are four different plants that The Gardener might grow, so each voyage they'll only have a selection of a few!


After a plant has been tended three times, it'll be fully grown, and will activate an ongoing effect that impacts the whole crew. From Saintly Sunflowers to Clingy Cacti, each plant is sure to turn the tide in the favour of one team or the either. Will The Gardener learn to work with their plants, or will they turn against them?

[h2]New Trait: The Undecided[/h2]
The Undecided is the second of our new traits. The Undecided doesn't actually start with a trait! Each day, when The Undecided doesn't play in, they'll be offered a trait that's enabled for the voyage but which no other pirate currently has.


Should they chose to accept this trait, The Undecided will then become that trait for the remainder of the voyage. Alternatively, they can pass on it, and hope that another trait comes along another day.

Whether The Undecided is taking advantage of becoming a trait that the crew needs just at the right time, or, finding out which traits are not currently on board the ship, they're sure to add some spice to your voyage!

[h2]New Trait Events[/h2]
Building on the six trait events that were added in the last update, we've added another two - this time for The Psychic and The Cursed.

[h3]The Psychic's Prediction[/h3]
In The Psychic's Prediction, The Psychic takes a guess at which pirate they think will next go overboard. If they ace their prediction, showing off their psychic abilities, they'll be rewarded with a choice of either moving the ship one space closer to shore or throwing a treasure overboard.


[h3]The Cursed's Calamity[/h3]
In The Cursed's Calamity, The Cursed will have an opportunity to potentially get thrown overboard. They'll be given a Magic Lamp-style event, but where the options are always Scurvy, Hot Potato, or Overpower. Which of these will give them the best chance of going overboard?


[h2]New Event: Reinvigoration[/h2]
If the crew encounters a Reinvigoration event during a Trait game, any active trait that uses charges is sure to be celebrating - for they'll be gaining an extra charge for use during the remainder of the voyage!


[h2]New Event: Confession[/h2]
When a Confession event happens, one pirate from the crew is randomly chosen to share their deepest secret - which team they're on - with another pirate. They can't opt out so they have to pick someone they trust. Whoever they choose will get to find out whether the confessing pirate is a ghost or a human... but beware! In Trait games, Traits like The Disguised will still impact the outcome of the event.


[h2]Wishlist An Elaborate History of Chess on Steam now![/h2]
We've had a bit of a touch-up here and there, and we've replaced all of the older Iteration Games logos with our shiny new, all-blue logo! There's also a little reminder at the bottom of the title screen letting you know about our next game, An Elaborate History of Chess, coming soon on Steam. Wishlist now!

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1255020/An_Elaborate_History_of_Chess/
[h2]Join the Paper Pirates Community[/h2]
As always, don’t forget that you can join us every Saturday at 8pm GMT on Twitch for our weekly dev stream, or pop by our YouTube channel to see Let’s Plays of Paper Pirates, How To videos and more! Or if you’re looking for a crew to set sail with make sure to join our Discord!

[h2]Go Egg Hunting on the Seven Seas with Spring Sailing![/h2]
Across March and April, we’re celebrating with the Paper Pirates Seasonal Celebration, Spring Sailing! Running from 15th March - 12th April, celebrate the season of spring with a festival of eggs, bunnies, and a whole host of seasonal goodies in Paper Pirates!



[h2]Seasonal Trait: The Spring Chicken[/h2]
Joining Paper Pirates for the duration of Spring Sailing is the seasonal trait, The Spring Chicken! Play a trait game, and one of the crew may find themselves with this happy-go-lucky, seasonal appropriate trait.

Each day, when The Spring Chicken is not the Captain, they will spring forward one rank of the crew at the start of the event phase! This happens even if there's no other event taking place! What seems like a blessing may be a curse - watch out if you're a ghostly Spring Chicken and you're almost next to The Sensitive...

[h2]The Grand Spring Egg Hunt[/h2]
Every day during Spring Sailing the crew will be challenged to an Egg Hunt by our very own Rabbot! They've hidden a number of eggs all throughout Paper Pirates for you to find - they could be in any of the menu screens, or even in-game! Find your quota each day, and you'll be able to open a special Spring Sailing surprise.



There's three outfits, two returning outfits and one brand new, for a combined total of sixteen items, to collect through The Grand Spring Egg Hunt. Make sure to check for eggs every day, and get ready to dress up!

[h2]Limited Time Costumes[/h2]
During Spring Sailing, Sam Sherbot and Nat O'Bother have some new customisation options available to unlock in the Shop Ship! If you buy a customisation option during Spring Sailing, you can use it all year round - but the items will be disappearing from sale when the event is over, so don’t delay and buy today!



The full list of outfit items available during Spring Sailing is:

[h3]Outfit Shop[/h3]

• Faces - Animal (Bee)
  
• Faces - Animal (Easter Bunny)
  
• Faces - Face Paint (Egg)
  
• Faces - Face Paint (Striped)
  
• Faces - Face Paint (Spotted)
  
• Faces - Face Paint (Bee)
  
• Side Hair - Leaves (Blossom)
  
• Side Hair - Leaves (Oak)
  
• Side Hair - Leaves (Pine)
  
• Side Hair - Leaves (Willow)
  
• Facial Hair - Leaf Beard
  
• Hands - Animal (Bee)
  
• Hands - Animal (Easter Bunny)
  
• Hands - Spring
  
• Hands - Umbrella
  
• Hands - Trowel
  
• Hands - Shovel
  
• Accessories - Earrings (Bee)
  
• Accessories - Earrings (Daisy)
  
• Accessories - Earrings (Butterfly)
  
• Accessories - Rain
  
• Headwear - Hairpin (Butterfly)
  
• Headwear - Pendant (Butterfly)
  
• Shirts - Animal (Bee)
  
• Shirts - Animal (Easter Bunny)
  
• Shirts - Forest Top
  
• Shirts - Dress Top (Flowers)
  
• Coats - Egg
  
• Coats - Egg (Rainbow)
  
• Coats - Raincoat
  
• Coats - Tree Trunk
  
• Jacket - Overalls (Upper)
  
• Belts - Umbrella
  
• Legs - Overalls (Lower)
  
• Legs - Animal (Bee)
  
• Legs - Animal (Easter Bunny)
  
• Legs - Forest Skirt
  
• Legs - Skirt (Flowers)
  
• Feet - Animal (Bee)
  
• Feet - Animal (Easter Bunny)
  
• Feet - Slippers (Rabbit)
  
• Feet - Spring
  

[h3]Ship Shop[/h3]

• Sails - Egg Sails
  
• Hull - Spring Hull
  

Additionally, during Spring Sailing, pirates have access to five unique hats, available to everyone in voyages started during the event. Once the event’s over, the hats will disappear from your collection until next year, so be sure to wear them while you can!



[h2]The “Lucky Egg Hunt” Event![/h2]
Go on a sailing adventure during Spring Sailing, and each day there is a chance you may encounter the “Lucky Egg Hunt” event. A random member of the crew gets to pick one egg out of a selection. The eggs all contain events, and whichever egg they choose will instantly trigger that event! All the other pirates on the boat will get a clue, showing them a picture of an egg, and a description of the event that will happen. Make sure you communicate to the egg hunter to let them know what might happen for each egg - but watch out for the ghosts, who might give you a bad description, or tell you fibs about the event squirreled away inside!



[h2]Spring Celebrations in the Photo Booth[/h2]
To celebrate Spring Sailing, there are two limited-time Foils available in the Photo Booth, in the Captain’s Log. Take the opportunity to snap your favourite pirate templates, and share any pics you take!

[h2]Spring Sailing Bot[/h2]
Invite bots into your game during Spring Sailing, and you may encounter Rabbot - our very own pirate-y Easter Bunny, out to help you uncover eggs at sea! Rabbot will only join your games during Spring Sailing, so take the chance to meet them now before they hop away to hibernate for the rest of the year!

It's Paper Pirates' fourth birthday, and we’re celebrating with the return of The Big Birthday Bash! Running from 28th February - 14th March, celebrate the anniversary of the game's launch with a festival of partying, and a whole host of anniversary goodies in Paper Pirates!



[h2]Seasonal Trait: The Magician[/h2]
Joining Paper Pirates for the duration of The Big Birthday Bash is the seasonal trait, The Magician! Play a trait game during The Big Birthday Bash, and one of the crew may find themselves playing as The Magician.



When the entire crew have finished voting, but no pirate has gone overboard, The Magician will have the opportunity to cast a magic vote. This magic vote has three voting power, and can be cast for any pirate (other than The Magician themselves). The crew won't know who The Magician is, unless they can figure it out through deductive reasoning!

The magic vote still counts as voting for a pirate to go overboard, so if The Magician throws a human overboard they run the risk of becoming a ghost. Question is... who are they?

[h2]The “Let Them Eat Cake” Event![/h2]
Go on a sailing adventure during The Big Birthday Bash, and each day there is a chance you may encounter the “Let Them Eat Cake” event. The crew will divide up a huge birthday cake, taking the chance to blow out the candles one by one. It's believed that the last person who blows out a candle will get to make a wish... what will they wish for, and will their wish come true?!



[h2]Birthday Gift Bounties[/h2]
Every day during The Big Birthday Bash the crew will receive a special birthday gift bounty! If you complete the assigned task, you can open a present, and inside you will find... a special cosmetic surprise! There are sixteen different cosmetics in total to collect, so make sure to collect your birthday gifts during the seasonal celebration!



[h2]Limited Time Costumes and Ship Parts[/h2]
During The Big Birthday Bash, Sam Sherbot and Nat O'Bother have some new customisation options available to unlock in the Shop ship! If you buy a customisation option during The Big Birthday Bash, you can use it all year round - but the items will be disappearing from sale when the event is over, so don’t delay and buy today!



The full list of outfit items available during The Big Birthday Bash is:

[h3]Outfit Shop[/h3]

• Accessories - Stars
  
• Faces - Balloon
  
• Belt - Cutlass (Balloon)
  
• Jackets - Waistcoat (Magician)
  
• Headwear - Hairpin (Star)
  
• Headwear - Pendant (Star)
  
• Headwear - Pendant (Key)
  
• Coats - Child
  
• Coats - Birthday Candle
  
• Coats - Playing Card
  
• Hands - Balloon
  
• Hands - Wand
  
• Shirts - Tie (Rainbow)
  
• Shirts - Tee (Cake)
  
• Shirts - Balloon
  
• Legs - Tutu (Rainbow)
  
• Legs - Balloon
  
• Feet - Balloon
  

[h3]Ship Shop[/h3]

• Hulls - Cake Hull
  
• Masts - Cake
  

Additionally, during The Big Birthday Bash, pirates have access to a unique anniversary hat, available to everyone in voyages started during the event. Once the event’s over, the hat will disappear from your collection until next year, so be sure to wear it while you can!

[h2]Developer Bots Jump Aboard[/h2]
Invite bots into your game during The Big Birthday Bash, and you may find some of the regular crew replaced with one or three bots that mimic the Iteration Games crew! They’ll only join your games during The Big Birthday Bash, but these bots have their own personality and appearances modelled after the Paper Pirates developers.

This February, we’re again celebrating with the Paper Pirates Seasonal Celebration, Valentine Voyages! Running from 7th February - 21st February, celebrate the season of love with a festival of romance, and a whole host of seasonal goodies in Paper Pirates!



[h2]Love Letter Bounties[/h2]
What's this? The crew has received a mysterious letter, emblazoned with a heart motif? What could this mysterious love letter mean? It seems that there's a series of tasks for you to complete throughout Valentine Voyage's, and each one rewards you with... a special heart-shaped box!? What could be inside?



[h2]Seasonal Trait: The Lovers[/h2]
During Valentine Voyages, you may encounter one of the seasonal traits, The Lovers!



The Lovers always appear as a pair, with two randomly chosen pirates from the crew both having the trait 'The Lovers'. When either pirate with The Lovers trait goes overboard, the other pirate will become Heartbroken, automatically going overboard the following day after the job completes. If a heartbroken pirate happens to go overboard before the end of the next day's job, they won't go overboard twice!

Be warned - if a pirates goes overboard due to heartbreak and they're a human, one randomly selected other pirate will become a ghost. Now that's spooky!

[h2]Seasonal Trait: The Admirer[/h2]
During Valentine Voyages, you may encounter one of the seasonal traits, The Admirer!



During the first day, The Admirer must choose a target of their admiration from the crew. The Admirer's team will then immediately change to match the pirate they chose. Not only that, but every time The Admirer's target changes team, The Admirer's team will change too! That means if the target of their admiration becomes a ghost... Well, you know what you have to do!

The Admirer's team will no longer change through other means (if they're a human, they can't join the ghost team unless their target pirate is haunted), so watch out for any very tricky Admirer plays!

[h2]Limited Time Costumes and Ship Parts[/h2]
During Valentine Voyages, Sam Sherbot and Nat O'Bother have some new customisation options available to unlock in the Shop ship! If you buy a customisation option during Valentine Voyages, you can use it all year round - but the items will be disappearing from sale when the event is over, so don’t delay and buy today!



The full list of outfit items available during Valentine Voyages is:

[h3]Outfit Shop[/h3]

• Faces - Animal (Teddy)
  
• Faces - Face Paint (Hearts)
  
• Top Hair - Cupid’s Curls
  
• Facial Hair - Heart Beard
  
• Headwear - Pendant (Romantic)
  
• Headwear - Veil
  
• Accessories - Sunglasses (Heart)
  
• Accessories - Earrings (Heart)
  
• Accessories - Loving Thoughts
  
• Accessories - Petals
  
• Hands - Animal (Teddy)
  
• Hands - Potted Plant
  
• Hands - Red Ribbon
  
• Shirts - Animal (Teddy)
  
• Shirts - Sweater (Heart)
  
• Shirts - Tee (Heart)
  
• Shirts - Dress Top (Hearts)
  
• Coats - Heart
  
• Coats - Candy Heart
  
• Belts - Quiver (Cupid’s)
  
• Belts - Heart
  
• Legs - Animal (Teddy)
  
• Legs - Cupid’s Sash
  
• Legs - Heart Boxers
  
• Legs - Cloud
  
• Legs - Skirt (Hearts)
  
• Feet - Animal (Teddy)
  
• Feet - Winged Sandals
  

[h3]Ship Shop[/h3]

• Figureheads - Cupid
  
• Hulls - Valentine's Hull
  
• Masts - Valentine's Masts I
  
• Masts - Valentine's Masts II
  
• Masts - Valentine's Masts III
  
• Sails - Valentine's Sails
  

Additionally, during Valentine Voyages, pirates have access to two unique hats, available to everyone in voyages started during the event. Once the event’s over, the hats will disappear from your collection until next year, so be sure to wear them while you can!

[h2]The “Cupid’s Arrow” Event![/h2]
Go on a sailing adventure during Valentine Voyages, and each day there is a chance you may encounter the “Cupid’s Arrow” event. A random member of the crew is given the opportunity to fire Cupid’s arrow at another. Whoever they fire it at will have their role changed to match the person who fired the arrow - whether they were human, or ghost! Keep track of the arrow, and see if you can deduce whose role is what as you forge ahead on your voyage.



[h2]The "Love Letter" Event![/h2]
Go on a sailing adventure during Valentine Voyage, and each day there is a chance you may encounter the "Love Letter" event. A randomly chosen pirate must commit to sending a love letter to a pirate of their choice. What secrets will this letter reveal? The pirate may choose to either share their team, or their trait, with their lover. What information will they reveal, and more importantly, why did they choose to share that particular piece of information?



[h2]Valentine Celebrations in the Photo Booth[/h2]
To celebrate Valentine Voyages, there is a limited-time Foil available in the Photo Booth, in the Captain’s Log. Take the opportunity to snap your favourite pirate templates, and share any pics you take!

Invite bots into your game during Valentine Voyages, and you may find some of the regular crew replaced with one or two super romantic guests, out to help you find love at sea! They’ll only join your games during Valentine Voyages, but these bots have their own personality and appearances for you to enjoy.