Singer Studios’ multi-award-winning VR game The Pirate Queen: A Forgotten Legend, starring Lucy Liu, draws inspiration from the remarkable historical figure Cheng Shih. She was the most powerful pirate of all time, commanding around 80,000 pirates and over 1,800 ships across the South China Sea during the early 19th century in China’s Qing Dynasty.
At the height of her power, Cheng Shih faced numerous challenges, including power struggles, betrayal, battles with Chinese authorities and other countries, and a succession crisis that nearly cost her life. The VR adventure narrative is set on the night of her accession, capturing the peak of the power struggle within the mighty Red Flag Fleet.
To create an immersive and historical game, Singer Studios’ team conducted extensive research on every aspect of the game—from historical context and language to in-game environments and objects. Their dedication has been praised as “the future of education,” setting a new standard for historical storytelling in VR.
Historical Consultants and Extensive Research
Over five years of development, Singer Studios collaborated closely with historians, researchers, and sensitivity checkers to create The Pirate Queen. The narrative designer and lead writer, German-Chinese writer Maja Bodenstein, deeply explored Cheng Shih’s life and the intricate British-China relations of that era. British ships had been engaged in conflicts with Chinese pirates since the late 17th century, with piracy in the South China Sea remaining a significant threat until the British Royal Navy suppressed it in the 1860s.
As historians Yasufumi Toyooka and Ei Murakami note:
“In the 1780s, trade in the South China Sea was threatened by pirates from the war-torn area known later as Indochina, who battled against both the Qing maritime forces and Macau warships. Piracy continued until the 1860s, when the British Royal Navy suppressed pirates operating on and around the Chinese coast.”
The involvement of Britain and other Western powers in pirate suppression intensified from the 18th century onwards, coinciding with the setting of The Pirate Queen:
“…from the eighteenth century on, the Western powers aggressively suppressed the people called pirates in the Atlantic Ocean, the Indian Ocean, and maritime Southeast Asia. This happened at a time when Great Britain was also extending its influence into the China Seas.”
This historical context of British intervention in Chinese waters forms the backdrop for The Pirate Queen, providing a rich, detailed narrative that grounds the game in real historical events.
Authentic Design Choices
The game’s design team consulted historical archives, records, artworks, and literature to create a realistic, immersive world. Ship designs in the game feature dovetail joints, a popular shipbuilding method in China at the time, and in-game objects are modeled on real historical artifacts, enhancing the educational experience for players.
Players can interact with historical objects such as vases, statues, and rings. These items were meticulously researched and incorporated into the game, allowing players to explore and use them as tools to progress through puzzles. Even Cheng Shih’s clothing in the game’s poster was heavily researched for historical accuracy.
Credit: Singer Studios. [Description: Poster of The Pirate Queen: A Forgotten Legend]
Language and Pronunciation
Language choices were critical in developing The Pirate Queen. The team conducted detailed research in the evolution of language in the region. For instance, different names like Cheng Po Tsai, also known as Zhang Bao, were considered to reflect the use of Cantonese in the region before the Mandarin pinyin system came into effect in the 1950s.
Iconic actress Lucy Liu, who voices Cheng Shih, worked with dialect coach Andy Yu (from Pixar’s Turning Red) to ensure accurate pronunciation and intonation to reflect Cantonese pronunciations. Her performance has been widely praised for bringing Cheng Shih to life, with critics noting the depth she adds to the character.
Critics have lauded the actress, saying “Lucy Liu… does a wonderful job of warming you to the character,” and “Cheng Shih is perfectly brought to life by a fantastic performance by renowned Hollywood actress Lucy Liu and direction of critically acclaimed filmmaker and creative director Eloise Singer” (FandomWire).
Educational Cutscenes
Beautiful, interactive, hand-painted cutscenes appear throughout the game, providing historical context and inspiring further learning. These cutscenes detail pivotal moments such as the death of Cheng Shih’s husband, Zheng Yi. They aim to inspire players to research Cheng Shih’s fascinating life beyond the game.
Credit: Singer Studios. [Description: Hand painted cutscenes featured in The Pirate Queen: A Forgotten Legend]
Moreover, the narrative of The Pirate Queen was inspired by detailed historical research that suggested there was a romantic love triangle between Cheng Shih, Kwok Po Dai, and Cheung Po Tsai.
As historian Dian H. Murray notes:
“For years the Black Fleet leader Kuo Po-tai had been deeply jealous of Chang Pao. Kuo, a longtime colleague of the confederation’s founder Cheng I, resented the rise of a man whose rank had once been inferior to his own, and the more so because Chang’s Red Flag Fleet was larger than his. But most of all he was jealous of Chang’s success in winning the affection of Cheng I Sao, of whom he too was deeply enamoured.”
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As a result, The Pirate Queen is a unique game unlike any other, offering players a deep understanding of the real history of the time period in tandem with beautiful gameplay elements that accompany the story. Lucy Liu notes that this bespoke blend of education and entertainment allows players to “…learn without realising [they’re] learning,” providing an unparalleled and unforgettable gaming experience.
