The Deadliest Catch is a hot property on the Discovery Channel, but would it fare just as well as a videogame? Well, we’re about to find out, as Greenwave and Liquid Dragon today announced that Deadliest Catch Alaskan Storm will ship for both the Xbox 360 and PC in April.
Inspired by Sig, Edgar and Norman Hansen, the three brothers who have made their living crab fishing on the Bering Sea aboard their fishing vessel (the Northwestern) and who have been featured for years on the Discovery Channel show.
As you might guess, Deadliest Catch Alaskan Storm puts players at the helm of one the world’s most dangerous jobs: a crab boat captain in the icy Bering Sea. Gamers select one of five real crab boats — including the Northwestern, Cornelia Marie and Sea Star from the TV show — or they can create and customize their own boat.
With their boat created, gamers then recruit and lead their own crew from a roster of 20 real crab fishermen. Selecting the wrong boat or recruiting the wrong crew member can mean the difference between landing a Bering Sea jackpot or disaster.
In addition to being inspired by the Hansen brothers, the Hansens also were involved in the game’s development. They invited key development-team members to Dutch Harbor, Alaska, to personally experience life on the Northwestern. This gave the developers a taste of just how real this job is, which they carried over into the creation of four real Bering Sea harbors and 34,000 miles of real Bering Sea coastline created from the United States Geological Survey.
Weather and fishing conditions are based on authentic weather and storm data and get progressively worse each season, increasing the challenge. The ultimate goal is to return safely each season, upgrade your boat and crew, and attempt to break Captain Sig Hansen and the Northwestern crew’s actual lifetime catch of 20 million pounds.
In addition to the Career Mode, Deadliest Catch Alaskan Storm will also include two mini-games: Throw-the-Hook and Skiff Racing.
To learn more about the game, check out the video interview below, which also includes some in-game footage. Running the risk of sounding like last-gen fanboys, just look at that water. OK, you can stop snickering now.
