Flint: Treasure of Oblivionis an upcoming tactical RPG that puts players in the shoes of Captain James Flint in search of a mysterious treasure with a pirate crew and first mate, Billy Bones. Of course, many fans of pirate stories may no doubt recognize these names from Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic novelTreasure Islandand its various movie adaptations. Of course, notreasure huntis rarely easy, andFlint: Treasure of Oblivion’s story trailer also teases supernatural elements coming into play as an RPG with one boot rooted in fiction and comic-book-style narration and another in real-life pirate history.
Game Rant recently sat down with Savage Level CEO and President Maxime Josse to learn why the studio chose Captain Flint and Billy Bones fromTreasure IslandforFlint: Treasure of Oblivion. Josse also spoke : Treasure of Oblivion’s choice elements and how these relate to its story.
Captain Flint And Billy Bones in Flint: Treasure Of Oblivion
In Stevenson’s 1881 novelTreasure Island, Captain Flint is only mentioned and doesn’t appear in person, unlike in some on-screen movie adaptations. However, Flint’s role is crucial as the pirate responsible for burying the infamous treasure and entrusting its location to Billy Bones. When asked why the studio chose Captain Flint as the protagonist ofFlint: Treasure of Oblivion, Josse explained the team wanted “an emblematic character from the world of pirates that would speak to as many people as possible,” describingTreasure Islandas one of its thematic “pillars.”
Indeed, while Captain Flint is afictional pirate, he is legendary in the pirate universe both within and beyond Stevenson’s novel. Josse added choosing Flint and Bones also allowed the team to explore their possible pasts and events beforeTreasure Islandtook place.
“We chose to tell a version of what events might have been like beforeTreasure Islandand to delve deeper into the character of Flint ofTreasure Island, who is not the hero of the novel but rather is treated as a legend.”
Where other franchises have put a unique twist onTreasure Island,likeDisney’s animated sci-fi movieTreasure Planet, Josse emphasized thatFlint: Treasure of Obliviondoesn’t intend to be an “established reference” to what happened beforeTreasure Island, but the studio’s “proposal and vision of what its characters' pasts might have been.” It’s a concept that certainly sounds intriguing and could capture the interest ofTreasure Islandand pirate fans alike.
Flint: Treasure Of Oblivion’s Story And Choice Gameplay
Set in theGolden Age of Piracy,Flint: Treasure of Oblivionis also rooted in history, featuring real-life pirates like Anne Bonny, who players can recruit for their crew. When asked how its choice of gameplay elements might influence the story, Josse said recruiting and developing a team is crucial but some player dialogues “significantly influence equipment acquisition and recruitment” rather than the story itself.
Josse added that players are free to explore discovered locations for treasure and hidden items and can “choose to follow” the main story without deviation. On top of that, Josse also describedFlint: Treasure of Oblivionas “a true pirate adventure” that offers a realistic approach to its storytelling.
“Flint: Treasure of Oblivionisn’t just a pirate game, it’s a pirate story like it would have been told at the time.”
That said,Flint: Treasure of Oblivion’s story also includes supernatural elements, something that Savage Level understandably has under wraps as something for players to discover for themselves. Whilepirate storiescommonly explore supernatural themes, these could potentially take its already intriguing narrative into even more exciting places, especially considering its vision of piracy and the possible events beforeTreasure Islandtook place. Of course, players will have to wait and see how Captain Flint’s story unfolds when the game launches in October.
Flint: Treasure of Oblivionis due for release on July 24, 2025, on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.
