Ah, the life of a buccaneer! The danger, the excitement, the loot -- and the freedom. The call of the open sea is irresistible, even for armchair adventurers who would never hoist a flag or swing a cutlass given the opportunity in real life.

And freedom is the hallmark of Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean Online (www.PiratesOnline.com), a new immersive multiplayer online game for would - be pirates young and old. Players can choose to pursue quests handed out to them by Captain Jack Sparrow himself, interact with many of the characters from the "Pirates of the Caribbean" films, and test their wits against a fearsome new villain -- but they can also choose to hang around port playing cards, to search for buried treasure, or to sail the high seas and open fire against other ships to take loot. There's a whole world to explore, and every captain is free to set his or her own course.

In the spirit of that freedom, getting started as a player is absolutely free. Anyone can create an account...