New Monkey Island?

It's just a mixture of rumours at the moment, but it hasn't stopped a number of staff members from squealing with joy repeatedly.

The rumour first surfaced last week that Lucasarts may be reviving The Secret of Monkey Island series for a fifth game when the Rumour Reporter website gave the following statement regarding a sequel to what was arguably the most iconic and brilliant adventure game ever;

"The fifth Monkey Island is coming. I know some of the guys who worked on the music compositions for the original PC classics, and they say that it is currently being planned amidst rumors. However, LucasArts has so many things on its belt right now, including a Wii title that has yet to be named."

The news wasn't all good though, with the website stating that the future for the equally brilliant Grim Fandango was dubious and that the new adventures of Guybrush Threepwood might not surface until "2008 at the earliest".

And that seemed to be it, nothing more than a rumour, until a few days ago when The World Of Monkey Island, a fansite for the series, was contacted by Steve Purcell. Purcell was the creator behind other Lucasarts adventure games such as Sam and Max: Hit The Road and previously worked on some of the art for the original The Secret of Monkey Island. He has leaked three pieces of concept artwork onto the internet which, in his words, are "in no way connected to any existing or cancelled piratey project".

But that pirate sure looks like Lechuck, doesn't it?

That's all the information currently available but, since we (Ed - Read: Joe) are arguably the biggest Monkey Island fans in the world, you can be sure we won't rest until we know more about Guybrush Threepwood and his re-emergence.

Love Monkey Island? Prefer Loom? Fight like a cow? Let us know in the forums but be warned - only pirate talk allowed, yarr!