I agree. There's just so much telly shows and vidya games you can attain until the burning desire for shining golden booty and shimmering emeralds drives you to the brink, making you don your tricorn and ram your truck into a cash van, drawing cutlass against pistol in a glorious last stand for all piratekin.
Technically, pirates still exist and you can be one. However, you'll mostly be holding ships, cargo, and ship workers as hostages rather than plundering.