Sea of Thieves

Sea of Thieves · 2026-02-11T07:03:03-0500

As promised, we’re back with another Showcase to recap all the remaining Spotlights from 2025, tying everything up in a neat bow for now. To date, we’ve brought you 64 Spotlights across nine Showcase articles stretching back to 2022 (with many more in the preceding years) and there are nine more still to cover below, so let’s not delay! Here are the last of 2025’s Spotlighted players…

To get things moving on our latest list, we jump all the way back to last April and our Community Spotlight with GingerJefferson! As the proud winner of ten #SoTShot competitions, this Visionary Artist of the Seas had a lot to say about making art within Sea of Thieves and the challenges he’s faced as a dedicated perfectionist trying to unlock that coveted 100% game completion.

For the next Spotlight, we decided that one pirate simply wasn’t enough and squeezed in both Chloe and Aimee from ChloeSaurasCrafts! This creative pair are best known for their real-world props and dioramas, and were happy to talk about what got them into gaming and reminisce over playing the Sea of Thieves Alpha together. They even shared their very first Sea of Thieves creation…

We had another Visionary Artist of the Seas up next, in the form of EliEelEye. A member of countless Sea of Thieves communities and keen maker of musical parodies, Eli is also something of a driving force among players, and proud of his part in the campaign to add the Alabaster Wildcat to the game as an Insider Programme reward. Go find out more about his community shenanigans!

As we entered August, we turned our sights to an artist whose vibrant illustrations have won the hearts of many a Sea of Thieves player. Middy was a hit in the community from the very first Sea of Thieves piece she shared, and she talked us through her discovery of the game and the start of her art journey, as well as her triumph over nervousness when it comes to multiplayer gaming.

Moving on from art made using a pencil to that of the culinary variety, we spoke to Shredz, author of Sea of Thieves: The Cookbook! Shredz shared her journey from streaming Fallout 76 on Mixer to devising recipes for pirates, and the challenges inherent in being a part-time streamer. Fortunately for anyone looking to follow in her footsteps, she also had plenty of advice to offer.

Sticking with the artistic theme, next up was September’s encounter with Soycha! A player with a very distinctive pirate, Soycha’s work will be familiar to attendees of SoTFest. In his Spotlight, he told us about his first Rare game experience – GoldenEye’s famed ‘Slappers Only’ mode – and his love of extraction shooters, before looking back on his history of making Sea of Thieves art.

Our next Spotlight featured Community Stream Team member Makakar, who strives to be a champion of charitable causes, raising money for GameBlast, Women’s Aid and more. He talked about balancing streaming with a full-time job and a family, as well as networking with other creators, before ending on the most important note of all: his intense hatred of cucumbers.

Our penultimate Spotlight zeroed in on a pirate known for two things: a fine sense of style, and an extreme fondness for rodents. It could only be Lorenz Sinclair, a pirate who delights in sharing fashion tips and pirate outfits. He told us about his community experiences, his favourite cosmetic (the Mender’s Jacket!) and his ideal future fashion additions (jewellery, so much jewellery).

And the last Spotlight of 2025 went to famed prop-master JustJobiwan! A long-time creator of costumes and models, he explained how a love of pirate stories ensured Sea of Thieves became a focal point of his crafting projects. From his first pirate cosplay in 2019 to the challenge of building a replica Chest of Legends, he offered us a fine glimpse into the world of prop creation.

And with that, we’re back up to date! This instalment takes us to a total of well over 70 Spotlights summarised in this Showcase series, so if you enjoy learning more about your endlessly varied fellow pirates on the Sea of Thieves, you won’t be short of reading material. You can always start with our previous Showcase right here on Steam, while all Spotlights in their entirety – Community, Creator and Legend – are discoverable in the Sea of Thieves website’s trusty News section. Have a browse, pick out the ones that pique your interest and we hope to see you again sometime when the Spotlight sends out its beam once more!

Continue reading...

Sea of Thieves · February 5, 2026

Brief though February may be, we’ve tried to ensure that it comes packed with a good amount of Sea of Thieves stuff for you to enjoy – including the latest free content update, new music and a whole bunch of bargains and boosts. Without any further ado, here are the key dates you need to know!

‘The Eternal Guard’ Release – Monday, February 9th

Season 18 saw these Ancient sentinels unleashed across the Sea of Thieves, stalking around the islands in all their purple, seven-foot glory. Such an introduction could only be accompanied by a suitably sinister soundtrack addition, though it might be a little hard to appreciate while having spears thrown in your direction: ‘The Eternal Guard’ will be available from February 9th on all the usual musical outlets to listen to at your leisure.

Sea of Thieves Season 18: Act 3 – Thursday, February 19th

Construction projects in The Devil’s Roar are no mean feat, considering all the volcanoes and the Eternal Guard, but The Reaper’s Bones have been hard at work nonetheless. Their skeletal structural squads are almost ready to unveil the Ashen Garrisons: heavily fortified locations concealing vast piles of loot that will, inevitably, get the attention of fearless pirate crews.

The arrival of Act 3 also promises new Seasonal Deeds to be completed, rewarding successful pirates with Renown and, if they complete all Act 3 Deeds, the mighty Ashen Garrison Sails. All this and more will be arriving in February’s free content update, so keep your eyes peeled for those mid-month maintenance and downtime notifications!

Pirate Emporium Delightful Discount Sale – Friday, February 20th – Wednesday, February 25th

February is a month primarily known for three things: being shorter than all the rest, being the most romantic time of the year and – at least some of the time – being home to the Lunar New Year! To mark at least two of these occasions, the Pirate Emporium shopkeepers have sorted through their wares to bring you a sale themed around some of their most romantic and festival-related cosmetics. Their selections will be subject to a substantial discount of 30%, so it’s definitely worth a visit!

Twitch Drops – Friday, February 20th – Friday, February 27th

In the week following the launch of Act 3, don’t forget to head over to Twitch to check up on your favourite Sea of Thieves Partners. Not only are you likely to see some daredevil assaults on Ashen Garrisons, you’ll have an opportunity to claim the latest Twitch Drops in the process.

A few hours’ viewing will net you the gold, Renown and Voyages you’ve come to expect, plus the Enigmatic Clap Emote, Gilded Phoenix Lantern, Lunar Festival Blunderbuss and exclusive Amethyst Mercenary Hull! Not a bad haul for a little of your time. To take part, be sure to visit our Twitch Drops page and link your accounts first if you haven’t done so already – and if you’re stumped on who to watch, browse our Partner Directory for a list of who’s live.

GameBlast26 – Friday, February 27th – Sunday, March 1st

If there’s one thing the Sea of Thieves community excels at, it’s charitable giving. This February, we’re once again working alongside SpecialEffect to support their work of transforming the lives of disabled gamers around the world. Big-hearted Sea of Thieves pirates will be able to contribute to the fundraising total in a few different ways, with in-game Obsidian rewards and more laid out in return for your generosity.

We’ll have more info to share nearer the time – make sure you’re following our social channels so you don’t miss a thing!

Gold & Glory Weekend – Friday, February 27th – Monday, March 2nd

And to finish off the month, a helping hand for anyone still trying to gather enough Renown to hit level 100 this Season. Throughout the final weekend of February, pirates sailing the seas will find themselves earning boosted gold, reputation, Renown, Guild Reputation and Allegiance on their adventures. If you’ve still got a few rewards left to unlock before Season 18 draws to a close, this weekend is the perfect opportunity.

All of which brings us to the start of March and the end of this article! As you can see, the weeks following the start of Act 3 are all set to get busy, but we’ll be keeping you up to date with all the latest on our social channels. Then we’ll be back here next month to outline our plans for March and the upcoming Season 19 – we’ll see you then!

Continue reading...

Sea of Thieves · January 31, 2026

Season 18 Community Weekend is now live on High Seas until February 2nd (11am UTC)! Set sail for the free flag and Rising Wave Emote, hand in a Chest of Fortune for an exclusive Title, boost the Community Emissary Grade multiplier by watching Sea of Thieves on Twitch, enjoy Pop-Up Plunder puzzles and more! Sail over to our dedicated page to learn everything you could want to know: Sea of Thieves - Season 18 Community Weekend

Sea of Thieves · January 26, 2026

Back at the end of 2025, the extra month for Season 17 meant that the following Season’s Community Weekend got shuffled out of the end-of-year running order. But! We didn’t forget and we’re ready to get back to it: Season 18 Community Weekend will take place imminently, from Saturday, January 31st to Monday, February 2nd (11am UTC). So are you all set for another 48 hours of sharing stories, closing in on Goals and generally making the Grade?

Freebie Fallin’

First up, the free stuff! Take to the seas at any time during this Event to add the latest Community Weekend Flag to your collection, paired this time with the Rising Wave Emote for synchronised celebrations (and a stealthy exercise regime) among your crew.

A further reward comes bundled up inside a Community Spirit Goal: Ashen Message in a Bottle Voyages are back on the menu, and if players can collectively complete an ambitious total number of these Voyages while Community Weekend is live, everyone gets an extra gift in the form of the Meridian Hunter Double Barrel Pistol.

Meanwhile, there’s a chance of scoring a Chest of Fortune from more places than usual around The Devil’s Roar during this Event – and if you’re lucky enough to find one, you can cash it in to unlock the Title of Devil’s Fortune Seeker as a final Community Weekend perk!

Stream If You Wanna Go Faster

Second up, the reward boosts! If you haven’t taken part before, it’s easy: watching Sea of Thieves streamers on Twitch will gradually and cumulatively raise the Community Emissary Grade, and every time that goes up, so does the in-game multiplier for all players. So all you need to do to contribute is swing by your favourite Twitch streamers in the Sea of Thieves category while Community Weekend is live. Need some suggestions? You can tune in to some of our Partners, get to know our Community Stream Team or just strike out and see who’s live to find some new favourites.

These multipliers will run until the end of Community Weekend, and if Grade 5 is achieved, all players are treated to a tasty two-and-a-half times the usual amount of gold, reputation, Seasonal Renown, Allegiance and Guild Reputation. Just make sure you’re sailing on High Seas to get the best of those boosts.

Drops Dead Gorgeous

There are of course new Twitch Drops to claim as another incentive for tuning in: following a week of Drops tied to watching Sea of Thieves Partners from January 23rd–30th, the Community Weekend period comes with its own set of Drops that any streamer can offer. The shiny new Reigning Morningstar Boots and Trousers are in the mix for this set, as are additional awards of gold and Seasonal Renown. Get some!

Plunder in the Mountains

Craving even hotter dig spots than those that start with an Ashen Message in a Bottle? Well, the treasured tradition of Pop-Up Plunder will be tempting you once again this Community Weekend, and after a little experiment last time we’re returning to a more traditional format here – except that the loot pool is in for a shake-up, and every location will be within The Devil’s Roar to keep your toes toasty.

Clues to Pop-Up Plunder caches will be dropped on Sea of Thieves social channels at intervals over the course of Community Weekend, eight of them in total. Each server gets just one dig spot each time, so it’s your aim to get to it first. You have one hour before the dig spot disappears, so you’re up against the clock and any nearby crews to pinpoint the spot, sail along and stake your claim!

The First Picture of Crew

As always, pirates who set sail during Community Weekend will be able to seek out the temporary Picture Wall at every Outpost, and there’s another one to accommodate those divas at The Reaper’s Hideout too. Take a minute to pose with your faithful crew, show off your Sunday (or Saturday) best, try to convince your newest pet to sit still, however you choose to use it – then tag us on social media to show us the resulting greatness.

And if you want a bit more pop in the background of your shots, don’t forget to claim your free Community Spirit Firework Crate from the Merchant Alliance!

Who Needs Love Like Hat

This Event is, at its heart, a celebration of our players and the friendships they’ve formed, the deeds they’ve accomplished and the out-there ideas they’ve brought to life. So once again we’d love to see what you’re up to on Community Weekend: tell us about the plans you’ve put together, show us the celebratory things you’re crafting and give a shout out to anyone who just brings a bit of joy to you and the community.

You can tag us on Instagram, Bluesky, Facebook and Twitter/X, not forgetting to use #BeMorePirate as we’ll be keeping an eye on that tag throughout the Weekend to pluck out worthy winners of a Hat of Unfeasibly Glorious Fame.

Come Sea About Me

That’s about the sum of it – so hopefully you’ll have a chance to join us for some or all of the above during Season 18 Community Weekend, two days of fun running from Saturday, January 31st to Monday, February 2nd, 11am UTC. Pack your most fabulous hat and enjoy the occasion out there on the High Seas!

Continue reading...

Sea of Thieves · January 22, 2026

Secrets of the Banished: Act 2

Take on the Eternal Guard, raid Sanctuaries of the Banished and generally risk life and limb returning to The Devil's Roar! To learn more about this Season’s headline features, head over to our dedicated Season 18 page.

Molten Sands Fortress

For the duration of Act 2, Molten Sands Fortress will be the site of a fierce encounter with Flameheart’s forces, and highly sought-after treasure can be seized by crews who dare to take on the challenge.
Crews must first prove their worth to their preferred Trading Company and reach Emissary Grade 5, then claim a unique Emissary Quest from that Company. Emissary Grade progress is accelerated during Act 2 – but crews can still be targeted by prowling Reapers!
This Emissary Quest will lead to a showdown with a formidable Eternal Guard. Valiant crews who defeat the Guard will be awarded the Molten Sands Key, which can either be sold for gold and reputation or taken into The Devil’s Roar to activate the Molten Sands Fortress battle for even greater spoils.
The Fortress battle will be fierce, pitting crews against an army hell-bent on protecting the Vault, including waves of Banished Skeletons, Shadow and Gold Skeletons, imposing Skeleton Lords and even deadly Ashen Lords.
Crews who survive this encounter will uncover a wealth of loot within the Vault, such as Ashen Treasures and the all-important Orb of the Banished. For the duration of Act 2, the Vault at Molten Sands is also the home of the Chest of Fortune.

Act 2 Time-Limited Rewards

Crews taking on Molten Sands Fortress during Act 2 can unlock a variety of time-limited Trading Company-themed Ship’s Crests for representing them as an Emissary. This includes the Hoarders’, Merchants’, Order’s, Hunter’s, Fortune’s and Reaper’s Exiled Ship Crests.

Pirate Emporium

Show off your personal style with purchases from the Pirate Emporium! Pick up exclusive cosmetics such as ship liveries, costumes, weapons, pets and emotes using your Ancient Coins, purchasable with real money. Head to the Pirate Emporium to browse and buy the latest additions!

New Items – Now in Stock!

Lone Night Wulf Ship Collection
Lone Night Wulf Weapon Bundle
Lone Night Wulf Costume
Lodestar Cabin Bundle
Tankard Scalding Emote – Free!

Outpost Cosmetics

New Outpost Stock!

The shipwrights have restocked this month with the tropically themed Palm Resolute Sails, Hull and Flag.

Updates

Cross-Region Matchmaking Improvements

To improve matchmaking times in Oceanic regions when diving to Faction Battles and other experiences, players in Australia will now have their search extended to include crews in Southeast Asia should worthy opponents not be found in their home region.
Players wishing to wait for a match in their home region can opt out of Cross-Region Matchmaking from the Game Settings at any point.

Text Chat in Game Options

The Text Chat option within the Game Options menu has been moved down below Crew Management to improve speed of access to more commonly used options.

Events

Season 18 Community Weekend (January 31st – February 2nd)

Your favourite 48-hour Event is back for Season 18! Enjoy free gifts, pose at Picture Walls, embark on Ashen Message in a Bottle Voyages, solve puzzles as you seek Pop-Up Plunder, and make use of reward boosts thanks to the Community Emissary Grade raised by watching Sea of Thieves streamers on Twitch.
Find out more in January’s This Month in Sea of Thieves article, and stay tuned for a full rundown closer to the date!

Fixed Issues

Gameplay

Improvements have been made to how players attach to, release and climb ladders. Players should therefore no longer experience unintentionally slow movement on ladders and should now consistently be able to grab and release ladders during gameplay.
Within the Hideout at Wanderers Refuge, crews should now find that the Smugglers’ Chronicles offer accurate instructions on how to find a hidden mystery.
Players sitting on the barrel on the lower deck of the Sloop can now consistently be damaged by sword attacks.
Wilting Crates of Plants can now be refreshed by bucketing water directly onto them.
Crates of Cloth will now become sodden when water is bucketed directly onto them.
‘Captains of the Damned’ – The Castaway's cutscene now plays correctly when starting the Tall Tale at Morrow’s Peak Outpost.

The Eternal Guard

Items placed on top of the Eternal Guard’s sarcophagus now fall to the ground when it disappears, rather than hanging in mid-air.
Crews will now earn progress for Deeds requiring them to defeat an Eternal Guard, if during an encounter they defeat themselves by detonating nearby kegs with a thrown spear.
Players summoning an Eternal Guard from their sarcophagus and running away should no longer find the Guard appears in an unexpected location away from the sarcophagus.

Environment

Players should now be able to successfully traverse ladders within the Shrine of Ocean’s Fortune.
Several mysterious Journals on Kraken’s Fall, Devil’s Ridge and Old Faithful Isle have been repositioned to ensure they can be interacted with.
Further improvements have been made to address areas where players could push through the environment into the sea from the Pirate Legend Hideout.
The Sanctuary of the Banished on Cinder Islet now prevents players from seeing beneath the game's map.
Improvements have been made to areas of the environment at the Shores of Gold and Fetcher’s Rest to prevent players becoming stuck while traversing.
‘The Lair of LeChuck’ – Players should no longer be able to use a Grapple Gun to reach unintended areas of the map.

Visual and Audio

Phantoms viewed through spyglasses at Sea Forts will no longer appear or disappear unexpectedly.
Players wearing a disguise will now consistently appear disguised to approaching rivals.
Poison visual effects from the Trident of the Banished now clear correctly after a player is revived.
Equipping the Bonechiller Hull on a Sloop now applies the correct interior colours.
The Stone Islehopper Outlaw Flag now appears correctly once equipped.
Areas where water rises and falls such as Siren Shrines should now consistently display the correct visual effects on the water’s surface when moving.
Pirates of all sizes will now appear to hold and play all types of concertina correctly.
The Castaway seen at her camp on Outposts now appears correctly when viewed from different distances.
Improvements have been made to the Regal Hound Blunderbuss, Tundra Wanderer Blunderbuss, Tundra Wanderer Blowpipe and Tundra Wanderer Grapple Gun to ensure they are held correctly and fired without visual issues.
The Tundra Wanderer Grapple Gun now appears correctly when reloading.
The lift chains in The Reaper’s Hideout now appear at the correct visual quality.
Pirates of all sizes will now appear correctly when wearing the Baleful Bloom Costume.
Pirates wearing the Bleakheart Banshee Costume now wield and fire Double Barrel Pistols correctly.
Players wielding the False King’s Ransom Grapple Gun will now appear correctly when performing various Weapon Pose Emotes.

User Interface

Players browsing their unlocked Disguises in the Vanity Chest should now see their pirate perform the action correctly in the preview window.
Players starting Trading Company Tutorial Voyages at Morrow’s Peak Outpost will no longer see incorrect warnings about sailing in the wrong direction.
Empty Company slots on the Reputation screen now display correctly after opening and closing certain Trading Company pages.
Within the Emporium, the Bonechiller Weapon Bundle now shows the correct artwork with all weapons included in the bundle.
The Wild Rose Eye of Reach now appears correctly when viewed in the Armoury and weaponsmith shops.
PC players joining a crew of console players who prefer to matchmake with others using controllers will now be shown appropriate messaging.

Text and Localisation

Within the Season Overview menu, the names and descriptions for Acts, Deeds and rewards now better support a range of localised languages.
Improvements have been made to localisation quality for Tall Tales when played in Turkish and Korean languages.
Improvements have been made to localisation quality for character dialogue across multiple areas in Korean.
Players using Polish language settings should find localisation improvements to various Commendation names, and clearer instructions when taking on a Voyage of Legends.
Players using Japanese language settings should find localisation improvements to Captained ship renaming screens and delivery tooltips when attempting to hand in cargo.

Performance and Stability

Improvements have been made to server stability to avoid instances where players are disconnected from their session.

Known Issues

To learn more about known issues in Sea of Thieves currently being tracked and their status, head over to our Known Issues support site article.

Continue reading...

Sea of Thieves · January 9, 2026

A new year is upon us! After the frenetic end-of-year rush to make sure all the pieces of the Festival of Giving were running smoothly, it feels like almost no time at all since we were last here, giving you the rundown. Nonetheless, it is time once again to take a look back and call out some of the highlights you might have missed in December…

Content Update

If there was anything you weren’t likely to miss, it was the arrival of Season 18 as sarcophagi containing the Eternal Guard started appearing across the seas, bearing keys to Sanctuaries unearthed within The Devil’s Roar. For the full suite of changes and additions made to the game, as always, dive into the release notes for this update (and the later hotfix). And of course this is only Act 1 of Season 18, so keep a weather eye on the horizon for all that’s coming in Acts 2 and 3!

December also meant the next item on the agenda was the Festival of Giving: this year not only Partners but all Pirate Legends were able to hand out in-game gifts to other crews, while all pirates also enjoyed a daily Gilded Voyage, newsletters came bearing desserts and Twitch viewers had the chance to unlock even more goodies by gifting subscriptions to their favourite streamers. Generous sailors also grouped together in the Treasures for Hope initiative to raise over $137,000 for the Global Gift Foundation – extra-special thanks to everyone who contributed!

News and Features

Announcing Season 18’s launch was naturally the main news beat of the month – but with the end of the year racing up to meet us, December also offered a chance to look back on a year of accomplishments and tally them all up in Your Story So Far. In fact, players were so busy sharing their favourite feats that we almost missed the chance to show off their best Stormy Seas screenshots in the latest round of #SoTShot, and we couldn’t have that…

As the holidays are nothing without a few tasty treats, we also stoked the festive spirit with a foray into cookie decoration – making sure everyone had access to a Sea of Thieves gingerbread recipe recipe so that they could rustle up their own. With cookies and mulled grog to hand, all that was left to do was to settle down somewhere warm and dig into the last Community Spotlight of 2025, focusing on practised prop maker JustJobiwan.

Videos and Streams

If you’ve been with us for previous launches, it should come as no surprise that the Video team were busy producing Seasonal content for much of December. The Season 18 Content Update was followed in short order by an instalment of Sea of Thieves News, lifting the veil on 2025’s Festival of Giving plans and more. A Developer Update and official Season trailer followed, but not before a delightfully nostalgic B-movie trailer reintroduced everyone to the delights of The Devil’s Roar.

The festive season wasn’t all business as usual, of course. The Audio team also delighted all crews with an eerie carol warning of the dangers that lurk in the darkest time of the year. Adding to the sense of ominous mystery, the Orb then broke its silence to share some of what’s to come in the future (and ultimately made its way into the possession of many resourceful pirates)…

And with that, we reach the end of 2025. Last year was a whirlwind, with too many highlights and fond memories to name, so thank you to everyone who joined us on the waves at any point. We hope to sail with you again in 2026 and beyond – in the meantime, remember that you can always find us via our usual social channels, namely Twitter/X, Bluesky, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Threads and Twitch, as well as the official Forums and Discord. Here’s hoping you all had a holiday season to remember!

Previously in 2025:

Sea of Thieves Round-Up: November 2025

Sea of Thieves Round-Up: October 2025

Sea of Thieves Round-Up: September 2025

Sea of Thieves Round-Up: August 2025

Sea of Thieves Round-Up: July 2025

Sea of Thieves Round-Up: June 2025

Sea of Thieves Round-Up: May 2025

Sea of Thieves Round-Up: April 2025

Sea of Thieves Round-Up: March 2025

Sea of Thieves Round-Up: February 2025

Sea of Thieves Round-Up: January 2025

Continue reading...

Sea of Thieves · January 6, 2026

Another year on the seas is upon us, and it’s all set to be a busy one. January offers Fortress-based threats and discounted pets, Twitch Drops and mic drops, contests and cosmetics and of course 2026’s first Community Weekend, so read on to get prepared for the latest leg of our ongoing journey!

#SoTShot: The Devil’s Roar – until Wednesday, January 7th

As we gear up for another year of social channel screenshot challenges, there’s still time to get your pics in for 2025’s final fiery theme. Send us your best Devil’s Roar-inspired shots on Instagram, Twitter/X or Bluesky, tagging your art with #SoTShot and @SeaOfThieves to enter. A cache of Golden Hour Sails will be given away to our favourites!

The first full #SoTShot competition of 2026 will arrive shortly after this one ends, so stay tuned to our social channels for the next theme…

‘Sanctuaries of Stillness’ Release – Monday, January 12th

The official Sea of Thieves streamable soundtrack continues to grow, and the first new melody added to the collection in 2026 is a haunting piece that soundtracks Season 18’s exploration of Sanctuaries of the Banished. Find ‘Sanctuaries of Stillness’ on all major streaming services from January 12th.

Sea of Thieves Season 18: Act 2 – Thursday, January 22nd

Season 18: Return to The Devil’s Roar continues this month, as does the three-Act structure of our recent Seasons. And when Act 2 arrives on January 22nd, its headline feature is a rousing new challenge at Molten Sands Fortress! Word on the seas claims there’s a rare and precious Orb of the Banished locked away in its Vault, and this is one challenge that the Trading Companies will only entrust to their proven Emissaries…

The Pirate Emporium and Outpost shops are also anticipating their first new stock of the new year. In the Emporium you’ll be able to pick up the Lone Night Wulf ship set, costume and weapons, while owners of Captained ships could be tempted by the shimmering Lodestar Cabin Bundle. Over at the Outposts, there’s a new addition to the recent run of Resolute ship sets in the form of the leafy Palm Resolute Sails, Hull and Flag.

Twitch Drops – Friday, January 23rd – Friday, January 30th

2026’s first flurry of Twitch Drops will be up for grabs from Sea of Thieves Partnered streamers following January’s monthly content update, containing a bounty of free gold, Renown, Voyages and cosmetics including the Gilded Phoenix Spyglass, Thunderous Fury Flag and the new and exclusive Amethyst Mercenary Sails.

As always, if you want to share in these spoils you’ll need to make sure your Twitch and Microsoft accounts are linked via our Twitch Drops page, then tune in to a participating Sea of Thieves streamer on Twitch while the Drops are live. If you’re not sure who to watch, check our Partner Directory see who’s online!

Pirate Emporium Perfect Pet Sale – Wednesday, January 28th – Wednesday, February 4th

It’s all about the animals in January’s sale, with an enormous range of pets available to adopt at big discounts. Ship’s deck looking a bit lifeless? Part with some of those Ancient Coins and bring a new companion along for the adventure! Cats, dogs, parrots, monkeys, foxes, owls, toucans, pigs – it’s getting rowdy in those aisles and the shopkeepers are keen to kick off the year by rehoming some of their animal inventory.

Season 18 Community Weekend – Saturday, January 31st – Monday, February 2nd

Mark your calendars: our next Community Weekend is set for the last Saturday of the month! Reward boosts powered by the Community Emissary Grade return alongside a suite of shenanigans including Pop-Up Plunder, the traditional free flag and emote, and opportunities to score rewards via various methods of participation.

Learn more about the full feature set of this Seasonal community celebration later this month, when we’ll be back with another news article to catalogue all the brilliant bonuses and activities available…

So that’s January – it’s all go at the end of the month, but if you’re still up for more as the dust settles on another Community Weekend, check back here in the first week of February when our next look ahead will be ready and waiting. Sea of Thieves’ social channels are the place to be in the meantime, especially if you want to intercept those Pop-Up Plunder clues!

Continue reading...

Sea of Thieves · January 2, 2026

It’s been over a year since we last delivered a Showcase, if you can believe it! We hardly can, but the relentless wheel of time has been spinning ever on regardless, and we’re long overdue in sharing another for your reading pleasure. In fact, we’re going to do one better and publish two in rapid succession, catching us up to the end of 2025 and giving all those Spotlights another chance to shine while the series takes a li’l break in 2026.

So sit back and relax as we summon up some of the amazing community members who’ve faced the Spotlight in the last couple of years…

First Spotlight on the list takes us back to mid-2024 and a face familiar to many pirates who’ve sworn loyalty to The Reaper’s Bones: Mutinous Mel! Famed in the community for her unshakeable adoration for a certain Servant, Mel took a break from her usual antics to grant us an in-character interview all about her time on the seas and how she came to craft that particular persona.

The first Creator Spotlight on this list focused on what was at the time a recent addition to our Partner Programme, OphieIRL! Known to many as the cosplaying burger clown Donald McRonald, Ophie spoke with us about overcoming his worries around vulnerability and authenticity on stream, and why Sea of Thieves became a place for him to meet and interact with other people.

The Creator Spotlight had to shine a little wider for our third entry as there were two names on the docket! Loki and Leator, together forming the Underpants Brigade, joined us for a dual interview, taking turns to reveal secrets about one another and insights into how their unbreakable partnership came to be. And they only mentioned underpants five times! Truly, paragons of restraint.

Back in the land of Community Spotlights, the next highlight turned our attention to a renowned member of the SoT UK community, MrsPabl0! She walked us through her history as part of the Affiliate Alliance and how Sea of Thieves has helped her socialise with people far and wide. She also disclosed a somewhat incomprehensible love of soggy socks, and we did not pry any further.

One aspect of the Sea of Thieves community we never tire of is everyone’s incredible artistic creations! So we caught up with Penguill, one such digital artist known for his captivating comics. He explained how a contest by fellow community member Kaidawrath first got him into creating SoT art and revealed that he uses his computer mouse with his left hand. Shocking behaviour.

For our next few Spotlights, we wanted to highlight some more of the amazing creators making up our Community Stream Team. First up, we tracked down Arrvocado to learn about his journey from playing platformer adventures in the ’90s through Sea of Thieves’ E3 2016 trailer to where he is today, and how the COVID pandemic guided him into the world of content creation.

Continuing with the Community Stream Team theme – say that five times fast – next on our list was FluffyEdge, along with her fearsome feline friend Captain Tigerpants! She shared how being furloughed during lockdown encouraged her to spread a little joy on Twitch when she could, and how the beauty of Sea of Thieves’ world provides a soothing way to unwind after a long day.

For the penultimate entry of this particular Showcase, meet Hans Sprungfild! Finding fame for sharing the faces of others, Hans’ time as an in-game photographer of the Faces of Open Crew has earned him a loyal following of players enjoying his unique captures. He explained how meeting amazing pirates from around the world formed the basis for his foray into content creation.

And finally, we come to Róisín! Another member of the Stream Team, Róisín revealed how she started her Sea of Thieves journey by trying to solo sail a Galleon, and how that first taste of the sandbox led her to sharing her pirate adventures with the world. She left us with her best advice for other content creators and even offered a handy pronunciation guide for her name!

And that’s it for the first part of this months-in-the-making catch-up. The next Spotlight Showcase will be along soon, supplying even more community goodness, so keep your eyes peeled for that.

Until then, you’ll just have to fill your time by reading the full interviews with all the amazing community members featured here, as well as all our other previous Community, Creator and Legend Spotlights. You can find all of them – and plenty of other content to dig into – on the Sea of Thieves News page. Or, if you prefer the short-form summaries, there’s always our previous Showcase Spotlight for another whistle-stop tour like this one. Happy reading!

Continue reading...

Sea of Thieves · December 12, 2025

Season 18 has begun in Sea of Thieves, and the Dark Brethren have been working hard in The Devil’s Roar, detonating their recently acquired Black Powder Barrels to uncover lost Sanctuaries of the Banished. Now pirates across the seas are racing to get their hands on the long-forgotten riches kept within. Only one thing stands in their way: the Sanctuaries’ Ancient guardians have awoken, and they aren’t about to hand over their keys willingly…

Sanctuaries of the Banished

Across The Devil’s Roar, a liberal application of explosives has uncovered Ancient structures long buried beneath the rock. Previously used by those rogue Ancients expelled by their own kind, these Sanctuaries are now home to lucrative bounty including the powerful Trident of the Banished, mysterious Banished Ancient Rune Tablets and a host of unique treasures sure to interest the Trading Companies.

Whisking away some of this wealth for yourself won’t be so easy, however. Though the excavations have revealed the Sanctuary entrances, their locked stone doors will prove a tougher nut to crack. Brute force won’t get you and your crew inside; you’ll need to go hunting for a special Sanctuary of the Banished Key before you can uncover the mysteries of these hidden chambers for yourself.

The Eternal Guard

The sources of those all-important keys are another new addition to the seas: the Eternal Guard! The sarcophagi containing these undying warriors, spirits bound to Ancient armour, have started appearing on islands across the waves. Pirates planning to pit their might against this fabled fighting force need only approach a sarcophagus and light the candles, and they’ll soon find themselves engaged in a face-off unlike any other.

All that time spent below ground has not dulled the skills of the Eternal Guard. They wield hunting spears and blowpipes with ease, disappear in a poisonous fog to sneak silently around the battlefield, and in the face of defeat can unleash a devastating death blow that may just drag their unwitting attacker to the Sea of the Damned with them. Prevailing over these powers will be no mean feat, but should you manage it, you’ll earn yourself the key needed to crack open a Sanctuary of the Banished.

An Evolving World

Long-buried Sanctuaries aren’t the only change coming to the Roar this Season. The Smugglers’ League is expanding into the region, with two new representatives to track down and meet. You’ll find them both in their own Hideouts tucked away on islands marked on your Map Table. They even have a new Smugglers’ Route Run Voyage for daring pirates to undertake in return for rich rewards…

And there’ll be no shortage of rewards this Season. In recognition of the added dangers presented by trading in The Devil’s Roar, all Company representatives within the region are offering boosted gold and reputation for treasures handed in to them this Season. That includes all Outpost residents, as well as Zharick and Aifrick at the Seaposts, the new Smugglers and any cargo delivery recipients you help out. If you’re looking to make a fortune, The Devil’s Roar is the place to be!

More to Come

As in previous Seasons, there’ll be plenty more content to explore in the coming months! In Act 2, you’ll have a chance to delve into the Vault of Molten Sands Fortress in a new time-limited Voyage to retrieve a fabled treasure. To take part, venture out as Emissaries for your chosen Company and prove your loyalty before clashing with other crews to claim the mysterious Orb of the Banished.

Later, in Act 3, Captain Flameheart’s forces will be hard at work raising Ashen Garrisons within The Devil’s Roar. Breaching these heavily reinforced locations will prove to be a harder-won battle than most, with a sea wall and secure doors to fight your way through. In return for putting in the effort, however, a wealth of hidden treasure will be yours for the taking – should you succeed…

New Challenges and Rewards

Alongside all the new content landing throughout Season 18, there are plenty more Commendations – and corresponding rewards – arriving to test players’ prowess. Engaging with the new features in each Act will also net you time-limited rewards, including the exclusive Ashen Garrison Sails for completing all Act 3 Deeds. Each also offers a hefty bump in Seasonal Renown, so you can enjoy even more rewards for your efforts.

As always, climbing those levels of Renown throughout the Season unlocks a steady supply of new cosmetics, this time including items from the Widow’s Weave, Creepy Crawlers and Spider’s Venom collections – it’s a good time to be a budding pirate arachnologist! Plunder Pass holders will also have the opportunity to unlock the enigmatic Nightshade Sentry collection as they go, along with an extra 750 Ancient Coins to spend in the Pirate Emporium.

There’ll be much more to discover as Season 18 evolves, including all the finer details of Acts 2 and 3. For a broader look at everything we can tell you right now, stop by the dedicated Season 18 page or soak up the latest release notes; for everything else, keep an eye on our social channels for all the most up-to-date developments. We’re also about to kick off a wide range of activities for this year’s Festival of Giving, so there’s no shortage of things to keep you occupied at sea as 2025 draws to a close. Set sail and enjoy!

Continue reading...

Sea of Thieves · December 11, 2025

Secrets of the Banished

Get ready to take on the Eternal Guard, raid Sanctuaries of the Banished and generally risk life and limb returning to The Devil's Roar! To learn more about this Season’s headline features, head over to our dedicated Season 18 page.

The Eternal Guard

Pirates can now encounter a resourceful new enemy – the Eternal Guard. Crews out scouring islands across the Sea of Thieves may stumble across ancient sarcophagi, and perform a summoning ritual to bring forth these ferocious combatants.
The Eternal Guard use ancient magic to cloak and stalk their targets around the battlefield. They are invulnerable while cloaked, so crews should keep an eye on their surroundings and seek the telltale signs of a Guard readying an attack.
When ready to strike, the Guard will cross the veil to take mortal form and unleash attacks with blowpipe, spear and poison bomb before returning to the shadows.
During this encounter, pirates should also be prepared to face off against Banished Ancient Skeletons who can be summoned by the Eternal Guard during a challenging encounter.
Upon defeat, the Guard will release a powerful shockwave – so stay back! Pirates who take down one of these uncanny enemies will be rewarded with a key to unlock a nearby Sanctuary of the Banished.
While they are most frequently discovered in The Devil’s Roar, the sarcophagi of the Eternal Guard can now also be discovered on large islands in other regions.

Sanctuaries of the Banished

The Smugglers’ League have excavated three Sanctuaries in The Devil’s Roar. These Ancient structures can be found hidden beneath Cinder Islet, Flame’s End and Brimstone Rock, and each site is shown on the ship’s map.
Crews using a recovered Sanctuary of the Banished Key to make their way inside will discover Ancient Treasure littering the Sanctuary and the new Trident of the Banished weapon. Locked compartments can be opened with Ashen Keys to fully plunder the Sanctuary.

Trident of the Banished

The Trident of the Banished is a corrupted weapon, enhancing the power of the Trident and inflicting poisonous effects.
A small bubble can be charged quickly and releases a fast-moving shot to deal both direct damage and lasting poison effects.
A medium-sized bubble deals greater damage than its Trident of Dark Tides counterpart with a larger blast radius, also poisoning enemies in the area.
The largest bubble deals high damage and poison; however, it moves very slowly when fired, allowing pirates to follow-up with a well-aimed shot to detonate it.

The Devil’s Roar

Crews venturing into The Devil’s Roar will be handsomely rewarded for their efforts by the local Trading Companies and Smugglers. Cashing in loot within The Devil’s Roar during Season 18 will offer boosted gold and reputation depending on the representative.
Crews exploring this volcanic region will find that the frequency of discovering the ferocious Chest of Rage in their treasure hoard has increased across a range of activities.
Across The Devil’s Roar, environmental hazards have been rebalanced to reduce frustration while adventuring. Crews should continue to watch their step and keep a keen eye on the horizon, however, as this volcanic region remains a dangerous part of the seas.
Morrow’s Peak Outpost is now a potential starting location for crews at the beginning of a session.

The Smugglers’ League

The Smugglers‘ League have established two new trap-laden hideouts in The Devil’s Roar. Elias operates from a cave beneath Fetcher’s Rest and Lucia can be found in a tunnel cutting through Ruby’s Fall. Both contacts are now available as delivery locations for Smugglers’ treasure.
The Smugglers’ Route Run has now shifted location into The Devil’s Roar and this new treacherous pathway has been marked on the ship’s map for all to see.

Sandbox Balancing

With Season 17 drawing to a close, the Smugglers‘ influence on the seas has waned and a variety of emergent discoveries have returned to pre-Season 17 levels.
The frequency of shipwreck discoveries has been increased and there is now an equal chance of finding a regular shipwreck or a Smugglers’ Shipwreck, both containing handy air bubbles throughout the ship to help pirates while exploring.
Crews spotting a washed-up Rowboat will now have an equal chance of finding any of the different types of Rowboat.
Ambushes by Black Powder-wielding Skeletons and the presence of washed-up Smugglers’ Caches are now much less frequent.
The glint of a washed-up Message in a Bottle on the shores now provides a range of different activities and will no longer just provide a Smugglers’ Run.
Skeleton Ships have slowed their stockpiling of Smugglers’ League treasures, and crews will now find a more balanced hoard on board.

Secrets of the Banished Rewards

As the fires of Act 1 begin, a range of new Commendations have been added to the Secrets of the Banished Reputation tab. Pirates completing these Commendations will unlock access to new weapons from the Forsaken Ashes set, Mark of the Widow Tattoo, Chest of Banished Tribute Disguise and ‘Effigy of Rage’ Trinket – and from the Smugglers’ clothing set, Saltbones Elias’ Hook and Laughing Fox Lucia’s Mask.
New time-limited Act 1 Deeds have been added to the Season menu, earning players a boost to their Seasonal Renown progression and the ‘A Dark Discovery’ Painting once completed.
New Xbox and Steam achievements and PlayStation®5 Trophies can be unlocked by progressing through the new in-game Commendations.

Vanquisher of the Eternal

Explorer of Scared Places

Broker of Banishment

Violet Violence

Season 18

Another Season means 100 new levels to climb by raising your Renown, with racks full of rewards to snag along the way – and an optional Plunder Pass adding even more!

Season 18 Rewards and Plunder Pass

Progressing through the 100 levels of Renown in Season 18 will reward players with a variety of new cosmetics. The Spider’s Venom clothing set and vanity items plus unique Creepy Crawlers cosmetics can be unlocked, while Pirate Legends can also earn the Warsmith Throwing Knives and Duke Tribute Tattoo.
Time-limited for Season 18, players can also earn the exclusive Widow’s Weave Flag, Hull, Sails, Makeup and Tattoo. Head to the Seasons profile page to browse the new rewards and check your pirate’s progress!
Pick up a Plunder Pass to gain access to a plethora of additional unlockable cosmetics from the Nightshade Sentry collection, including a ship set and selection of themed clothing, all individually earned by raising your Renown. Purchase a Pass in-game through the Pirate Log or Pirate Emporium, or via the Pirate Emporium webpage or Steam Item Store!

Season 18 Emissary Ledger Rewards

This Season, the Guild Emissary Ledgers offer the ‘An Eternal Ebb and Flow’ Painting, ‘Banished Finery’ Ornament and Guild of Dark Banishment Title to Guilds who represent them well and perform proudly in the Ledgers.
The Hunter’s Call Emissary Ledger now offers the Living Depths Flag, Sails and Capstan, along with the Assailant of Ancient Quarry Title. These new rewards are earnable by Hunters representing the Company as Emissaries.

Chest of Fortune

The Chest of Fortune remains within the Fort of Fortune, allowing crews to earn the next Grade of the Fortune’s Favour Commendation and unlock access to the Regal Fortune Fishing Rod, Shovel, Pocket Watch, Tankard and Speaking Trumpet.

Reaper’s Chests

Crews chasing down the tell-tale beacon of the Reaper’s Chest or Reaper’s Bounty can earn the next Grade of the Reaper’s Riches Commendation and unlock access to the Regal Fortune Hurdy-Gurdy and Concertina.

Gameplay Improvements

Migrating Crews from Failed Encounters

Crews engaging with the same rival repeatedly will now find that they will be migrated away to a new server after subsequent losses.
Losing to the same rival three times within a generous 1h 45m period will cause the losing crew to be migrated. However, should the losing crew turn the tide and sink their rival, this will reset the encounter.
This ruleset will not affect crews taking part in an encounter with the Burning Blade, and crews engaging with the Skull of Siren Song will need to be actively participating in the Voyage to be remain exempt.

Reducing Emergent Encounters During Naval Battles

Crews engaging with rivals in naval combat will find that ambush threats like Skeleton Ships and Megalodons are now reduced in frequency. While these unpredictable encounters can still occur, they will now be much less frequent, allowing crews to remain focused on their rivals.

Performance Improvements

This update includes further system-level optimisations to CPU performance across the whole experience. This will improve loading behind the scenes, with the aim of providing a smoother framerate when approaching islands, ships and other players in the world.
Improvements have been made to game performance when digging up items in the world to improve client framerate.

Pirate Emporium

Show off your personal style with purchases from the Pirate Emporium! Pick up exclusive cosmetics such as ship liveries, costumes, weapons, pets and emotes using your Ancient Coins, purchasable with real money. Head to the Pirate Emporium to browse and buy the latest additions!

New Items – Now in Stock!

Tundra Wanderer Ship Collection and Ship’s Crest
Tundra Wanderer Weapon Bundle
Tundra Wanderer Clothing Bundle
Tundra Wanderer Drum
Festive Hat Bundle (time-limited, will return next year)
Dark Constellation Cat
Glacial Curse Barbary and Toucan
Ghostly Curse Ragamuffin (requires Pirate Legend status)
Humble Gift Emote – Free!

Returning Items – Time-Limited

Bonechiller Ship Collection and Ship’s Crest
Bonechiller Costume Set
Bonechiller Weapon Bundle
Festival of Giving Weapon Bundle
Festival of Giving Pet Outfits

Outpost Cosmetics

New Outpost Stock!

The shipwrights have restocked with the new Pale Resolute Hull, Sails and Flag.
The Outpost weaponsmiths now offer weapons from the Regal Hound set.

Season 11 Legacy Cosmetics

Cosmetics previously available during Season 11 have arrived in the Outpost shops and can now be purchased with Doubloons!
Players can purchase items from the Cunning Serpent set including clothing, Medusa Hair, Snake Tail Hair and Beard. The Cartographer Cannons and Pegleg, Musketeer Eye of Reach, Banded Chaperon Hat and Fog-Piercing Frog Lantern are also available.
Pirate Legends can purchase Briggsy’s Weatherbeaten Gloves and Belle’s Mysterious Dress.
The time-limited Swift-Winged Wayfarer items, however, remain exclusive to players who participated in Season 11.

Updates

Season Overview Menu

The Season Menu has been updated, now bringing Season Progress and Events into the menu alongside the Season’s Deeds and rewards. This menu now provides a single source of information for everything taking place during the Season.
The Pirate Log has been renamed to Reputation and is now focused on highlighting progression with the various Trading Companies, Factions, Tall Tales and Adventures at Sea.

Events

The Festival of Giving is in full swing throughout the second half of December, with free daily Gilded Voyages for players and much more besides. See below for an overview and head to the Events Hub to check on what’s live!

The Orb Returns (December 12th – December 14th)

The Orb breaks its silence with new whispers and visions, teasing future events and offering clues to an enlightening in-game reward. Tune in on Twitch!

Holiday Hauls and Legends of Giving (December 15th – January 2nd)

Pirate Legends join the Partners, Affiliate Alliance leaders and Deckhands taking to the seas under the Generous Gift Sails this year, spreading holiday cheer and delivering gifts to other pirates they meet!

Support a Streamer (December 15th – January 2nd)

Support your favourite Sea of Thieves streamers and get rewards! Gift two qualifying subscriptions to earn Amethyst Mercenary ship cosmetics, and gift three subs for the Ebon Double Barrel Pistol.

Fixed Issues

Gameplay

Blunderbombs fired from cannons into other ships will now push ships in a more predictable direction.
The Double Barrel Pistol now reloads reliably when rapidly fired and reloaded in quick succession.
Players sitting on the barrel on the lower deck of the Sloop can now consistently be damaged by sword attacks.
Exiting crouch by sprinting and quickly aiming down sights should no longer cause pirates to briefly stutter.
‘Shores of Gold’ – All levers in this Tall Tale can now consistently be interacted with, allowing the Tale to be progressed.

Performance and Stability

Crews experiencing technical issues when diving beneath the waves should no longer find themselves returned to the surface alongside a duplicate version of their ship.
Further improvements have been made to game stability to reduce scenarios where players unexpectedly exit the game or become disconnected from their session.

Visual and Audio

Sailing near a Skeleton Camp no longer causes ship interiors to appear overly bright.
A blowpipe musical tune should no longer be heard when on the Ferry of the Damned.
Players climbing inside the Cartographer Cannons will now retain their intended field of view.
The Gilded Phoenix Ship’s Crest now displays correctly when viewed at the back of a ship.
The symbol on the Purple Resolute Sails is now correctly positioned.
The Nightfall Hunter Shirt icon now shows the pirate’s hand in the correct position.
The glint of treasure viewed at a distance will now twinkle more randomly and not pulse consistently with other treasure.
Sprinting while holding a Fort Key no longer causes hand animations to jump after stopping.
Pirates burying items should now have a consistent shadow in sync with their animations.
Quest Board maps to islands with Skeleton Camps should now display the correct island visuals.
The Boreal Aurora Cannons now appear correctly when viewed at close range.
Players firing the Alter Ego Eye of Reach should no longer find the weapon clips into the camera.
The Amethyst Mercenary Flag now appears correctly when equipped on a Brigantine.

Environment

Improvements have been made to areas of the environment at Port Merrick, Flintlock Peninsula, The Devil’s Thirst and Ruby’s Fall to prevent players becoming stuck while traversing.
Players should no longer be able to grapple into the roof decoration of the tavern at Morrow’s Peak Outpost.
During a storm, rain can no longer be seen within the Pirate Emporium.
‘Shores of Gold’ – A visible crack on the ground at the Shores of Gold has been smoothed out.
Skeletons navigating around Mermaid’s Hideaway and Crescent Isle can now consistently reach their intended location.

User Interface

Players using an ultra-wide screen will find HUD elements such as the notification pane and currency are now placed at the edges of the screen to be consistent with other parts of the HUD.
Viewing the Reputation tab from the front-end menu now shows the correct number of promotions.
Players changing settings for Narration and Custom Text Overlay will find that these settings now persist across sessions.
Player names in the Invites menu now remain visible when highlighted.
Players using ‘Let Games Read to Me’ should hear the Enhanced Headphone Menu fully narrated while browsing.
Viewing the Rank 15 promotion within the Gold Hoarders Trading Company now shows all the rewards available to unlock.
The preview imagery for the Frozen Horizon Instrument Bundle within the Pirate Emporium now shows the correct iconography.

Text and Localisation

Players speaking with the Smugglers Lottie, Solomon and Ix should now find their voiceover consistently matches their dialogue.
Players using Italian language settings should no longer see overlapping text when equipping various weapons within the Armoury.
Players navigating the Reputation tab while playing in Safer Seas are now correctly reminded of the Trading Company rank limitation across a range of non-English languages.
Players using Polish language settings should now find the clues given as part of the Voyage of Legends are now much clearer to follow.
Players using Thai language settings will find the Alter Ego set name has been changed to better match its visual appearance.

Known Issues

To learn more about known issues in Sea of Thieves currently being tracked and their status, head over to our Known Issues support site article.

Download and Installation

Download Size:

Steam: 5.4 GB

Sea of Thieves · December 11, 2025

Secrets of the Banished

Get ready to take on the Eternal Guard, raid Sanctuaries of the Banished and generally risk life and limb returning to The Devil's Roar! To learn more about this Season’s headline features, head over to our dedicated Season 18 page.

The Eternal Guard

Pirates can now encounter a resourceful new enemy – the Eternal Guard. Crews out scouring islands across the Sea of Thieves may stumble across ancient sarcophagi, and perform a summoning ritual to bring forth these ferocious combatants.
The Eternal Guard use ancient magic to cloak and stalk their targets around the battlefield. They are invulnerable while cloaked, so crews should keep an eye on their surroundings and seek the telltale signs of a Guard readying an attack.
When ready to strike, the Guard will cross the veil to take mortal form and unleash attacks with blowpipe, spear and poison bomb before returning to the shadows.
During this encounter, pirates should also be prepared to face off against Banished Ancient Skeletons who can be summoned by the Eternal Guard during a challenging encounter.
Upon defeat, the Guard will release a powerful shockwave – so stay back! Pirates who take down one of these uncanny enemies will be rewarded with a key to unlock a nearby Sanctuary of the Banished.
While they are most frequently discovered in The Devil’s Roar, the sarcophagi of the Eternal Guard can now also be discovered on large islands in other regions.

Sanctuaries of the Banished

The Smugglers’ League have excavated three Sanctuaries in The Devil’s Roar. These Ancient structures can be found hidden beneath Cinder Islet, Flame’s End and Brimstone Rock, and each site is shown on the ship’s map.
Crews using a recovered Sanctuary of the Banished Key to make their way inside will discover Ancient Treasure littering the Sanctuary and the new Trident of the Banished weapon. Locked compartments can be opened with Ashen Keys to fully plunder the Sanctuary.

Trident of the Banished

The Trident of the Banished is a corrupted weapon, enhancing the power of the Trident and inflicting poisonous effects.
A small bubble can be charged quickly and releases a fast-moving shot to deal both direct damage and lasting poison effects.
A medium-sized bubble deals greater damage than its Trident of Dark Tides counterpart with a larger blast radius, also poisoning enemies in the area.
The largest bubble deals high damage and poison; however, it moves very slowly when fired, allowing pirates to follow-up with a well-aimed shot to detonate it.

The Devil’s Roar

Crews venturing into The Devil’s Roar will be handsomely rewarded for their efforts by the local Trading Companies and Smugglers. Cashing in loot within The Devil’s Roar during Season 18 will offer boosted gold and reputation depending on the representative.
Crews exploring this volcanic region will find that the frequency of discovering the ferocious Chest of Rage in their treasure hoard has increased across a range of activities.
Across The Devil’s Roar, environmental hazards have been rebalanced to reduce frustration while adventuring. Crews should continue to watch their step and keep a keen eye on the horizon, however, as this volcanic region remains a dangerous part of the seas.
Morrow’s Peak Outpost is now a potential starting location for crews at the beginning of a session.

The Smugglers’ League

The Smugglers‘ League have established two new trap-laden hideouts in The Devil’s Roar. Elias operates from a cave beneath Fetcher’s Rest and Lucia can be found in a tunnel cutting through Ruby’s Fall. Both contacts are now available as delivery locations for Smugglers’ treasure.
The Smugglers’ Route Run has now shifted location into The Devil’s Roar and this new treacherous pathway has been marked on the ship’s map for all to see.

Sandbox Balancing

With Season 17 drawing to a close, the Smugglers‘ influence on the seas has waned and a variety of emergent discoveries have returned to pre-Season 17 levels.
The frequency of shipwreck discoveries has been increased and there is now an equal chance of finding a regular shipwreck or a Smugglers’ Shipwreck, both containing handy air bubbles throughout the ship to help pirates while exploring.
Crews spotting a washed-up Rowboat will now have an equal chance of finding any of the different types of Rowboat.
Ambushes by Black Powder-wielding Skeletons and the presence of washed-up Smugglers’ Caches are now much less frequent.
The glint of a washed-up Message in a Bottle on the shores now provides a range of different activities and will no longer just provide a Smugglers’ Run.
Skeleton Ships have slowed their stockpiling of Smugglers’ League treasures, and crews will now find a more balanced hoard on board.

Secrets of the Banished Rewards

As the fires of Act 1 begin, a range of new Commendations have been added to the Secrets of the Banished Reputation tab. Pirates completing these Commendations will unlock access to new weapons from the Forsaken Ashes set, Mark of the Widow Tattoo, Chest of Banished Tribute Disguise and ‘Effigy of Rage’ Trinket – and from the Smugglers’ clothing set, Saltbones Elias’ Hook and Laughing Fox Lucia’s Mask.
New time-limited Act 1 Deeds have been added to the Season menu, earning players a boost to their Seasonal Renown progression and the ‘A Dark Discovery’ Painting once completed.
New Xbox and Steam achievements and PlayStation®5 Trophies can be unlocked by progressing through the new in-game Commendations.

Vanquisher of the Eternal

Explorer of Scared Places

Broker of Banishment

Violet Violence

Season 18

Another Season means 100 new levels to climb by raising your Renown, with racks full of rewards to snag along the way – and an optional Plunder Pass adding even more!

Season 18 Rewards and Plunder Pass

Progressing through the 100 levels of Renown in Season 18 will reward players with a variety of new cosmetics. The Spider’s Venom clothing set and vanity items plus unique Creepy Crawlers cosmetics can be unlocked, while Pirate Legends can also earn the Warsmith Throwing Knives and Duke Tribute Tattoo.
Time-limited for Season 18, players can also earn the exclusive Widow’s Weave Flag, Hull, Sails, Makeup and Tattoo. Head to the Seasons profile page to browse the new rewards and check your pirate’s progress!
Pick up a Plunder Pass to gain access to a plethora of additional unlockable cosmetics from the Nightshade Sentry collection, including a ship set and selection of themed clothing, all individually earned by raising your Renown. Purchase a Pass in-game through the Pirate Log or Pirate Emporium, or via the Pirate Emporium webpage or Steam Item Store!

Season 18 Emissary Ledger Rewards

This Season, the Guild Emissary Ledgers offer the ‘An Eternal Ebb and Flow’ Painting, ‘Banished Finery’ Ornament and Guild of Dark Banishment Title to Guilds who represent them well and perform proudly in the Ledgers.
The Hunter’s Call Emissary Ledger now offers the Living Depths Flag, Sails and Capstan, along with the Assailant of Ancient Quarry Title. These new rewards are earnable by Hunters representing the Company as Emissaries.

Chest of Fortune

The Chest of Fortune remains within the Fort of Fortune, allowing crews to earn the next Grade of the Fortune’s Favour Commendation and unlock access to the Regal Fortune Fishing Rod, Shovel, Pocket Watch, Tankard and Speaking Trumpet.

Reaper’s Chests

Crews chasing down the tell-tale beacon of the Reaper’s Chest or Reaper’s Bounty can earn the next Grade of the Reaper’s Riches Commendation and unlock access to the Regal Fortune Hurdy-Gurdy and Concertina.

Gameplay Improvements

Migrating Crews from Failed Encounters

Crews engaging with the same rival repeatedly will now find that they will be migrated away to a new server after subsequent losses.
Losing to the same rival three times within a generous 1h 45m period will cause the losing crew to be migrated. However, should the losing crew turn the tide and sink their rival, this will reset the encounter.
This ruleset will not affect crews taking part in an encounter with the Burning Blade, and crews engaging with the Skull of Siren Song will need to be actively participating in the Voyage to be remain exempt.

Reducing Emergent Encounters During Naval Battles

Crews engaging with rivals in naval combat will find that ambush threats like Skeleton Ships and Megalodons are now reduced in frequency. While these unpredictable encounters can still occur, they will now be much less frequent, allowing crews to remain focused on their rivals.

Performance Improvements

This update includes further system-level optimisations to CPU performance across the whole experience. This will improve loading behind the scenes, with the aim of providing a smoother framerate when approaching islands, ships and other players in the world.
Improvements have been made to game performance when digging up items in the world to improve client framerate.

Pirate Emporium

Show off your personal style with purchases from the Pirate Emporium! Pick up exclusive cosmetics such as ship liveries, costumes, weapons, pets and emotes using your Ancient Coins, purchasable with real money. Head to the Pirate Emporium to browse and buy the latest additions!

New Items – Now in Stock!

Tundra Wanderer Ship Collection and Ship’s Crest
Tundra Wanderer Weapon Bundle
Tundra Wanderer Clothing Bundle
Tundra Wanderer Drum
Festive Hat Bundle (time-limited, will return next year)
Dark Constellation Cat
Glacial Curse Barbary and Toucan
Ghostly Curse Ragamuffin (requires Pirate Legend status)
Humble Gift Emote – Free!

Returning Items – Time-Limited

Bonechiller Ship Collection and Ship’s Crest
Bonechiller Costume Set
Bonechiller Weapon Bundle
Festival of Giving Weapon Bundle
Festival of Giving Pet Outfits

Outpost Cosmetics

New Outpost Stock!

The shipwrights have restocked with the new Pale Resolute Hull, Sails and Flag.
The Outpost weaponsmiths now offer weapons from the Regal Hound set.

Season 11 Legacy Cosmetics

Cosmetics previously available during Season 11 have arrived in the Outpost shops and can now be purchased with Doubloons!
Players can purchase items from the Cunning Serpent set including clothing, Medusa Hair, Snake Tail Hair and Beard. The Cartographer Cannons and Pegleg, Musketeer Eye of Reach, Banded Chaperon Hat and Fog-Piercing Frog Lantern are also available.
Pirate Legends can purchase Briggsy’s Weatherbeaten Gloves and Belle’s Mysterious Dress.
The time-limited Swift-Winged Wayfarer items, however, remain exclusive to players who participated in Season 11.

Updates

Season Overview Menu

The Season Menu has been updated, now bringing Season Progress and Events into the menu alongside the Season’s Deeds and rewards. This menu now provides a single source of information for everything taking place during the Season.
The Pirate Log has been renamed to Reputation and is now focused on highlighting progression with the various Trading Companies, Factions, Tall Tales and Adventures at Sea.

Events

The Festival of Giving is in full swing throughout the second half of December, with free daily Gilded Voyages for players and much more besides. See below for an overview and head to the Events Hub to check on what’s live!

The Orb Returns (December 12th – December 14th)

The Orb breaks its silence with new whispers and visions, teasing future events and offering clues to an enlightening in-game reward. Tune in on Twitch!

Holiday Hauls and Legends of Giving (December 15th – January 2nd)

Pirate Legends join the Partners, Affiliate Alliance leaders and Deckhands taking to the seas under the Generous Gift Sails this year, spreading holiday cheer and delivering gifts to other pirates they meet!

Support a Streamer (December 15th – January 2nd)

Support your favourite Sea of Thieves streamers and get rewards! Gift two qualifying subscriptions to earn Amethyst Mercenary ship cosmetics, and gift three subs for the Ebon Double Barrel Pistol.

Fixed Issues

Gameplay

Blunderbombs fired from cannons into other ships will now push ships in a more predictable direction.
The Double Barrel Pistol now reloads reliably when rapidly fired and reloaded in quick succession.
Players sitting on the barrel on the lower deck of the Sloop can now consistently be damaged by sword attacks.
Exiting crouch by sprinting and quickly aiming down sights should no longer cause pirates to briefly stutter.
‘Shores of Gold’ – All levers in this Tall Tale can now consistently be interacted with, allowing the Tale to be progressed.

Performance and Stability

Crews experiencing technical issues when diving beneath the waves should no longer find themselves returned to the surface alongside a duplicate version of their ship.
Further improvements have been made to game stability to reduce scenarios where players unexpectedly exit the game or become disconnected from their session.

Visual and Audio

Sailing near a Skeleton Camp no longer causes ship interiors to appear overly bright.
A blowpipe musical tune should no longer be heard when on the Ferry of the Damned.
Players climbing inside the Cartographer Cannons will now retain their intended field of view.
The Gilded Phoenix Ship’s Crest now displays correctly when viewed at the back of a ship.
The symbol on the Purple Resolute Sails is now correctly positioned.
The Nightfall Hunter Shirt icon now shows the pirate’s hand in the correct position.
The glint of treasure viewed at a distance will now twinkle more randomly and not pulse consistently with other treasure.
Sprinting while holding a Fort Key no longer causes hand animations to jump after stopping.
Pirates burying items should now have a consistent shadow in sync with their animations.
Quest Board maps to islands with Skeleton Camps should now display the correct island visuals.
The Boreal Aurora Cannons now appear correctly when viewed at close range.
Players firing the Alter Ego Eye of Reach should no longer find the weapon clips into the camera.
The Amethyst Mercenary Flag now appears correctly when equipped on a Brigantine.

Environment

Improvements have been made to areas of the environment at Port Merrick, Flintlock Peninsula, The Devil’s Thirst and Ruby’s Fall to prevent players becoming stuck while traversing.
Players should no longer be able to grapple into the roof decoration of the tavern at Morrow’s Peak Outpost.
During a storm, rain can no longer be seen within the Pirate Emporium.
‘Shores of Gold’ – A visible crack on the ground at the Shores of Gold has been smoothed out.
Skeletons navigating around Mermaid’s Hideaway and Crescent Isle can now consistently reach their intended location.

User Interface

Players using an ultra-wide screen will find HUD elements such as the notification pane and currency are now placed at the edges of the screen to be consistent with other parts of the HUD.
Viewing the Reputation tab from the front-end menu now shows the correct number of promotions.
Players changing settings for Narration and Custom Text Overlay will find that these settings now persist across sessions.
Player names in the Invites menu now remain visible when highlighted.
Players using ‘Let Games Read to Me’ should hear the Enhanced Headphone Menu fully narrated while browsing.
Viewing the Rank 15 promotion within the Gold Hoarders Trading Company now shows all the rewards available to unlock.
The preview imagery for the Frozen Horizon Instrument Bundle within the Pirate Emporium now shows the correct iconography.

Text and Localisation

Players speaking with the Smugglers Lottie, Solomon and Ix should now find their voiceover consistently matches their dialogue.
Players using Italian language settings should no longer see overlapping text when equipping various weapons within the Armoury.
Players navigating the Reputation tab while playing in Safer Seas are now correctly reminded of the Trading Company rank limitation across a range of non-English languages.
Players using Polish language settings should now find the clues given as part of the Voyage of Legends are now much clearer to follow.
Players using Thai language settings will find the Alter Ego set name has been changed to better match its visual appearance.

Known Issues

To learn more about known issues in Sea of Thieves currently being tracked and their status, head over to our Known Issues support site article.

Download and Installation

Download Size:

Steam: 5.4 GB

Sea of Thieves · December 10, 2025

It’s been quite a year. The adventures of 2026 are just starting to crest the horizon, but there are still two more round-ups to deliver first! November ended up being a quieter month than initially planned as a result of Season 18 moving to December, but there’s still a fair number of things you may have missed if you weren’t keeping a close eye on the waves. Let’s dive into it!

Content Update

Following the Seasonal delay, November’s monthly game update was mainly focused on extending the reign of Act 3’s Reaper Fortresses, but also rolled out new features to enjoy such as improved weapon switching to make combat feel smoother, alongside the arrival of Immerse enhanced audio. As always, stop by the most recent release notes to pick up all the little details on everything adjusted and added.

Outside of the game itself, Xbox Game Pass subscribers had (and still have) a chance to pick up the Fancy Jig Emote via their In-Game Benefits, presenting both a nice freebie and a way to celebrate it in one fell swoop. Not long after that, iam8bit revealed their new shanty-heavy vinyl for the music-loving mariners amongst you, adding to a fine stash of stuff available this festive season, while footwear aficionados can enjoy a new Sea of Thieves Jibbitz charm for their Crocs. What more could you possibly require?

News and Features

Just because November was due to be a quiet one, it was no excuse for us to skip the now-traditional summary of what to expect at the start of the month. Following that we rolled out the latest Community Spotlight focused on the fashionable Lorenz Sinclair, before a Community Hub update highlighted four more fabulous fan works. There was even time for a round of Colourful Captures for #SoTShot, and a smattering of teases for events unfolding in the approach to Season 18 (and some extra tasks you may still want to mop up)...

Last up was the announcement that we’re raising money for charity, as Sea of Thieves teams up with the Global Gift Foundation on the Treasures for Hope campaign. For the first half of December, players can donate to unlock a choice of treasure packs containing in-game goodies, with proceeds going to fund incredible charitable work!

Video and Streams

November was a quiet month in this department, but of course it wouldn’t have been complete without an instalment of Sea of Thieves News and another batch of bountiful Twitch Drops. Later in the month, we hinted at things to come in December with the reveal of the Season 18 title screen, before finishing with the release of the relevant addition to our streaming soundtrack – and you can listen to ‘An Ancient Call’ in all the usual places as you prepare yourself for a return to The Devil’s Roar!

And that’s it for November’s catch-up. The month seemed to fly by, and December already seems set on doing the same. While we race headlong into the delights of the Festival of Giving, remember that you can always find us and share your thoughts on our social channels: Twitter/X, Bluesky, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Threads and Twitch, as well as the official Forums and Discord. Until next time – and next year! – we’ll leave you to sail in peace. Good luck!

Previously in 2025:

Sea of Thieves Round-Up: October 2025

Sea of Thieves Round-Up: September 2025

Sea of Thieves Round-Up: August 2025

Sea of Thieves Round-Up: July 2025

Sea of Thieves Round-Up: June 2025

Sea of Thieves Round-Up: May 2025

Sea of Thieves Round-Up: April 2025

Sea of Thieves Round-Up: March 2025

Sea of Thieves Round-Up: February 2025

Sea of Thieves Round-Up: January 2025

Continue reading...

Sea of Thieves · December 4, 2025

The Festival of Giving is back, with all kinds of ways to get involved throughout December! Of course it's not all that’s happening – there’s a whole new Season launch coming your way this side of the holidays too – so pull up a log, brush off the snow and get settled as we present a handy schedule for the weeks ahead…

Reaper Fortresses Continue – until Thursday, December 11th

Before Season 18 encourages a return to The Devil’s Roar, you still have time to attack the Reapers’ enhanced encampments and pick up all the associated rewards! Emergent Reaper Fortresses will enter the usual World Event rotation from Season 18 onwards, so their Commendations will remain available to complete – they’ll just be a little more difficult to find in future.

Holiday Decorations – Monday, December 1st

Larinna’s been up in the loft and gotten the garlands out! That means the Outposts will once again be gloriously adorned with festive furnishings for the month of December. There’s even a fir free up at Sanctuary Outpost...

‘Carol of the Cursed Crew’ Release – Monday, December 1st

In the spirit of the season, December’s addition to Sea of Thieves’ streaming soundtrack is this brooding rearrangement of ‘God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen’, available on all major music streaming services from the start of the month. If you want some visuals to go with it, please enjoy our special lyrics video – perfect for sailors who fancy a singalong:

Treasures for Hope – Monday, December 1st – Thursday, December 18th

We’re supporting the Global Gift Foundation in this initiative where players can pick up packs of curated cosmetics (including rare Obsidian, Onyx and Ebon items) in return for their donations, improving the lives of families in need this festive season! Read all about it and check out the treasures on offer at https://treasuresforhope.com.

Season 18 Launch – Thursday, December 11th

Return to The Devil’s Roar in Season 18! This fiery new Season lures pirates back to that hotbed of hazards, where Sanctuaries of the Banished are now exposed and ripe for the looting – if you can get past their defenders, the resurrected Eternal Guard.

Of course, a new Season also means another 100 levels of Renown to climb and unlock rewards along the way, plus a new optional Plunder Pass (featuring the Nightshade Sentry set) alongside a monthly restock of the Emporium and Outpost shop shelves. Act 1 of Season 18 goes live on December 11th, so not long to wait!

Your Story So Far – Thursday, December 11th

The pirate performance checkpoint also returns, providing statistics on everything from gold earned and distance sailed to your fighting, singing and cooking preferences – and engagement with new Seasonal features released as recently as Season 17.

Keep whichever of your eyes is beadier on our social channels to see when this year’s Story So Far page goes live. Your final figures for the year will be captured as soon as you click through, so when you’re sure they’re as good as they can be, take the plunge and see how you did!

The Orb Returns – Friday, December 12th – Sunday, December 14th

It’s been a while since the last communication from this sinister sphere, so who knows what it has in store this time? Whispers and visions? Veiled clues and hidden rewards? Find out on Twitch when the Orb awakens from its slumber later this month.

Legends of Giving and Holiday Hauls – Monday, December 15th – Friday, January 2nd

Once again, Holiday Hauls will see our Sea of Thieves Partners, Affiliate Alliance leaders and Deckhands setting out under the Generous Gift Sails, spreading holiday cheer and presents alike to the crews they meet along the way. But this year they’ll be joined by any and all Pirate Legends who wish to take up the gift-giving cause. These Legends of Giving will raise the same telltale sails, and come prepared with an Obsidian gift for you to take off their hands!

Gilded Voyage Giveaways – Monday, December 15th – Friday, January 2nd

Also between these dates, we’ll be calling back to last year’s Festival of Giving by furnishing all pirates with a free Gilded Voyage every day. And it’s worth leaving a reminder here that these Voyages don’t stack, so you’ll want to make a beeline for the Quest Table and use each one as you get it…

Support a Streamer – Monday, December 15th – Friday, January 2nd

There’s a lot going on during this period! In addition to watching the horizon for gift-giving crews and making the most of your Gilded Voyages, you can earn more rewards by buying and gifting subscriptions for your favourite Sea of Thieves Partnered streamers. Viewers who gift two qualifying subscriptions will receive new Amethyst Mercenary ship cosmetics, while those who gift three can also walk away with the Ebon Double Barrel Pistol. Stay tuned to our channels for all the details!

Pirate Emporium Holiday Sale – Thursday, December 18th – Monday, January 5th

End-of-year sale time, and it’s a big one: almost everything (that isn’t brand new or time-limited) in the Emporium can be had for 50% off its usual price between the dates above. So if there was ever a time to go wild with the Ancient Coins and maximise your returns, this might just be it…

Xbox Game Pass Benefits – Fancy Jig Emote – until Friday, January 2nd

And don’t forget, if you’re a Game Pass subscriber, you can still claim your free Fancy Jig Emote through In-Game Benefits! ’Tis the season to be jolly and also the season to be fancy, so treat yourself.

And that’s everything we’ve managed to fit into 2025’s jam-packed final month. Stick some pins in your calendar (or stay tuned to Sea of Thieves social channels for reminders as these things go live) so that you don’t miss out on all the Festival of Giving festivities! We’ll see you for another look ahead at the start of 2026…

Continue reading...

Sea of Thieves · November 13, 2025

Gameplay Improvements

Improved Weapon Switching

When players switch between ranged weapons, the animation and switching times have been reduced, providing a snappier and more responsive experience when firing two shots. The time between firing two ranged weapons is now one second.
Previous guards that forced players to observe the full duration of weapon wield animations when switching between ranged weapons have now been removed, allowing players the freedom to cancel animations when moving through the world. While players can once again cancel these animations, they will still experience a one-second gap between firing two weapons.

Weapon Animation Improvements

Wielding any ranged weapon from stowed is now faster, allowing players to react more quickly in combat.
Players wielding a weapon while jumping or falling will now see the wield animation at the correct speed. The result is a more consistent visual read for when a weapon is ready to fire.
Players attempting to aim down sights while crouched will now stand with their weapon able to fire much more quickly.

Addressing Extended Loading Times

Improvements have been made to how players load back onto their ship after leaving the Ferry of the Damned or when travelling large distances using a mermaid.
These improvements should provide a much more consistent experience when returning to the ship, and address the common causes of loading screens becoming stuck. This should also reduce the frequency of seeing glowing green skeletons for an extended duration after returning to the ship.
Loading optimisations have been introduced, targeting lower-spec hardware. These should improve the loading times experienced on lower-spec console, PC and handheld devices.

Reaper’s Chest

Crews unlocking the Vault at the Fort of the Damned will once again discover Reaper’s Chests within the treasure hoard.

Updates

Immerse Spatial Audio Integration

Immerse Spatial Audio has now been integrated into Sea of Thieves, providing enhanced depth and precision to the world when playing with headphones. This experience has been fine-tuned by the teams at Rare and Embody for the Sea of Thieves soundscape.
Players can enable Enhanced Headphone Mode with a Generic Profile for free within the game settings.
To enable a personalised audio experience, players can purchase the Immerse Gamepack from the Pirate Emporium or from Enhanced Headphone Mode in the game settings to create a Personalised Profile. Purchasing the Immerse Gamepack will also unlock the Coconut Headband in-game cosmetic.
All players are offered a 14-day free trial of the personalised audio experience from Enhanced Headphone Mode in the game settings. After the free trial has expired, players can still choose to enable the free Generic Profile.
Players who create a Personalised Profile can now choose to have their facial scan deleted directly from the Embody page after completing setup.

Pirate Emporium

Show off your personal style with purchases from the Pirate Emporium! Pick up exclusive cosmetics such as ship liveries, costumes, weapons, pets and emotes using your Ancient Coins, purchasable with real money. Head to the Pirate Emporium to browse and buy the latest additions!

New Items – Now in Stock!

False King’s Ransom Ship Collection and Ship’s Crest
False King’s Ransom Weapon Bundle
False King’s Ransom Crown, Jacket and Boots
King’s Ransom Jacket and Boots
Inner Sanctum Ship’s Crest
Hear No Evil Emote (free!)
Highborn Variety Ship Bundle (mixed bundle of existing items)

Outpost Cosmetics

New Outpost Stock!

The shipwrights have restocked with the new Purple Resolute Hull, Sails and Flag.
The Outpost shops now offer the Regal Hound equipment and instruments.

Fixed Issues

Gameplay

Players with the Midnight Blades Hat equipped should no longer find they appear invisible within the front-end menu, or appear without clothing when arriving in the world.
When other players are observed swimming underwater or on the surface, their pirate should now be consistently orientated in the correct position. This should address a recent regression to hit detection and visual issues for swimming players.
Further visual improvements have been made to water effects to ensure a smooth, consistent transition when diving or surfacing.
Crews approaching a defended Sea Fort should now consistently find the Fort’s cannons firing at player ships.
Reaper Warrior’s Urns can now be placed inside Treasure Chests.
The Villainous Skull of Ancient Fortune retrieved from the Sunken Kingdom can now be stored inside Merfolk Statues.
Further improvements have been made to Merchant Alliance and Hunter’s Call representatives to rectify consistency when purchasing resources. While players may still occasionally experience issues following this update, this improvement should reduce the frequency of purchases failing.
‘The Quest for Guybrush’ – The training dummy in the Trial of the Sword now reacts properly to regular attacks and allows the Tall Tale to be progressed.
‘Heart of Fire’ – Mercenary Skeletons will no longer freeze in place if given the Mysterious Key during this Tall Tale.

Reaper Fortresses

Crews approaching an emergent Reaper Fortress should no longer find the Event ends abruptly.

Environment

Items from a Weapons Cache within a Reaper Fortress can no longer be grabbed through the walls at Kraken Watchtower.
Hatches found in Royal Crest Fortress should now be accessible unless purposefully covered by environmental dressing.
Improvements have been made at Hidden Spring Keep to address incorrectly placed environment dressing.
Players can no longer walk inside parts of the environment within the Hideout at Wanderers Refuge.

User Interface

Players are prevented from purchasing Ship’s Crests within the Pirate Emporium if they do not yet own a Captained ship.
The Quest Table now shows the correct ‘New’ icon on the Smugglers’ Route Run Voyage once unlocked.

Visual and Audio

Music within Smugglers’ Hideouts now plays at the intended volume.
Black Powder Barrels once again produce smoke effects after exploding.
Players should now appear to hold Gunpowder Barrels correctly when playing at a high field of view.
Food placed into cooking pots should now consistently remain visible while cooking.
The Brethren’s Masquerade Flag now displays correctly when equipped on a Brigantine.
The Skull of the Banished is now placed correctly on the ground when dug up.
After throwing a knife, players should no longer feel the camera bob unnecessarily.
The pattern on the Alter Ego Hull is now aligned throughout the ship when equipped.
The Paper Cutout Emote now has a smoother transition effect.
Ashen Age Tall Tales – Players should no longer experience audio issues affecting certain parts of these Tall Tales when playing on lower-spec hardware.

Text and Localisation

The Wrecker of Reaper Fortresses Commendation now displays the correct text in all languages at Grade VII.
The Alter Ego Cannon Flare description no longer contains a typo.
Localisation has been improved for set names within the Pirate Emporium across Japanese, Brazilian Portuguese, Simplified Chinese and Traditional Chinese languages.

Performance and Stability

Performance improvements have been made to how Treasure Chests are created and loaded by players, addressing a noticeable hitch affecting all players nearby.
Performance optimisations have been made to the Horn of Fair Winds to address framerate issues affecting nearby players when in use.
Further improvements have been made to game stability to reduce scenarios where players unexpectedly exit the game or become disconnected from their session.

Known Issues

To learn more about known issues in Sea of Thieves currently being tracked and their status, head over to our Known Issues support site article.

Continue reading...

Sea of Thieves · November 11, 2025

If you listen very carefully, you can just about hear the sound of carols floating on the wind, which must mean we’re officially out of spooky season! Before we roll right into the Festival of Giving, however, we have one final order of business: filling you in on everything you might have missed during October. It was a surprisingly packed schedule last month, so let’s not delay…

Content Update

Our October monthly update marked the arrival of Act 3 of Season 17 and the introduction of Reaper Fortresses! These give pirates a chance to take on upgraded Skeleton Forts alongside a wave of Phantom assailants and, if they’re lucky, sail away with a highly lucrative Mega Stash. Particularly fortunate pirates could even snag a Mega Stash during the doubled rewards of Ghoul & Glory Weekend, raking in more gold than they knew what to do with.

Outside the game, the official soundtrack expanded once again. This time we added in the dramatic ‘Forts of the Flame’ track to accompany you as you delved into the chaos of a Reaper Fortress. For pirates looking for a slightly different experience during their sail, October also saw the addition of some new Season 17-themed challenge prompts to the Compass of Chaos. The new entries bring the total number of possible prompts to more than 300, so there’s always something new to try. Give it a spin!

News and Features

There was quite a lot of news to keep up with during October, but we kicked things off as always with This Month in Sea of Thieves. From there it was a brief hop to announcing the categories for this Season’s Style of Thieves contest (and later the winners!), before unveiling the victors in the first of two #SoTShot rounds, focused on Movie Moments. Sticking with the theme of spotlighting community achievement, the latest, well, Spotlight, took aim at Makakar, another member of our Stream Team!

Alongside Act 3, October’s monthly update saw the introduction of our previously announced Second Chance Policy, so it seemed like the right time to gather up all the pertinent details into a news article. With those questions answered, we also shared the results of Season 16’s Big Listen survey, before rounding off the month with a Community Hub update and the second #SoTShot category, Haunted Hulls. All those spooky ships! Terrifying.

Videos and Streams

The October video schedule kicked off with a rapid one-two of Sea of Thieves News and a Content Update video, just in time for the start of Act 3. Those were followed by the expected Developer Update, but from there we broke from our usual planning to bring you a couple of unexpected treats.

The first was a Community team stream hosted by our very own Jo, grilling Creative Director Mike Chapman and Production Director Drew Stevens about the current state of the game and its future, all while they were busy Heisting at Royal Crest Fortress. Even more community questions were answered a week later in the official Season 17 Podcast, before finally, a second late-breaking Developer Update revealed some changes to our schedule for Season 18 – which will now be kicking off in December.

And that’s all we have for you this time, folks! November is shaping up to be a slightly quieter month than October’s wild ways, but we’ll be back in a month with all the highlights nonetheless. Until then, find us in all the usual places including Twitter/X, Bluesky, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Threads and Twitch, our Forums and Discord server. Drop us a message if you have any feedback you’d like to share – otherwise, you have one more month to raid those Reaper Fortresses and earn your Seasonal rewards, so get sailing!

Previously in 2025:

Sea of Thieves Round-Up: September 2025

Sea of Thieves Round-Up: August 2025

Sea of Thieves Round-Up: July 2025

Sea of Thieves Round-Up: June 2025

Sea of Thieves Round-Up: May 2025

Sea of Thieves Round-Up: April 2025

Sea of Thieves Round-Up: March 2025

Sea of Thieves Round-Up: February 2025

Sea of Thieves Round-Up: January 2025

Continue reading...

Sea of Thieves · November 7, 2025

What do you mean, it’s a week into November already? Not to worry – we may be running a little behind, but we wouldn’t miss out on letting you know what’s coming up on the Sea of Thieves calendar this month. So settle in somewhere warm, lend us your eyes for just a few minutes and we’ll get right to it…

Sea of Thieves Season 17: Act 3 Continues – Thursday, November 13th

In case you hadn’t heard, there’s been a bit of reshuffling to our plans for the rest of the year. The headline news is that Season 18 will now be arriving in December, which means another month of testing your mettle against Reaper Fortresses before Season 18’s new features lure you elsewhere for your treasure. Expect to hear more about what’s set to arrive in this new Season later in the month!

Before then, the next regular update lands on November 13th, in which our recently announced changes to weapon switching make the jump from Insiders to the live game. This update also introduces Immerse spatial audio, offering pirates a chance to listen to the sounds of the Sea of Thieves in a way they never have before. Meanwhile, the False King’s Ransom collection makes its debut in the Pirate Emporium, and if you have gold rather than Ancient Coins to spend, you’ll find new Purple Resolute ship parts along with Regal Hound equipment and instruments in the Outpost shops.

If you want to know more about how and why the Season 18 schedule has changed, Production Director Drew Stevens has the lowdown in the most recent Developer Update…

Twitch Drops – Friday, November 14th – Friday, November 21st

Stream viewers delight: a fresh round of Twitch Drops will be unleashed following the monthly update, enabling dedicated viewers to pick up free gold, Renown and Voyages, as well as the Winded Brawler Emote, Gilded Phoenix Tankard, Thunderous Fury Sails and previously unreleased Amethyst Mercenary Flag.

As always, all you have to do to get your hands on these treasures is make sure your Twitch and Microsoft accounts are linked via our Twitch Drops page. Then just tune in to any participating Sea of Thieves streamer on Twitch while Drops are live! Anyone can stream and offer this particular set of Drops, but if you’re not sure who to watch, you can always check our Partner Directory or Community Stream Team to see who’s online from our gallery of popular Sea of Thieves streamers.

Pirate Emporium Black Friday Sale – Thursday, November 27th – Tuesday, December 2nd

As we race ever closer to the festive season, the annual tradition of Black Friday is almost upon us. And the Pirate Emporium has a substantial offering this year: between November 27th and December 2nd, you can expect to enjoy discounts on a massive variety of sail designs. As is traditional, the Golden Skull Sails will also make a time-limited return for the duration of the sale only.

To accommodate the sheer scale of sails on sale, you won’t find the Black Friday items in the traditional Sale tab; instead, you can browse them in their usual tabs within the Emporium.

'An Ancient Call (Return to The Devil's Roar)' Release – Friday, November 28th

Finally on this month’s list, the Sea of Thieves soundtrack is expanding once again. We finish off November with the release of new track ‘An Ancient Call (Return to The Devil’s Roar)’, teasing some of what you can expect in Season 18 with the usual Rare musical charm. The track will be available on all the usual streaming services, so keep an ear out and your headphones ready.

All of which brings us to the end of November and the end of another This Month article! It’s a bit of a quieter schedule this time around while we put the finishing touches on Season 18, but be sure to watch our social channels for all the latest news on what’s happening and when. Until next time!

Continue reading...

Sea of Thieves · October 31, 2025

From now until November 3rd (10am UTC), treat yourself to boosted reputation, gold, Renown and Allegiance for your spooky skulduggery. Good luck, pirates, and try not to fall for too many tricks...

Sea of Thieves · October 24, 2025

As pledged in this year’s Community Direct, as part of our ongoing commitment to better dialogue and transparency, we conducted one of our largest ever player surveys with Season 16’s Big Listen. In the spirit of this concerted effort towards improving transparency, we wanted to share with you how the results of this survey shook out and how we’re thinking about some of the signals we received.

Before we get into the nitty gritty, we want to say thank you to everyone who took the time to give us their feedback. We’ve found the results genuinely illuminating (as well as confirming a few assumptions and hunches), and it’s given us a clear set of priorities to think about. Of course, game development is hard and change doesn’t happen overnight – but we are listening and focusing our efforts on the things that matter most to you, our players.

We discussed these results at length on the latest episode of the Sea of Thieves podcast, so for those of you with 45 minutes to spare, tune in below to hear Creative Director Mike Chapman and Production Director Drew Stevens talking about what this means for Sea of Thieves’ future. However, if you’re after the key headlines, please read on – we have them all right here!

Season 16 Headline Learnings

First up: one of the big learnings from this survey was that among the thousands of folks we asked, we saw a significantly stronger affinity with Athena’s Fortune than The Reaper’s Bones – 64% to 36%, which was a surprisingly large margin to us given the closely fought battles of Adventures gone by.

So, going into a Reaper-themed Season with Season 16, we’ve been able to recognise retrospectively that the majority of players might not have vibed with the overall theming. While this will perhaps have coloured some of the survey perspectives, there are still all kinds of great insights we want to share with you all.

The overall player rating for Season 16 was 6.1 from our active players which, while not phenomenal, was a good result. Over a quarter of active players rated the Season as an 8/10 or higher, and less than 6% rated the Season as 1/10 or 2/10 – so there’s some recognition that, broadly, it was a solid experience. We’re always going to want to see that score go much higher, but given the transitionary nature of Season 16, it’s been heartening to see that players reliably took some enjoyment from its offering.

Season 16 Content Highlights

Those helpful Mercenary Skeletons of the Order of Bone and Blade were the highest-rated feature by far in Season 16 – their user rating came out on top, followed by the unsealable Reaper’s Chests and new cosmetics. The new Voyages introduced during Season 16 were broadly rated as fine, but players did not express a particularly keen desire to play them again – so we can recognise that there perhaps wasn’t the intended replayability appeal there.

We’ve heard this feedback, and for those who are interested, Creative Director Mike Chapman provided some good context behind the decision to introduce these Voyages on our latest podcast. In the same way that we fleshed out The Hunter’s Call at the beginning of the year, we wanted to expand the offering for The Reaper’s Bones – and these Season 16 Voyages are a solid entry-level introduction to Reaper play, as PvE experiences that bring a little more PvP threat.

We were more surprised by how little awareness and understanding players felt in general around the new Season 16 content. The Voyages ranked more highly for comprehension, which makes sense given they’re very much aligned with the Voyage structure our pirates are used to. However, around the new tools like the Cannon of Rage and Mercenary Skeletons, there was a sense that many players weren’t fully aware of them or didn’t feel well-informed about how they worked.

This is a sign we’ve already begun taking cues from, levelling up the UI Seasonal Tabs and Deeds to promote better discoverability of the content we’ve been introducing in every Act. A version of this went live with Season 17, and Season 18 will bring further refinements – so we hope to see these data points change more positively over time.

Game Health

Overall game health was rated 3/5 by our active users, with quality and stability being the key areas of technical performance we struggled with most. However, one of the biggest signals we got from this survey was that it’s the player-driven health metrics impacting the experience most of all.

Cheating and toxic behaviour from other players were rated 2.6/5 by all respondents. From our community sentiment, customer support contacts and game telemetry, we’ve always had an awareness of this problem – but to see it so concisely summarised in a low score was a stark reminder that we still have much to do in this area.

We do have some key improvements coming to Hourglass Battles to address some of the encounter-based toxicity, which Production Director Drew Stevens talks about in the latest Developer Update. But, more critically, we need to take a step back and look at how we influence players and gameplay at a fundamental level, to make encounters with other crews feel fairer and more fun.

Toxic behaviour is a huge topic to tackle and it encompasses so many parts of the experience, but we’re committed to finding a path through to change those numbers. More on this as it comes, but we’re teeing up a second, more in-depth survey to dig into the heart of this issue so that we can prioritise related areas for work moving forward.

Community Relations

As part of this survey, we also wanted to know what you thought of how we were communicating, and if you felt we were listening to your feedback. These are perhaps some bold questions to ask, but again, as we said in the Community Direct, we’re serious about improving community relations and bringing players’ perspectives to the forefront of our decision-making.

So: first, we asked if you thought we were listening to the community. You scored us 3/5 on this, with 43% of all active users rating us a 4 or 5. However, nearly one in five players (19%) scored us a 1/5, believing that we do not listen to our players at all – so it’s clear that while some feel there’s a foundation to build on, we need to do some work here to win back your trust and prove we’re listening.

Since the Season 16 Big Listen survey went out, we’ve made some advancements here based on your feedback: we’ve introduced 110 FOV, made the incoming spatial audio experience more player-friendly, worked on weapon switching, adjusted Season 17’s Reaper Fortress loot pools, and we have plenty of other feedback-inspired irons in the fire. We’re hoping to see this effort reflected in Season 17’s scores too, and we’ll keep putting the work in to ensure we’re addressing your key pain points.

Just on this: it would be remiss of us not to address the sentiment that some of these updates have skewed towards a certain player type, rather than all players. However, we want to assure players that there are ton of discussions ongoing where we’re looking at what would be impactful quality-of-life changes for everyone. We hope to have more to share here in the coming months, so please stay tuned for fresh information (and register as an Insider to test these upcoming changes, if you’re not already one of the crew)!

Also on the topic of communication, we asked if you thought our communication was regular and transparent enough, and you scored us 3.5/5 on this – with almost 60% of all active users rating us at a 4 or 5. We’ve been working on this lately, and we’re pleased to see it reflected in the scores. Again, we could still be better here and intend to drag that average up. However, it’s another solid foundation to build upon, so thank you for recognising our efforts with the return of the Dev Updates, the Community Direct commitments and everything else we’re doing – like the survey itself – to ensure a better dialogue with you all.

The Future

While we’re still working out what this really means for our development roadmap, as these results are still contextually very fresh, we have some clear signals about what players want to see the most. We can’t yet comment with any specificity on what we’re doing in these particular areas, but we wanted to be honest about what our players have asked from us – so, the top five most popular areas for future content updates amongst our active users include:

(1) New world regions and locations
(2) More narrative content
(3) New ship types
(4) New World Events
(5) New sandbox tools and mechanics

The Community Direct in early 2026 will be the next opportunity for us to unveil some of our content plans for the year ahead, so look forward to that!

And the Survey Said…

This was an incredibly useful first set of results for us. We’ve surveyed our players before, but not on this scale – so the sheer volume and breadth of the feedback has been invaluable. We’ll continue with our Seasonal surveys and track some of those key health metrics from Season to Season, with the hope of seeing the needles move in the right ways. And we’ll continue to share those results too, as part of our ongoing commitment to sharing in what we’re up to and why we’re making some of the decisions we do.

The survey for Season 17 will be arriving soon, so if you’d like to participate and have your say, sign up to the Insider Programme and ensure your email preferences are on to receive the invite – you can do this by logging in to the Sea of Thieves website and checking your Account page. Thanks to all of you for taking part!

Continue reading...

Sea of Thieves · October 16, 2025

Smugglers’ Tide: Act 3

New blood brings new opportunities as The Smugglers’ League settle into the shadows of the Sea of Thieves! To learn more about this Season’s headline features, head over to our dedicated Season 17 page.

Reaper Fortresses

Skeleton Forts across the seas have been upgraded to Reaper Fortresses with devilish traps and reinforced defences. These new encounters will be signalled by a menacing new Skull Cloud visible across the waves.
With these Fortresses now an active battleground between The Reaper’s Bones and the Dark Brethren, players looking for loot must battle through the surrounding Ghost Ships before making landfall and taking on both Phantoms and Order of Bone and Blade Skeletons.
During the siege, defeating the Master of Arms will award players with the Skull of Arms. This serves as the key to a nearby Weapons Cache, providing useful munitions and supplies to help turn the tide.
Crews will encounter these new Reaper Fortresses emergently in the form of regular World Events. Pirate Legends can also begin a Legendary Raid for Athena’s Fortune from the Quest Table.
For the duration of Act 3, Reaper Fortresses have a chance for their Vaults to be boosted by a Mega Stash, replacing the contents with an immense treasure pile of significantly higher-value rewards.
Both emergent Reaper Fortresses and on-demand Athena’s Fortune Raid Voyages on High Seas can award a Mega Stash. However, the chance of this boost is much higher when encountering an emergent Reaper Fortress in the world.

Smugglers’ Tide: Act 3 Commendations and Rewards

Act 3 introduces new Adventures At Sea Commendations, challenging crews to take on the deadly Reaper Fortresses. Completing these Commendations unlocks access to items in the Brethren’s Masquerade ship set, along with the ‘Brethren of Shadow’ and ‘Gaunt and Gnarled’ Trinkets.
Crews completing Act 3’s Deeds can also earn the ‘Banner of Bone and Blade’ Ornament to commemorate their feats.

Chest of Fortune

During Act 3, the Chest of Fortune will reside in the Vaults of Reaper Fortresses and can only be obtained by overcoming these newly contested battlegrounds.

Pirate Emporium

Show off your personal style with purchases from the Pirate Emporium! Pick up exclusive cosmetics such as ship liveries, costumes, weapons, pets and emotes using your Ancient Coins, purchasable with real money. Head to the Pirate Emporium to browse and buy the latest additions!

New Items – Now in Stock!

Alter Ego Ship Collection and Ship’s Crest
Alter Ego Weapon Bundle
Alter Ego Costume Set
Alter Ego Concertina
Skeleton Toucan
Crimson Crypt Cabin Bundle
Expanded Jack O’ Looter Collection: Collector’s Figurehead, Collector’s Sails, Ship’s Crest, Trinket and Lantern
Expanded Silver Sepulchre Collection: Double Barrel Pistol and Throwing Knives
Pocket Bat Emote
See No Evil Emote (free!)

Outpost Cosmetics

New Outpost Stock!

The shipwrights have restocked with the new Orange Resolute Hull, Sails and Flag.
The Outpost weaponsmiths now offer the Lucky Rover Pistol, Cutlass, Blunderbuss, Eye of Reach, Heavy Sword and Rapier.

Gameplay Improvements

Retrieving Items from Skeletons

Players can now retrieve items being held by allied skeletons more easily. Hitting the skeleton anywhere with a Grapple Gun or harpoon will retrieve the item, even if the skeleton is facing away from the player.

Performance Improvements

This update includes a system-level optimisation to CPU performance across the whole experience, to reduce the frequency of framerate drops and provide a smoother framerate during gameplay.
Further optimisations have been made to the way treasure items floating in water are managed, to improve performance on the server.

Updates

Second Chance Policy

Following the recent enforcement policy update, Sea of Thieves will now offer some players who were banned for lesser infringements under our old enforcement policy a second chance to sail the seas.
This new policy is designed as a balance between giving some players another chance and ensuring we continue to protect all players from malicious acts and the bad actors who conduct them. For more details on why we’ve introduced this new policy and how the behaviour of returning players will be managed, see this new article on our Second Chance Policy.

Fixed Issues

Gameplay

Further improvements have been made to the display of a Captained ship’s name on the Ship’s Crest, Captain’s Logbook and Banners after a crew migrates across servers.
Players should no longer be able to throw a blunderbomb or other throwable item instantly after firing a ranged weapon.
Throwables such as blunderbombs targeting the rear hull of a Galleon will now consistently impact the hull’s surface and not pass through certain areas to land inside the ship.
The Legendary Guild Emissary Ledger reward for Season 17 has been updated to ‘The Unseen Deal’, and players who have unlocked this reward already will find that the correct item has been provided to them.
Ships diving beneath the waves with skeletons on board will now cause them to gracefully be destroyed.
Skeleton Lords no longer take knockback or become stunned when hit with Ashen Winds Skulls, Obsidian Ashen Winds Skulls or the Horn of Fair Winds.
The Cannon of Rage now always sets Sloops on fire when it explodes.
Deploying a Cannon of Rage on a burning deck will now cause it to begin overheating.
Jumping while retracting a Cannon of Rage now interrupts the action.
Moving too far away when reviving an allied Order of Bone and Blade Skeleton now interrupts the action.
Treasure on board the Burning Blade will now be released after returning the ship to Captain Flameheart.

Smugglers’ Tide

Players can now consistently unlock the Captain of Smugglers’ Tides Commendation when meeting the required criteria across both Safer Seas and High Seas.
Black Powder Barrels from Voyages now consistently progress the ‘Treasures Sold’ Pirate Milestone.
Rum Crates found within Smugglers’ Caches can now be damaged by player-instigated explosives. However, they will remain undamaged by volcanic activity until collected by players.
Traps within the Smugglers’ Hideouts will now consistently trigger when players trip the pressure plates.
‘The Smugglers’ Run’ painting can now be found in the shipwright’s shop for players eligible to purchase it.

Environment

Further improvements have been made to the environment in ‘A Pirate’s Life’, ‘The Journey to Mêlée Island’ and ‘The Quest for Guybrush’ Tall Tales and within Skeleton Camps to prevent players from using a Grapple Gun to leave the designated areas.
Players can no longer cause themselves to instantly return to their ship at some locations on Shark Bait Cove.
Allied skeletons carrying a Reaper’s Chest should no longer become stuck when navigating a Galleon staircase.
Players firing themselves from cannons at Hidden Spring Keep will no longer collide with the tower’s pillar.

Visual and Audio

Players wearing the Master of the High Seas Shirt alongside a jacket should now find their pirate appears as intended.
Players interacting with a Captain’s Logbook should now find they consistently hold the book at their intended field of view.
During the Captaincy onboarding, the Pirate Lord now looks at the player.
The pillar in the Search for Ancient Secrets Voyage now rises smoothly from the ground.
Players performing emotes while wielding the Stalwart Sea Dog Cutlass should no longer find their camera stutters.
A thrown Throwing Knife of Faraway Shores now retains the correct model after being picked up.
Standing behind Aifrick no longer causes her head to turn at an unnatural angle.
‘Heart of Fire’ – Flameheart’s voiceover can now be heard consistently during the Tall Tale.

User Interface

Guild Members will no longer appear as ‘Anonymous’ on the list.
Players using Swap Back and Select actions should now be able to accept crew invite and controller disconnected notifications.

Text and Localisation

Skeletons summoned by a Reaper’s Chest will no longer display duplicate names.

Performance and Stability

Game stability has been improved while navigating the front-end menu on Steam Deck.
Further improvements have been made to game stability to reduce scenarios where players unexpectedly exit the game or become disconnected from their session.

Known Issues

Smugglers’ Tide: Act 3 Commendations and Rewards

Players may have found their Reaper Fortress Commendation completion inaccurately reflected with today's update, making rewards such as the Brethren's Masquerade ship items available to purchase ahead of time. The ability to purchase or equip these items has been temporarily removed while the team work to reinstate the correct criteria.

To learn more about known issues in Sea of Thieves currently being tracked and their status, head over to our Known Issues support site article.

Continue reading...

Sea of Thieves · October 9, 2025

You’ve been smuggling contraband, you’ve taken part in a daring Heist, but it’s almost time for the biggest challenge you’ll face in Season 17: co-ordinating clothes! Don’t worry, spontaneous sweating is a natural reaction to such a high stress demand. Just breathe, take five minutes if needed and carry on reading when you’re ready.

That’s right, a fresh opportunity to get your hands on the Fashionista’s Finery Gloves is almost upon us. Whether you desire the gloves to pair them with light-coloured gear, to help you sleep easier at night knowing you’ve secured another rare item for your equipment chest or just because they look like they’d be great to wear while scrubbing your crew’s dirty dishes, you’ll be able to enter the Season 17 #StyleOfThieves contest for a chance to win them from October 20th–23rd 2025.

The format of the contest will continue unchanged: posts relating to this Season’s themes will appear on Sea of Thieves social media channels around 10am UTC on the dates specified below, signalling that the entry period for that day’s contest is open. You then share your screenshots on your social media channel of choice, including the relevant information and showing your pirate from head to toe, for our team to find and consider. This contest aims to stretch your styling skills, so standing out is a key goal to keep in mind. Which hat would other entrants not be picking for a theme? Can the prompt be interpreted in a unique way? How many themes can you wear the Wreath of Wisdom Crown in?

Each theme will be open to entries for 24 hours, after which time our Community team will create a shortlist of their top entries, concealing the links as morse code disguised as background elements in a portrait of Flameheart. Should the Art team work out this hidden message rather than simply sending copious notes on how to actually make art, alongside a cease and desist to ensure that the Community team never draws again, they’ll be able to choose their 16 overall winners for us to reveal on October 30th.

Before we reveal the themes, we’d just like to reiterate that this contest remains very popular, so please see it as an excuse to enjoy a spot of pirate dress-up before anything else. Use it as a reason to flex your rarest cosmetics and see your scoundrel in a new, potentially even snazzier light than usual. Even if you don’t win in this Style of Thieves contest, we hope everyone who takes part simply has a good time exploring the fun of fashion within Sea of Thieves.

Image credit: MrMestriner on X/Twitter

And now, without any more re-re-re-re-tweaked preamble, here are Season 17’s #StyleOfThieves themes:

The Themes

Each theme will start at 10am UTC on the dates detailed below, with entries accepted via a variety of social media channels for a full 24 hours.

Detective
From long jackets to tailored hats, find a fit authoritative enough to make a guilty pirate confess before you’ve even fired your first question (or third cannonball, we don’t know your style).
Entry date: October 20th

Ridiculous
Embrace your silly side and throw on an assortment that passes for an outfit on the one simple truth that you are, in fact, wearing it, even if doing so could mean you’ll never be taken seriously again.
Entry date: October 21st

Cosplay
Do your best to pay homage to your favourite characters from beyond the Sea of Thieves with only your closet of ramshackle rags and pirate apparel. Good luck!
Entry date: October 22nd

Ghoulish
Cast about for a style that would have even the Order of Souls clutching their skulls. They do contain precious secrets after all, it’s just sensible to keep them safe from potentially scorned wraiths.
Entry date: October 23rd

Image credit: ZenekSoT on X/Twitter

How to Enter

There are of course rules to follow if you want to create a valid contest entry. For a refresher on these, and how to enter via any of the applicable channels, please refer to this previous Style of Thieves article – remembering of course that Season 17’s themes are the ones here in this article, the link’s just for the extra details! Regardless of where you’re sharing your entry, be sure to include the name of the theme you’re entering in your post, along with any extra info called for by the theme.

As an additional stipulation to ensure a level playing field, entries may only use the retail version of Sea of Thieves and not the Insider build, following the lifting of the Insider Programme NDA.

And done. You’re still here? Well, we appreciate that. And for sticking around, we’ll tell you the secret to winning, aren’t you lucky! The secret is to wear the Wreath of Wisdom Crown. The other secret is to not do what we expect. Would wearing that wreath be what we expect? It would, so it wouldn’t work. The moral of this story is there is no secret, do what you want. See you October 20th–23rd thanks bye!

Continue reading...

Sea of Thieves

Show only:

Sea of Thieves Spotlight Showcase #10

This Month in Sea of Thieves: February 2026

Season 18 Community Weekend

Warm Up with Season 18 Community Weekend on January 31st

Sea of Thieves Release Notes - 3.6.1

Sea of Thieves Round-Up: December 2025

This Month in Sea of Thieves: January 2026

Sea of Thieves Spotlight Showcase #9

The Devil’s Roar Erupts Again in Sea of Thieves Season 18

Sea of Thieves Release Notes - 3.6.0

Sea of Thieves Release Notes - 3.6.0

Sea of Thieves Round-Up: November 2025

This Month in Sea of Thieves: December 2025

Sea of Thieves Release Notes - 3.5.3

Sea of Thieves Round-Up: October 2025

This Month in Sea of Thieves: November 2025

Ghoul & Glory is live!

Season 16’s Big Listen Survey Results

Sea of Thieves Release Notes - 3.5.2

Season 17’s Style of Thieves Theme Reveal!