Heed the call in Season 15, which brings a wealth of new incentives to The Hunter’s Call while introducing new wildlife both harmless and hostile. For an overview of the fierce features due to roll out over the course of this Season, head to our dedicated Season 15 page!
Hunting Spear
Players can now wield trusty hunting spears which can be aimed and thrown, dealing damage to roaming wildlife and other players alike. Spears can also be retrieved when embedded in a solid surface and thrown again.
Hunting spears can even be loaded into a ship’s cannons for extra power and fired at players or other ships. When fired into a ship, the spear will lodge in the hull, causing a small damage hole. Removing it will increase the hole size, so be prepared to repair!
Hunting parties looking to stock up their ship should visit The Hunter’s Call representatives, who will sell hunting spears up to a limit of five. Hunting spears can also be discovered washed up on shores, within shipwrecks and among the rewards earned when defeating Skeleton Ships.
Ambient Wildlife
While sailing the open seas, crews may now find they are joined by seagulls who fly alongside the ship as it sails. These birds will disperse if they sense danger!
While out exploring islands, players may now stumble upon small lizards basking in the daytime sun.
Crews creeping into a dark cave may disturb a flock of bats, who will promptly flee from their hiding spot.
Players exploring the shallows near islands may now come face to face with a smack of jellyfish. While these floating jellies may seem threatening, fear not, they’re harmless!
Wild Seas Commendations and Rewards
With the introduction of the hunting spear, new Commendations have been added within the Reputation tab to challenge aspiring hunters. Explore the new challenges under Wild Seas to unlock exotic wildlife-themed weapons.
Fishing Voyage Improvements
The Fishing Maps provided on Captain’s Fishing Voyages now provide crews with only a partial piece of the island near the fishing location, making it more of a challenge to locate the fishing spots.
Crews on a Fishing Voyage will no longer find they are attacked by emergent threats on the island with the fishing spots.
Ancient Megalodon Balancing
The Feared Redmaw and Barnacled Dread now take reduced damage from a blowpipe’s Poison Dart.
Gameplay Improvements
Performance Improvements
The Sloop, Brigantine and Galleon have been rebuilt behind the scenes, breaking up each ship into smaller parts, allowing them to be loaded in sections by the server. This work will provide server performance improvements when ships are created at the start of a session, in addition to ships arriving on a server after diving or naturally through server migration.
Performance optimisations have been made to Storage Crates and Resource Barrels, addressing spikes in framerate when repeatedly interacting with their inventories over longer sessions.
Performance improvements have been made to the way treasure items floating in water are managed across the server.
Further performance improvements have been made to how Trinkets are loaded when approaching Captained ships. Trinkets are now gradually loaded in over time and will only fully load when much closer to the ship, further reducing the performance impact when approaching ships at sea.
A new management system is now in operation on the server, controlling the activation of certain events and encounters to ensure that the server has the necessary resources to safely operate the activity. Encounters with an emergent Megalodon are now controlled by this system, with further events to follow in future updates.
In addition to the above areas, this update includes a range of smaller optimisations to game performance that provide improvements across the broader experience.
Players navigating to Frame Rate Lock within the Video settings will now find supporting information clearly advising them to lock their frame rate for a more consistent experience.
Lifting Outpost Trap Restrictions
Traps can now be placed in and around the Outpost taverns, allowing crews to lie in wait for unsuspecting players.
Players triggering a nearby trap when arriving in the tavern at the start of their game session will remain unharmed and not suffer damage while ‘waking up’.
Grapple Gun Animations
Players grappling to a location will now have a unique animation, showing their pirate flailing as they’re pulled through the air.
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!
Lightbearer Ship Collection and Ship’s Crest
Lightbearer Weapon Bundle
Lightbearer Costume Set
Mighty Lightbearer Flag, Hull, Collector’s Figurehead and Collector’s Sails
Silent Lightbearer Flag, Hull, Collector’s Figurehead and Collector’s Sails
Wise Lightbearer Flag, Hull, Collector’s Figurehead and Collector’s Sails
Gold Curse Toucan
Dire Dark Warsmith Weapons: Double Barrel Pistol, Throwing Knives, Grapple Gun and Blowpipe
Pet Pig Outfits: Sovereign, Bilge Rat, Sea Dog, Pirate Legend and Ghost
Over Here! Emote (free!)
Outpost Cosmetics
New Outpost Stock!
The Outposts now stock equipment, instruments and a range of weapons from the Azure Scout set, available for purchase at their respective shops.
Updates
Pirate Emporium Browsing
When browsing bundles within the Pirate Emporium, players can now navigate directly to the ‘Browse All’ menu from a shortcut at the bottom of the screen.
Accessibility
Emetophobia Support
Players who suffer from emetophobia (fear of vomit/vomiting) can now turn off all vomit-related audio effects from the Audio settings, including sounds made by players and pets.
Fixed Issues
Gameplay
Players grappling to a ship’s ladder should no longer find themselves temporarily appearing in a different location.
Items dropped in various areas of Siren Shrines and Treasuries will no longer float up to unreachable locations.
Items dropped into shallow pools on islands will now float properly instead of hovering high above the surface.
Reaper’s Chests hidden within shipwrecks will once again show their tell-tale beacon from across the seas, and no longer require a crew to approach before they become visible.
All blowpipes have been reviewed and their aiming improved to ensure shots now align with the tip of the blowpipe when fired.
Players can no longer grapple treasure through the open storeroom windows of Sea Forts.
Tall Tale items from locations within the Sea of the Damned can no longer be brought back to the Sea of Thieves.
Melee attacks from a throwing knife below the deck of the ship should no longer appear to hit an invisible surface in various locations.
The Dance Off Danger Commendation will now progress when players use a Bone Caller to target Obsidian Skeletons.
The Hunter’s Call Trading Company
Captains can now place up to five Banner of the Hunter and Merrick Shipmate Trinkets on their ship once unlocked.
The Orb of Secrets can now be sold to The Hunter’s Call for the same price as other Trading Companies.
Hunter’s Call treasure sold to The Reaper’s Bones no longer increases progress towards Call of the Hunter Commendations.
Fishing Voyages
Treasured Fish can now be grappled out of other players’ hands.
Players with a Treasured Fish on their line should no longer see the fish reappear in the water when crouching or swapping items before retrieving it.
The fishing spots at Isle of Last Words have been moved further away from the shore to ensure crews can fish successfully.
Treasured Fish now move naturally when swimming towards the fishing float.
Frenzied fishing spots now fade away once all fish are caught and a Voyage is completed.
Fishing spot visual effects no longer appear inside the ship’s hull if the ship stops on the fishing spot.
Ancient Megalodons
Commendation progress for defeating Ancient Megalodons is now awarded to all crews participating in the encounter by dealing damage, not just the crew that lands the final hit.
While attacks by Ancient Megalodons can occasionally overturn a ship, the frequency of this occurrence has now been reduced.
Ancient Megalodons should now be able to navigate smoothly around the Fort of the Dammed.
Defeating an Ancient Megalodon will now be recorded in the Captain’s Logbook.
Firing a Grapple Gun at the Barnacled Dread will no longer cause the tether to attach to a distant location.
Crews can now progress the Who Needs a Bigger Boat? Commendation when attacking an Ancient Megalodon with a Cannon Rowboat.
Captains defeating an Ancient Megalodon will now progress The Feared Pirate Milestones and Ship Milestones.
Crews defeating an Ancient Megalodon should now consistently find the Hunter of the Feared Redmaw and Hunter of the Barnacled Dread Commendations progress correctly.
Pet Pigs
Players stroking a pig while jumping will now appear to stroke the pig correctly after landing and the pig will remain in the correct position.
The nameplate for a pet pig will now be shown above the pig.
A pet pig’s shadow will now be shown when holding it.
Performance and Stability
Crews performing multiple server migrations during a single session should no longer experience rubberbanding and server desync.
Further improvements have been made to game stability to reduce scenarios where players unexpectedly exit the game or become disconnected from their session.
User Interface
Players who were previously unable to save changes to their game settings should now find that these are saved consistently when leaving a session, and no longer need to be changed at the start of a new session.
Players attempting to open their game settings and the Quest Table at the same time should no longer become stuck.
Using the back button while navigating the Pet Chest with a virtual keyboard on consoles will no longer cause the menu to become stuck, preventing further input.
Browsing many pages of the spotlighted sections in the Pirate Emporium will no longer cause the menu to become unresponsive.
In multiple areas of the experience where a player’s gamertag is shown within a menu, a shortcut button can now be used to summon the player profile on supported platforms.
Switching pirates within the pirate selection screen on the front end should no longer cause the lighting to flicker.
Visual and Audio
Players using the ship’s wheel on a Brigantine will no longer have their game chat muffled when speaking.
Multiple crews gathering to join the Legend of Glitterbeard will now find the visual effects light consistently with the music.
Players using a disguise while wearing a Curse with visual effects will no longer find those effects give away their disguise by appearing briefly when other players approach.
Players wearing a Stately Shirt should now find that all hairstyles appear correctly.
Players with tattoos wearing a Stately Shirt should now find the tattoos appear correctly.
Previewing a disguise within the Vanity Chest now correctly shows the pirate inside the disguise.
The Dreamers’ Dust Costume has regained its visual effects.
The Hidden in Plain Sight and Be Alluring to Get Ahead Trophies are now correctly sized and positioned when previewed in the shipwright’s shop or a player’s Trinket collection.
Switching from crouching to standing while holding a fishing rod will no longer cause the rod to momentarily appear in the middle of the screen.
The Baleful Bloom Costume now fits correctly on pirates of all body sizes.
The belt of the Dark Adventurers Jacket no longer merges through the pirate when performing emotes.
Players performing the Swashbuckling Story Emote should now correctly see the sword.
Further improvements have been made to a range of existing hairstyles, ensuring they remain visible when wearing certain costumes.
The Party Boat Jacket and Gloves now appear correctly on pirates of all body sizes.
Players wearing Carla’s Costume should now find the medallion appears correctly on pirates of all body sizes.
During the Ritual of the Flame sequence, the liquid in the chalice will now drain correctly.
During the Ritual of the Flame sequence, glowing eyes will no longer be visible on the skeleton during the transition.
The Pirate Lord now displays the correct visual effects when banging his staff during tutorial sequences.
The lower jaw of the Obsidian Ashen Winds Skull now shows the correct material when being fired.
Players using a disguise while wearing the Burning Eyepatch of the Ashen Dragon should no longer see visual effects floating above the disguise when moving.
Glint effects on nearby treasure now appear consistently when moving in and out of range.
After a Skeleton Fort Key is inserted into the Vault door, it will no longer appear to float in the air.
Players wearing the Intrepid Explorer Jacket now appear correctly when performing a range of emotes.
Crews equipping the Fog-Piercing Frog Lantern will now find the visual effects appear correctly after diving.
Performing the Scrappy Weapon Pose or Menacing Weapon Pose Emote with a blowpipe should now trigger the correct emote.
The flowers on Forest’s Blessing Costumes are no longer affected by nearby storms.
The Ghost Ship’s Crest now appears correctly in the Ship Customisation Chest preview.
Environment
All Skeleton Vaults have received a polish pass, ensuring their contents are completely hidden from the outside and the cracks in the flooring blend with the environment.
Mercy’s End Fortress now has an Armoury for players to change their loadout.
Players making their way onto a Skeleton Sloop will now find they can safely navigate the ship without hitting invisible surfaces.
Walking into skeletons found deep within The Reaper’s Lair should no longer cause the player’s camera to stutter.
When descending to the Shrine of Flooded Embrace, players should no longer find they can pass through certain doors before they are unlocked.
Text and Localisation
After players dive to and complete a Raid Voyage for The Hunter’s Call, the Captain’s Logbook will now correctly record the arrival location instead of always displaying Discovery Ridge.
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: 2.9 GB
Season 15 Community Weekend Raring to Go on March 22nd
Roll up, roll up, another Community Weekend has appeared on the horizon! Season 15’s will be a special anniversary affair, acting as the final fanfare of activities and celebrations for Sea of Thieves’ seventh circling of the sun.
Did you know the first of these Community Events was 10 whole Seasons ago, with Season Five’s Community Day? We’ve come a long way since then, with more reward boosts, Pop-Up Plunder maps, special Voyages and Community Goals than you can shake a stick at! But one thing’s remained, and that’s our aim of using these Events to show our appreciation for all the ways that you, our wonderful community, breathe life into the Sea of Thieves.
So as our twelfth Community celebration approaches, we’re all incredibly excited about the features, freebies and fun on offer during this period. And as is now customary, we’re writing an article about it so we can provide all the hot info on what to expect. Let’s get into it…
Cake By the Ocean
…but just before we do, it would be remiss of us not to mention that this Community Weekend begins immediately after our Seventh Anniversary Celebration Event – which, if you missed the memo, is a bumper celebration of memorable moments that began on Friday, March 14th. Act fast and you can still dive in to claim your Voyages of Luck and cosmetic rewards from completed Community Goals.
One more note on these anniversary celebrations: you might’ve seen some surprising sweet treats slink their way onto the Sea of Thieves servers of late. These particular patisserie-pioneered items will be sticking around until Monday, March 24th. You’ve still got time to seek them and see what secret they unveil…
Community Weekend Commencement
Hot on the heels of the Anniversary Celebration Event, Community Weekend kicks off from Saturday, March 22nd (11am UTC), running for a full 48 hours and finishing on Monday, March 24th (11am UTC).
Your login bonuses this time around are the Golden Sailor Hull and the blue-and-yellow Season 15 Community Weekend Flag, which pair very nicely together – and yes, we did plan that on purpose, you’re welcome. The flag will also be present on our themed Picture Walls present at the Outposts. However, this time out, there will also be another Picture Wall on the map – not at an Outpost, but another hand-in hotspot – and it won’t quite look the same as the others, given who’s architected it…
We'll also be sweetening the pot for players with this particular Community Weekend, given the occasion: any rewards unlocked during the Anniversary Celebration Event will also be available to pirates diving into Sea of Thieves during Community Weekend, who will have them added to their inventories when they log in. In short, that means there are stonks of sweet items up for grabs! Which would make you a fool not to swing by for some seafaring shenanigans.
Stream of Consciousness
To raise the Community Emissary Grade during Community Weekend, pirates are once again tasked with watching Twitch to multiply the in-game generosity, with total watch time powering Grade progress. All you need to do to help raise the Grade – and thus increase in-game rewards – is watch any of your favourite content creators in the Sea of Thieves category on Twitch between Saturday, March 22nd and Monday, March 24th (11am UTC).
We’ll also be hosting a special Saturday stream on the Sea of Thieves Twitch channel, and every minute watched there will also contribute to the Community Emissary Grade! So make sure you tune in, if you can – we’ll be taking the Compass of Chaos for a spin, and who knows where it might take us.
Every time the Community Emissary Grade levels up, so does the boost to gold, reputation, Seasonal Renown, Allegiance and Guild Reputation for everyone – with the top Grade offering two-and-a-half times the rewards for your work. These multipliers affect High Seas sailors only, so make sure you plan accordingly!
Drops Shipped
Although merely watching Sea of Thieves creators do what they do best is a reward in itself, we also have a range of Twitch Drops for folks tuning in, with the Seasoned Sailor Heavy Sword, Seasoned Sailor Eye of Reach, Eastern Winds Ruby Pegleg and Eastern Winds Ruby Trousers all on offer to those who spend a chunk of time watching Sea of Thieves creators over the weekend.
Not only that, but if a special cumulative Community Goal is met during Community Weekend – an ambitious total number of World Events dived to and completed – then from Monday, March 24th to Monday, March 31st (10am UTC), players will be able to score not one, but two precious Obsidian items as further Twitch Drops!
If unlocked, the Obsidian Captain’s Chair will be the brand new Drop on offer that week, and given the extra-special nature of our anniversary activities we’d bring back the Obsidian Ship’s Crest as a bonus Drop running alongside it. Just as long as you smash that all-important shared Community Goal, of course…
Pop-Up Plunder Prevails
Our quizzical, time-limited, social media-based loot roulette shenanigans are back for Season 15 Community Weekend! We’ve picked some significant islands in tribute to our seven years of history, but stay tuned to our social channels for clues on where exactly we’ve buried these tantalising treasures on the High Seas. Each dig spot will be live for one hour only, so you’ll be racing against time – and other crews – to make sure you’re first to the loot location. Good luck, pirates!
Hat to Go!
As is customary on Community Weekend, we’ll be bestowing both love and rewards upon some unsung heroes of our player base. These fine folks will be honoured with the Hat of Unfeasibly Glorious Fame – a rare, funny hat worn by the cream of our pirate crop.
Whether you’ve performed an astonishing feat on the seas and would like us to tip the Hat in your direction, or you’d like to shout out a crewmate or friend who embodies the Be More Pirate mantra for less specific but no less worthy reasons, we’ll take nominations all the way up to, and during, the weekend. So, if there’s something or someone you’d like to draw our attention to, tell us about it on Sea of Thieves social channels such as Twitter/X, Facebook and Instagram with the #BeMorePirate tag.
As we confirmed last time out, we’re taking submissions on Bluesky too – so if you’re over there and would like to suggest a Hat recipient, please do so with the #BeMorePirate hashtag and aim it at the @seaofthieves.com account.
Seas the Moment
There’s no better time to jump into (or back into) Sea of Thieves than a good-vibes, big-gains event like Community Weekend, so make sure you seize the day – or the weekend – and hit the waves for a whole lot of fun. We’ll see you then!
Anniversary Celebration Event!
Mark seven years on the seas with Community Goals charting Sea of Thieves' history, free Voyages of Luck, cosmetics to earn including the High-Spirited Spin Emote and Golden Sailor Cannon Flare, and more! Navigate to the Events Page in the Pirate Log tab to learn more.
Sea of Thieves Round-Up: February 2025
As it always does, February raced past in a whirlwind, but that didn’t keep us from loading it with goodies and making the most of the time available. With events and updates and hardly a moment to breathe in between, it was a packed few weeks – so rather than leave you in suspense, let’s skip right to the rundown…
Content Update
First up in February’s activities: strange disturbances at the Sea Forts. Ghostly ships were spotted circling the area, and any sailors who got close found themselves fending off Phantom fighters with spectral blades at the ready. These Dark Fortress Raids offered no easy battle, but pirates who emerged victorious could sail away from the time-limited Voyage with two tasty Vaults’ worth of loot.
Right after that, The Hunter’s Call decided it was time to make their move and declared the start of Season 15! Alongside a major expansion to everyone’s favourite fishing Company – including new Distinctions, rewards, piscine prey and, for the first time, Hunter’s Call Voyages – two Ancient Megalodons emerged from the depths to terrorise those on the waves with their unexpected abilities. Want all the info? Hit the release notes! And the additional notes for a quick hotfix (but don’t worry, we were back up and running in no time).
A fresh Season of course also meant an influx of fine fashions for players to get their hands on, whether they could be earned by raising your Renown or trading your hard-earned Ancient Coins in the Pirate Emporium. Most exciting of all perhaps was the latest expansion to the Pet Chest: pigs! Who could say no to their little faces?
News and Features
We started February with a few things that needed tying up before Season 14 ended, in particular the latest Style of Thieves contest! To give everyone time to get their outfits together, we revealed the themes as early in the month as possible – even before we’d had a chance to get our February forecast of activities out.
That wasn’t the only focus on community efforts in our News pages either, as we made sure there was time to fit in a new Creator Spotlight. This time we were chatting with FluffyEdge, Stream Team sailor and cat enthusiast, to find out all about her adventures with Captain Tigerpants.
In the run-up to Season 15’s launch, we wanted to set expectations for how this Season’s features would be arriving in phases to keep things spicy – cue a Forum post from Production Director Drew with the lowdown. From there it was onto our classic Season launch article and, a little while later, another check-in from Drew discussing the hotfix. What else could anyone possibly want to know about Season 15?
Videos and Streams
The approach to a Season launch is always packed with videos teasing what’s to come, whether it’s a simple title screen reveal or a Sea of Thieves News episode focusing on some imminent features. This time around, there was also a fresh Developer Update going deeper into the Season’s staggered release and highlighting the performance improvements about to arrive, as well as some eye-opening Megalodon found footage…
Once Season 15 was securely pulling into port, we expanded the roster with the time-honoured offerings of a content update video and launch trailer to show off all the new things joining the queue for you to sink your teeth into (or vice versa). The Pirate Emporium team also got in on things with an oh-so-refined spotlight on their suave Rococo merchandise.
It wasn’t all about Season 15 this month though – some of our other teams had things to share! First up, our talented musicians had a fresh version of ‘Ballad of the Mer’ to add to the usual streaming platforms, giving a dramatic orchestral twist to the familiar tune. Later in the month, the Community team and our lovely streaming supporters once again assembled for a GameBlast stream, helping to spread awareness and raise money for the important work of SpecialEffect, culminating in over £25,000 donated!
Social Channels
Our social channels in February were awash with competitions and challenges. Alongside eight new entries in the Community Hub and a #SoTShot round focusing on some of the most spectacular loot hauls ever seen, we could also be found handing out magnificent mittens to the latest Style of Thieves victors – plus a few extra once we realised we had some repeat winners!
There was also a romantic February occasion to be marked by, naturally, Valentine’s Day-themed Compass of Chaos challenges, but in the end we spent most of the month trying to find a missing pirate. It took days to track them down. If only we’d had Captain Flameheart’s powers of observation.
The final part of the month was, pretty unsurprisingly, taken up with celebrating some of the new additions to Sea of Thieves – or at least, all the important bits. Including a lot of pigs. It was mostly pigs, in fact. Oh, and baby Merrick.
Well, there you go: as promised last month, despite being naturally disadvantaged in terms of length, February more than pulled its weight when it came to Sea of Thieves goodness. We’ll be back with the next round-up when March is over to see how you’re getting on with Season 15’s latest features, but until then you can hunt us down on Twitter/X, Bluesky, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Twitch, the official Forums and Discord. And don’t stop sending us your pet pig pictures! Obviously.
This Month in Sea of Thieves: March 2025 and Seventh Anniversary
March marks another year of adventure on the Sea of Thieves, and you’re invited to celebrate this latest milestone with a bounty of Events, rewards and festivities. From the Seventh Anniversary Celebration Event that segues into Community Weekend through to Emporium sales and a suitable shanty, there’s more than enough to keep you busy!
Seventh Anniversary Celebration Event – Friday, March 14th – Saturday, March 22nd
During this month’s Event, all pirates are invited to tackle a series of Community Goals inspired by memorable moments in Sea of Thieves’ past. By working together to hit cumulative targets, you can unlock a range of rewards commemorating some of those unforgettable encounters and discoveries. The celebrations kick off here: rally your crew and get ready to make your mark!
‘Happy Birthday’ Release – Friday, March 14th
Celebrate a special month with a tune fit for the occasion, as a unique rendition of ‘Happy Birthday’ joins the Sea of Thieves soundtrack on your favourite streaming services. This newly recorded shanty is a delightful way to mark seven years on the seas, whether you want to sing along or just relax on the deck and enjoy being serenaded.
Sea of Thieves Xbox Dynamic Backgrounds – Friday, March 14th
A new way for players on Xbox to bring the spirit of the high seas to their screens! These animated backgrounds aim to capture the essence of Sea of Thieves, from its breathtaking scenery to moments of seafaring peril. To dive into the selection of dynamic backgrounds on Xbox Series X|S consoles, go to the Personalisation options within your Xbox settings.
Pirate Emporium Anniversary Sale – Monday, March 17th – Monday, March 24th
No celebration is complete without loot to be claimed at a bargain price! Ready as always to get involved in a celebration, the Pirate Emporium shopkeepers will be hosting their traditional Anniversary Sale. Dark Warsmith, Dire Dark Warsmith, Lodestar, Islehopper Outlaw and Stone Islehopper Outlaw sets are all lined up for dramatic discounts…
Xbox Gear Shop Update – Monday, March 17th
An exclusive Sea of Thieves Seventh Anniversary sweatshirt design is en route to the Xbox Gear Shop! This cosy offering with bespoke iconography makes it easy for any pirate to declare their participation in seven epic years on the seas. You can also pick up a deck of handsome Sea of Thieves playing cards for a celebratory game or two!
Sea of Thieves: 2025 Editions – Thursday, March 20th
Just like in 2024, another anniversary brings an opportunity to refresh the Sea of Thieves editions available to buy on all formats. Stick with the base edition or explore what’s included in the 2025 Deluxe and Premium Editions – and maybe others? – arriving on Sea of Thieves’ anniversary date of March 20th!
Microsoft Solitaire Sea of Thieves Theme – Thursday, March 20th
An unmistakable sea breeze blows through the Microsoft Casual Games collection this month! Players will soon be able to bring the spirit of the pirate’s life to their Solitaire table with a Sea of Thieves-themed backdrop and custom card backs adorned with iconic imagery from the game.
Season 15 Community Weekend – Saturday, March 22nd – Monday, March 24th
There’s no slowing down after the Seventh Anniversary Celebration Event as we roll straight into Season 15’s Community Weekend. Expect all the classic Community Weekend delights including souvenir freebies, Pop-Up Plunder, a Community Emissary Grade ready for boosting and Picture Walls for premium posturing. Of course we want to see your own creations and hear your own stories too as you join in the festivities alongside the whole Sea of Thieves community!
Twitch Drops – Saturday, March 22nd – Monday, March 24th
If you set sail during Community Weekend, don’t forget to claim some well-earned rewards along the way. This time, the Seasoned Sailor Heavy Sword and Eye of Reach are up for grabs, alongside the Eastern Winds Ruby Pegleg and Trousers.
Twitch Drops are available by linking your accounts and watching Sea of Thieves Partners on Twitch. If you’re not sure who to tune in to, check our Partner Directory to see who’s online when these Drops go live!
March Monthly Update – Thursday, March 27th
The adventure continues in March’s free content update, bringing the next wave of Season 15 features to the seas. Hunters will soon have a new tool at their disposal with the introduction of the hunting spear for taking down big prey, even as the world around them fills with lively newcomers including lizards skittering across the sands and jellyfish drifting through the waves.
All that along with some dazzling new offerings in the Pirate Emporium and fresh Outpost stock too! Look out for a full breakdown of new additions in the release notes when this update drops on March 27th.
Xbox Game Pass Ultimate Perks – Thursday, March 27th
Pirates with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate can claim an extra treat this month via the Perks programme! Themed around – what else – Sea of Thieves’ latest anniversary, the time-limited Seventh Serving Emote will be available to redeem from March 27th. Head this way to find out more about Xbox Game Pass Ultimate Perks.
Microsoft Rewards Sea of Thieves Sweepstakes – Monday, March 31st
Ever wonder what a Megalodon crossed with an Xbox controller would look like? Want to be in with a chance of winning just that – an extremely limited-edition new Sea of Thieves controller? Stay sharp for information on how to enter the Sweepstakes and potentially get your hands on ‘The Devourer’ later this month!
As you can see, you won’t get a chance to be bored during Sea of Thieves’ latest anniversary extravaganza. Enjoy all the goodies, opportunities and overall holiday vibes, and raise a tankard in our direction if you see us on the seas!
Sea of Thieves Release Notes – Hotfix 3.3.0.1
Wild Seas
This hotfix addresses a number of issues identified following the launch of Season 15, while cracking down on players using methods to accelerate their progress through The Hunter’s Call much more quickly than intended. For more information on the steps being taken by the team, read the latest Season 15 State of Play Forum post.
The Hunter’s Call Trading Company
Following review, the team has identified that the reputation required for each rank was set higher than intended, slowing progress through The Hunter’s Call at higher ranks. The requirements for each rank have been corrected and players will now progress at the intended pace.
Due to this change, players who have made progress since Season 15’s launch may find they move up to the next Hunter’s Call rank upon starting their next session. We will continue to monitor player progress and may make further adjustments if required.
Crews cashing in their hunting hauls to The Hunter’s Call representatives at Outposts and Seaposts will now find they provide the same payout as the Sovereigns, ensuring that Captains can use these conveniently located services.
The previously announced Voyage cooldowns have been temporarily disabled to protect game stability. These restrictions will make their return in a future update.
Crews who start and cancel the same Voyage repeatedly in a short space of time will now find that the Voyage is placed on cooldown and cannot be voted on for a short duration.
The following Voyages have had this initial cooldown applied: Medley of Gold Hoarders, Executive’s Lost Shipment, Ashen Executive’s Lost Shipment, Ashen Captain’s Treasure Vault, Bounty for a Skeleton Lord, Legendary Search for Cursed Treasure.
The recently introduced Pirate’s Fishing Map and Hunter’s Fishing Map for The Hunter’s Call have also had a cooldown applied to prevent crews from forcing the island location and gaining reputation at an accelerated rate.
Fixed Issues
Gameplay
Players lobbing throwables above or below deck across all ship types should no longer find they explode on contact with invisible surfaces.
Addressing the above issue has meant that a previous fix to throwables interacting with the rear hull of the Galleon (3.3.0) has been reverted to prevent further impact. This issue will be addressed in a future update.
Fishing Voyages
Crews should no longer find themselves able to catch more Treasured Fish than intended on a single Voyage.
The Hunter’s Call Trading Company
Players will now find Crates of Rare Fish Scales when taking on Raid Voyages for The Hunter’s Call.
Players will now find that any Treasured Fish sold will be tracked correctly towards The Gold Seeker Pirate Milestone.
Players will now find that Voyages completed for The Hunter’s Call will be tracked correctly towards The Voyager Pirate Milestone.
Visual and Audio
Players equipping The Hunter’s Call Emissary Costume will now find that any masks are hidden to prevent visual distortion of their pirate’s face.
Pirates of all body sizes should now find that the following scars display correctly when equipped: Flameheart’s Revenge Scar, Fates of Fortune Scar and Shadow Tide Scar.
Performance and Stability
Further improvements have been made to game stability to reduce scenarios where players unexpectedly exit the game or become disconnected from their session. (Released previously as part of an interim hotfix.)
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.
Full Release Notes
These release notes cover a hotfix. For full details on recently added game features, see the release notes on our latest content update.
Download and Installation
Download Size:
Steam: 1 GB
Hurl Yourself into the Hunt in Sea of Thieves Season 15
The Sea of Thieves has always been a wild, untamed sanctuary for pirates, but in Season 15 the stakes across these scattered islands and open waters are being raised once again! The latest free Seasonal update sees The Hunter’s Call Trading Company vastly expanding their offerings while two uniquely powerful Megalodons join the fray, with further hunt-related excitement set to follow in the months ahead. Here’s what you can expect from Season 15 of Sea of Thieves…
The Hunter’s Call Grows
Season 15 is all about exploring the wilder side of life on the Sea of Thieves, and who better to lead the charge than The Hunter’s Call? This Trading Company, first introduced with our original Anniversary Update in 2019, sets itself apart from the others with a focus on fishing and, as the name would imply, hunting. Until now, pirates have been able to climb to rank 50 by delivering fish and meat to The Hunter’s Call representatives at Seaposts or, more recently, to the Sovereigns on their behalf.
From Season 15, however, The Hunter’s Call undergoes a major expansion. First and foremost, it’s being brought in line with other Trading Companies in terms of ranking prospects, with the reputation cap being raised to 100 and five levels of Distinction added. This means you can continue to progress with the Company well beyond what was previously possible, unlocking themed cosmetics as you go.
You can also choose to raise a Hunter’s Call Emissary Flag for the first time, enabling increased rewards for treasure handed in – but at the cost of making yourself a target for any Reapers lying in wait nearby! At the same time, new Fishing and Raid Voyages provide opportunities to set out in search of Company-specific loot, including exotic Treasured Fish hauled up from the depths and ready to make you rich…
Megalodon Mutations
Growing alongside The Hunter’s Call are the new dangers introduced to the seas, most notably two terrifying Ancient Megalodons that have crossed over from the Sea of the Damned, ready to unleash carnage with abilities that make them substantially more dangerous than any everyday shark.
The Feared Redmaw has risen from the boiling depths, wreathed in flame and wielding a devastating explosive attack to torch any ship that drifts a little too close. Keep your water barrel full to deal with fires breaking out or you’ll quickly find yourself in the hot seat! Meanwhile, the armour-plated Barnacled Dread torments sailors with Eel-ectric invasions, spawning these formidable Ocean Crawlers onto the decks of attacking ships. Repel boarders while using your cannons to chip away at the Megalodon’s coral armour until you can strike the beast directly!
These fearsome monsters offer tantalising loot if you manage to best them, but finding them isn’t always easy. In this, Hunter’s Call Emissaries have the advantage: ships flying a Grade 5 Emissary Flag will be able to track Ancient Megalodon locations using their Map Table and sail headlong into battle…
Hunter’s Gear
With a new Season, as always, comes 100 new levels of Renown to be earned and all the associated rewards! You can work towards earning new themed cosmetics such as Hungering One Hunter’s clothing, as well as a hoard of gold, Doubloons and Ancient Coins – while purchasing a Plunder Pass also lets you unlock the enigmatic Dynasty of the Deep collection and an extra 750 Ancient Coins.
The Pirate Emporium shopkeepers also debut the fabulous Rococo set this month, inviting you to indulge in the finest historical fashion. This collection includes a ship set with optional Collector’s items, weapons, costume and makeup to add some ostentatious flair to all aspects of the pirate life. Inclined towards the edible arts? You may also enjoy the Culinary Cadet Emote Bundle, with four cooking-themed emotes to get you in the gastronomic spirit!
All This and More
To keep the new content flowing steadily, not all of Season 15’s features will be landing at launch! The monthly updates in March and April will deliver further features on the hunting theme, as teased in our Season 15 launch trailer.
Over the next few months, you can expect to take up a new throwable hunting spear that will prove highly effective at taking down wild beasts, and experience a sudden bloom in the range of ambient wildlife you’ll see on your travels. Following that, some decidedly less passive wild boars will be taking up residence across the islands with their own stashes of loot to protect…
To help keep the feisty local fauna under control, The Hunter’s Call will offer pirates new Hunting Voyages, sending them off to seek a savage Grand Boar or trail in the wake of a rampaging Megalodon as it causes chaos across the waves. To get to grips with all the changes coming soon to the seas, be sure to dive into each month’s release notes when the accompanying updates go live!
Find Out More
For more information on the Sea of Thieves Season 15 update, including full release notes, visit the Sea of Thieveswebsite. The update is available for free to all Sea of Thieves players on Steam. Simply download and install the latest Sea of Thieves update to get access.
New to Sea of Thieves? Find out about the latest free content updates on our What’s New page, get familiar with Who’s Who or pick up some gameplay tips from our Pirate Academy, which provides invaluable information on topics ranging from sailing to swordplay as you prepare for your maiden voyage. Join the ongoing adventure at www.seaofthieves.com where you can embark on an epic journey with one of gaming’s most welcoming communities!
Sea of Thieves Release Notes - 3.3.0
Wild Seas
Heed the call in Season 15, which brings a wealth of new incentives to The Hunter’s Call while introducing new wildlife both harmless and hostile. For an overview of the fierce features due to roll out over the course of this Season, head to our dedicated Season 15 page!
Ancient Megalodon Encounters
Ancient Megalodons have torn through from the Sea of the Damned and begun terrorising pirate crews with their terrifying powers. Hunters should keep a keen eye on the waves for these deadly new foes.
The Feared Redmaw is a ferocious beast with fiery attacks. Crews must quell its supercharged assault by damaging it to release its pressure and avoid a cataclysmic explosion.
The menacing Barnacled Dread must have its coral armour removed before the beast can be defeated. Look out for its shocking bite and ability to summon Eel-ectric Ocean Crawlers onto your ship!
On-Demand Hunter’s Call Voyages
The Quest Table now offers a range of Voyages on demand for The Hunter’s Call, allowing crews to sail or dive to their location.
New Fishing Voyages provide hunters with the locations of Treasured Fish where they gather near islands, tasking them to retrieve these new fish for the Company.
The Treasured Fish caught from these Voyages are unique and highly valuable, so they cannot be cooked, eaten or stored in a player’s inventory. They can be handed in for gold and reputation, but beware – they can also be stolen by other pirates!
Hunter’s Call Raid Voyages allow players to experience any of the eight existing Raids on demand, while awarding new Hunter’s Call treasure.
Emissaries for The Hunter’s Call
Crews can now represent The Hunter’s Call as an Emissary, boosting their rewards as they go hunting across the seas. On reaching Emissary Grade 5, crews should keep an eye on the ship’s map as recent sightings of Ancient Megalodons will now be shown.
Players sailing as an Emissary will now appear on The Hunter’s Call Emissary Ledger and be eligible to earn new rewards.
Hunter’s Call Trading Company Expansion
Players can now climb to rank 100 with The Hunter’s Call, with new rewards from the Killer Whale set to unlock as they progress. Reaching the lofty rank of 100 will unlock the Hunter’s Call Costume along with a Distinction Ring, allowing players to continue representing the Company towards their next Distinction.
Wild Seas Commendations and Rewards
With ferocious new encounters to face and Hunter’s Call treasure on offer, a range of new Commendations have been added within the Reputation tab to challenge would-be hunters. Explore the challenges under Wild Seas to unlock rewards from the new Eternal Hunt set.
With the introduction of Hunter’s Call Emissary play, The Reaper’s Bones are now offering the Disgraced Hunter’s Hat for crews willing to claim the Flags of fallen Hunter’s Call Emissaries.
Four new Pirate Milestones have also been added with Wild Seas, unlocking access to new Trinkets: the ‘Fearsome Flame’, ‘Coral Calamity’ and ‘Tides of Tranquillity’ Trophies along with the ‘Gone Fishin'’ Painting.
Season 15
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 15 Rewards and Plunder Pass
As The Hunter’s Call expands this Season, players can now earn Renown when defeating new threats and cashing in the new treasures on offer.
Progressing through the 100 levels of Renown in Season 15 will reward players with the Hungering One Hunter’s clothing set and unique Season 15 rewards, alongside time-limited Call of the Seas collectibles. Head to the Seasons profile page to browse the new rewards and check your pirate’s progress!
Pick up the latest Plunder Pass to gain access to a plethora of additional unlockable cosmetics from the Dynasty of the Deep set, including a ship set with Collector’s items and a selection of themed clothing, all available to earn 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 15 Emissary Ledger Rewards
This Season, the Guild Emissary Ledgers offer the ‘Circle of Death’ Painting, ‘Rock Hopper’ Ornament and Guild of Piratical Predators Title to Guilds who perform proudly in the Ledgers.
The initial rewards for the new Hunter’s Call Emissary Ledger include the Assailant of the Abyss Title, Hunter’s Call Inaugural Explorer Sails and Hunter’s Call Inaugural Forager Sails.
In line with the regular rhythm of Emissary Ledgers, these rewards will be earnable from the start of the next month, March 1st.
Chest of Fortune
For the duration of Season 15, the Chest of Fortune has been returned to the Vault of the Fort of Fortune.
Crews who retrieve Chests of Fortune can now earn the next Grade of the Fortune’s Favour Commendation, unlocking access to Regal Fortune clothing items.
Reaper’s Chests
Crews chasing down the telltale beacon of the Reaper’s Chest or Reaper’s Bounty can earn the next grade of the Reaper’s Riches Commendation, and start unlocking access to the Regal Fortune Hook, Pegleg, Tattoo and Eyepatch.
Gameplay Improvements
Performance Improvements
Sea of Thieves servers now support multithreading and have received the first phase of performance improvements. Parts of the physics and network systems are now directed to a different core and can run in parallel to the main game.
Performance improvements have been made to how treasure is populated within shipwrecks, ensuring that it’s only placed when crews engage with it and more readily cleaned up to improve server performance if items are left behind.
Broad performance improvements have been made for players across both PC and console when playing at higher framerates, improving loading behind the scenes based on the client framerate. These improvements have been tuned to target framerates between 60fps and 120fps, but may also provide some improvements for higher framerates where supported.
Performance optimisations have taken place on all islands across the Sea of Thieves, with each island receiving a pass. There will be no visible changes to the islands as part of these optimisations.
Performance optimisations have been made when selling treasure to Trading Company representatives while representing as an Emissary.
The appearance of the Burning Blade is now much rarer on the seas, with the other World Events now increased in rotation.
In addition to the above areas, this update includes a range of smaller optimisations to game performance providing improvements across the broader experience.
Blowpipe Improvements
Switching between dart types is now much more responsive and allows for quicker switching before firing.
Trap Inventory
Traps have now been separated from throwables in the player’s inventory. Players can now carry a maximum of two traps and five other throwables. These revised trap limits are now shown by a separate Trap category in the player’s inventory.
Traps will now be included when cycling through throwables by using the available hotkey.
When using a cannon, traps have been removed from the cannonball radial menu.
Addressing Unsinkable Ship Locations
Changes have been made to a range of islands where ships have been reported to become unsinkable when partially beached in shallow areas, with players taking advantage of this during Faction battles.
The following islands have been improved to address these shallow spots: Dagger Tooth Outpost, Kraken’s Fall, Shark Tooth Key and Port Merrick.
Hidden Skeleton Fort Vaults
The Vaults beneath all Skeleton Forts including the Fort of the Damned have been hidden, with players no longer able to see through the cracks from the floors above to spy the Vault treasures waiting to be claimed.
Menu Navigation on Controller
Navigating through the game’s various menus has been improved when using a controller, providing a more fluid experience when navigating in diagonal movements and held directions now scrolling across larger areas.
These menu navigation improvements can be customised further in the game’s input settings as ‘Controller Menu Deadzone’ and ‘Controller Menu Repeat Speed’.
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!
Pig Pets: Oatmeal, Pomegranate, Truffle, Cinnamon and Mulberry
Rococo Ship Collection
Rococo Ship’s Crest
Rococo Costume Bundle
Rococo Weapon Bundle
Culinary Cadet Emote Bundle
Sting Tide Pistol (free!)
Outpost Cosmetics
New Outpost Stock!
Fans of the Lucky Hand set can now find the instruments available at Outpost equipment shops.
Season Eight Legacy Cosmetics
Cosmetics previously available during Season Eight have arrived in Outpost shops and can now be yours in exchange for Doubloons!
Players can now purchase the Cursed Bone clothing set, along with a range of unique one-off items first available during this Season. Pirate Legends can also pick up Flameheart’s Hat and Cutlass.
The time-limited Cursed Bone Flag, Sails, Makeup, Tattoo and Scar, however, remain exclusive to players who participated in Season Eight.
Updates
Detection Improvements for Ban Evasion
Further detection improvements continue to roll out behind the scenes targeting players who evade game bans to regain access to Sea of Thieves. These improvements will continue to be deployed in phases over the coming months to systematically crack down on banned players and prevent them from returning to the seas.
Quest Table Voyage Cooldowns
Following the introduction of the Quest Table and the refreshed Voyages delivered in Season 11, players have discovered techniques to increase their progression and gold acquisition in unintended, accelerated ways. The Sea of Thieves team now has the ability to apply cooldowns to specific Voyages should crews start and cancel the same Voyage repeatedly in a short space of time.
While no Voyage restrictions have yet been placed as part of this update, the team will continue to monitor player behaviour and target specific Voyages as part of future updates.
Temporary Voyage Locking
The Sea of Thieves live team now has the ability to temporarily lock a Voyage and prevent it from being started on the Quest Table. This allows the team to react quickly and protect players in the live environment should a high-impact issue occur, without the need to take the game down for maintenance.
Accessibility
Custom Text Overlay
A new accessibility feature has been introduced to improve the readability of Riddle Maps. Within the Language settings of the game menu, players can enable a Custom Text Overlay and further customise the appearance, adjusting screen position, font size, background and text colours.
After preferences have been saved, the overlay will be applied when viewing any Riddle Map, with a scroll bar available for longer text.
Fixed Issues
Gameplay
When players dive to a Faction battle, the enemy ship will now consistently appear visible upon surfacing to begin the encounter.
Players using a Grapple Gun to pull another player while in the water can no longer cause their target to rotate.
The audio effects for scooping and throwing water when bailing should now play consistently when performed in quick succession.
The audio effects for a ship filling and creaking when taking on water are now prioritised over other effects, ensuring that these cues are always clear to players.
Damage marks shown on the outside of a ship’s hull will now appear correctly based on the damage dealt.
Throwables such as blunderbombs targeting the rear hull of the Galleon will now consistently impact the hull’s surface and not pass through certain areas to land inside the ship.
Blowpipe darts embedded in moving ships are now more easily targeted and can be consistently destroyed through player actions.
The prior fix to the Armoury (3.2.3) that addressed players being unable to switch weapons after receiving knockback damage has been reverted to prevent further impact. This issue will be addressed in a future update.
Any open radial menus now close when crouching, preventing a range of visual issues caused by attempting to wield items while crouched.
‘The Journey to Mêlée Island’ – Emissary Grade progression is no longer awarded when collecting items found within the Tall Tale.
Performance and Stability
Further improvements have been made to game stability to reduce scenarios where players unexpectedly exit the game or become disconnected from their session.
Traps
Traps should now consistently rest on the ground when placed in a range of locations.
Traps will now be destroyed when thrown at the outside of a ship’s hull.
Traps loaded with a Bone Caller will now trigger consistently when sprung.
Throwing a trap inside a tavern will no longer prevent players from interacting with it or switching to other equipment.
Players setting the trap will now correctly receive the Red Alert Raider Commendation when meeting the necessary criteria, while those triggering the trap will no longer increase Commendation progress.
User Interface
Resolved an issue that caused the Quest Table to display an extended loading spinner when browsing for Voyages.
When using low graphics settings, browsing the Pirate Emporium from the Quick Menu during gameplay should no longer cause textures to fail to load within the Emporium and across the wider game upon exiting.
Players earning Distinctions for a Trading Company will now see the correct rank when viewing the Pirate’s Log from the front end menu.
Environment
Skeletons that emerge at Crow’s Nest Fortress and Barnacle Cay Temple should now appear in the correct locations and not become stuck.
Rain will no longer appear to fall inside buildings at Lookout Point.
‘The Lair of LeChuck’ – Players can no longer become stuck among palm trees during this Tall Tale.
Visual and Audio
The Tankard of the Damned now visibly runs out of grog when emptied.
Shadow Skeletons set on fire while in shadow form no longer display distorted visual effects.
Firing a ship’s cannon equipped with various Cannon Flares at Ghost Ships will no longer cause visual issues to appear within the sails.
Dying during the final wave of a Siren Treasury encounter will no longer cause the music to overlap.
The Cardinal Lodestar Flag is now correctly displayed on the Brigantine.
The Cardinal Lodestar and Lodestar Spyglass now sit correctly in players’ hands across all body sizes.
Players wearing the Captaincy of Courage Jacket or Dress now appear correctly when observed by others.
The Horn of Fair Winds and Trident of Dark Tides now appear correctly when viewed at different distances.
The Kate Capsize hairstyle now fits neatly around tall jackets across all pirate body sizes.
Fruit held in a player’s hand now casts the correct shadow.
The Fates of Fortune Pocket Watch now consistently displays the correct time.
The Tiny Tree Emote’s visual effect now disappears when the emote is cancelled.
The light effect of the Ancestral Collector’s Figurehead is no longer visible from inside the ship, and the item now appears correctly when lowering the graphic settings.
The visual effects of the Radiant Comet Collector’s Figurehead now remain visible when viewed at a short distance.
Green smoke from the Checkmate Cannon Flare is no longer visible to players launched from the cannon.
‘Lords of the Sea’ – The Black Pearl now consistently appears with a golden glow at the end of the Tall Tale.
‘The Quest for Guybrush’ – Stan's voiceover should continue to be heard after being locked inside the wardrobe.
‘The Lair of LeChuck’ – Murray’s skeleton now appears correctly once his head is attached.
Text and Localisation
‘The Lair of LeChuck’ – Improvements made to the Quest Book to address overlapping text in French and Italian languages.
Improvements made to consistency in terminology across Simplified Chinese, Thai and Brazilian Portuguese languages.
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: 5.74 GB
Dark Fortress Raids now live!
Until February 20th (10am UTC), visit your Quest Table to undertake A Raid on a Dark Fortress, a ghost-busting Limited Voyage that leads to a more impressive loot haul than a standard Sea Fort.
Sea of Thieves Round-Up: January 2025
As the New Year celebrations finish winding down and we settle into the rhythm of determining what 2025 will bring to you all, it’s once again time for a round-up! January brought in a nice collection of goings-on, including a game update, an explosive Event and the conclusion to a sneaky competition. So let’s give it all a look…
Content Update
It was a banging start to 2025 in the content department, as a new live Event sent pirates off in search of Gunpowder Barrels for The Reaper’s Bones. Unique Limited Voyages led players to Skeleton Forts to uncover their perilous prizes, while the Servant of the Flame dished out increased rewards for barrels safely delivered. Getting them to The Reaper’s Hideout without incident, however, was no easy feat…
Once the debris from all that excitement had been cleared away, it was time to enter the final leg of Season 14 with the arrival of the January update. The major highlight was the long-awaited arrival of the Mimic Dart, which grants crafty blowpipe users the ability to masquerade as other pirates and skeletons. At the same time, improvements to the Grapple Gun made missing a shot just a touch more forgiving. And as always, you can read through the release notes for a full breakdown of all the tweaks and changes!
News and Features
As is becoming tradition, we kicked off the news machine for January with a new This Month article to outline everything you could expect from the month ahead – as always, a fine place to find out what’s on the schedule so that you can plan your Voyages accordingly.
Over in the world of Spotlights, we had one focusing on the artistic soul of Penguill, and another delving into the adventures of Stream Team stalwart Arrvocado! Give them a read if you want to know what some familiar faces in the community have been up to lately, or maybe just want some insight into one of those people who uses a computer mouse with their left hand. We like to cater to all readers here.
And speaking of what everyone’s been up to, January marked the conclusion to the Golden Scallywag Awards! After weeks of pirates sharing their sneakiest skulduggery, difficult decisions had to be made about which moments of mischief were most deserving of a prize – and the glory of a Scallywags win.
Elsewhere, a new tune emerged to add a touch of Siren spice to your Spotify playlists, while our friends at Yootooz had some time-limited merchandise for the animal lovers among you. Did you finally manage to get your hands on your very own Shrouded Ghost?
Videos and Streams
Down the corridor in the Tavern, Daryl started his 2025 shenanigans with the first Sea of Thieves News episode of the year. The Tavern was then taken over by Production Director and deliverer of technical news Drew for the latest Developer Update! Sadly no questionable wardrobe choices for this one, but plenty of info on the improvements being made to game performance.
Shortly after that it was time for the January update to get underway, and that meant the Video team had two more trailers to release before the month was out. First up was the update trailer, showcasing the aforementioned changes to the sandbox, before the Pirate Emporium unveiled what was in store for patrons this month. Truly a star-studded collection.
Slightly further afield, Steamforged Games had a handy video to share with all you boardgame fans out there: a playthrough of the official Sea of Thieves: Voyage of Legends game! If you’ve been toying with the idea of adding a new pirate experience to your gaming shelf, this offers up some useful insight. Just brace yourself for some banana slander in the first couple of minutes.
Social Channels
Naturally, the start of a new year meant that we began January with some lofty ideas about what we wanted to achieve over the next 12 months – some substantially loftier than others, it must be said – and risked trying out a new look while we did it. At the same time, an influx of fresh faces had us sharing as many tips for new pirates as we could think of, filled with advice for every situation. Every. Situation.
The conclusion of the Golden Scallywag Awards got us in the spirit of giving, so it only made sense to join in with the frosty Twitch Drops Festand hold two rounds of #SoTShot to hand out some more of those Golden Hour Sails. Initially we tested everyone’s ability to work together with a spot of Crew Bonding, before dispensing with the niceties and demanding you show us some cool Explosions. The Community Hub also saw a fresh round of fan creations, while on a more serious but no less exciting note, GameBlast25 opened its doors for sign-ups and saw Sea of Thieves streamers once again coming together to help raise money for SpecialEffect!
And so we arrive in February! Even though it’s the shortest month of the year, there’ll be plenty to report back the next time we convene for a round-up, so we’ll simply leave you with the usual rundown of all the places you can reach out to us to share your thoughts: Twitter/X, Bluesky, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Twitch, or via the official Forums and Discord. Until then, we have February mischief to be getting on with…
