Sea of Thieves News

[p]Welcome once again, pirates of costuming culture, to the latest instalment of #StyleOfThieves! The most chic community contest that strives to rinse every last drop from your pirate’s extra-dimensional storage spaces they’ve chosen to fill with jackets, hats, facial hair and body-altering Curses.[/p][p]So while you may have recently braved a tussle with the Eternal Guard, lifted Ancient relics from Molten Sands Fortress and you’ll soon begin your fight back against Flameheart’s Ashen Garrisons, this article is here to tell you when it’ll be time to strive for something truly illustrious: the Fashionista’s Finery Gloves! From March 9th–12th, we’ll once again open the catwalk to corsairs with an affection for attire, seeking surprising interpretations of this round’s themes and bestowing upon them the hand socks of success.
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For those who’ve been here before, the format is the same as usual: posts for this Season’s themes will appear on Sea of Thieves social media channels around 10am UTC on the dates specified below, and this will signal that the entry period for that theme is open. Pirates like you then share screenshots of your entries on your social media channel of choice, with the relevant information and a screenshot showing your pirate from their head to their toes, for our team to look at and consider. Your goal should be to dig deep into your cosmetic collections, finding combinations nobody else has considered to stand out from the crowd.[/p][p]Each theme will be open to entries for 24 hours, after which time our Community team will bake a series of pastries inspired by their favourite entries in every theme. The Art team will then be able to pinpoint the shortlist of chosen entries from the very specifically chosen flavours, leading to them select their 16 favourite entries, four from each theme, so that we can announce the winners on March 20th.[/p][p]Before we reveal the themes, we’d just like to reiterate that this contest remains quite popular, so please see it as an excuse to enjoy a spot of pirate dress-up inspiration more than anything else. Use it as a reason to flex your rarest cosmetics and see your scoundrel in a newer getup than usual, as well as enjoying the community’s interpretations of each theme. Even if you don’t win in this #StyleOfThieves contest, we hope everyone who takes part simply has a good time exploring the fun of fashion within Sea of Thieves, delving into all the cosmetics earned over their adventures.
[/p][p]Image credit: Banhosabado on Bluesky[/p][p][/p][p]And now that we’ve achieved the necessary measure of preamble, here are Season 18’s #StyleOfThieves themes:[/p][p][/p][h3]The Themes [/h3][p]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.[/p][p]Mythological
Find a fiction-based fit honouring the heroes, creatures and characters from your ancient (not those ones) story of choice!
Entry date: March 9th[/p][p]Fiery
Celebrate the Season’s push to Return to The Devil’s Roar with a sizzling style that suggests going anywhere near your boat would have combustible consequences.
Entry date: March 10th[/p][p]Minimalist
Do as much as possible with as little as possible in this tightrope walk of a theme.
Entry date: March 11th[/p][p]Insectoid
Conjure thoughts of the creepy crawlies that lurk in the dark places of the Sea of Thieves, until a tucker comes and scares them out.
Entry date: March 12th[/p][p]
Image credit: sobtheotter on Twitter/X[/p][p][/p][h3]How to Enter [/h3][p]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 navigate back to this previous Style of Thieves article – remembering of course that Season 18’s themes are the ones in this article, the link’s just there 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.[/p][p]As an additional stipulation to ensure a fair 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. If we spot cosmetics yet to appear in the retail build, your entry won’t be eligible.[/p][p]That’s enough words for this time, so we’ll say thank you to those who stuck through them, good luck to anyone walking the catwalk and do enjoy your next meal or snack, depending on when you’re reading this. It’ll be a tasty dinner for us, probably something fried again given that they still refuse to add ovens to our Sloop. Until March 9th–12th![/p][p][/p]

[p]As we committed to in last year’s inaugural Community Direct, we’re surveying players every Season to find out how you found its features, and where you’d like to see us do more. Season 17 was no exception, so we’re here to share with you the outcomes of our Big Listen survey for The Smugglers’ League.[/p][p]Before we get into the finer details, we want to say a huge thanks to everyone who’s participated in our recent surveys. We’re finding that these surveys provide really valuable signals for us to go and act upon – we know they’re not short, and we’re grateful to those of you who spend the time and energy to give us such comprehensive reads on where you’re at with Sea of Thieves.[/p][p]As with our last set of results, we discussed our findings at length on the latest episode of the Sea of Thieves Podcast – you can check that out over on YouTube (or any other reputable streaming service) to get a long-form look at our thoughts and feelings:
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However, for the short version – let’s get stuck in. [/p][p][/p][h3]Season 17 Headline Learnings [/h3][p]The overall player rating for Season 17 was 5.6 out of 10, vs Season 16’s 6.1 – so unfortunately, players found this Season’s offering 5% less satisfying than Season 16.[/p][p]This is in line with what we were anticipating; we announced the smuggling theme at the Xbox Summer Showcase to lukewarm reception, and can acknowledge that we struggled to win players over with the concept from there. Given that there were a couple of months between the initial announcement and release of the content, it’s fair to say that this sentiment felt prolonged too.[/p][p]The smuggling focus did lay some valuable groundwork for future events and features, with the upcoming Bilge Rat Weekender leveraging Smugglers’ Voyages, but we recognise that much of Season 17’s feature set did not resonate with you all.
[/p][h3] Season 17 Content Highlights[/h3][p]When it comes to what you enjoyed: Black Powder Barrels and Reaper Fortresses were the most popular features of the Season, scoring 4.1 and 4.2 out of 5 respectively. Improved weapon switching was third most enjoyed of the Season 17 feature set, and this has really highlighted the importance and impact of significant quality-of-life updates to our core community of players.[/p][p]With some other key quality-of-life improvements on the way – stay tuned to our Developer Update series for news on these – we feel good about revisiting hot topics and making features and tools more enjoyable with tweaks and twists.[/p][p]Least popular of Season 17 were the Smugglers’ Hideouts and the Smugglers’ Route Run Voyages, scoring 2.9 and 2.6 out of 5 respectively. We hear you, and with the introduction of the Bilge Rats Weekender, our new pirate festival, we really hope to revitalise player satisfaction with how some of these features feel.

[/p][h3]Game Health[/h3][p]Game health improved regarding cheating and toxicity by 1% – which is a small improvement, but importantly not a regression. Given some of the in-flight work we’ve got going on at the moment regarding Hourglass and cheating/toxicity prevention measures, we feel confident that future surveys are going to show this needle moving further in the right direction.[/p][p]As discussed on the podcast, we have a cross-discipline strike force working together to tackle player toxicity all up – and we look forward to sharing some of the insights and changes that come out of this new internal initiative to make our game a kinder, safer place to play.[/p][p][/p][h3]Live Events[/h3][p]Ghoul & Glory and Season 17 Community Weekend scored highly on our Event schedule portion of the survey, both scoring 3.7/5. We don’t want to rest on our laurels there though, and we have some changes coming to Community Weekend, where we plan to refresh the feature set and make sure it’s feeling as fun and as fresh as it did when we introduced it back in 2022.[/p][p]However, we’re really buoyed to know that years on, these events are still broadly hitting the mark on providing you with fun and worthwhile reasons to play Sea of Thieves.

[/p][h3]Future Content[/h3][p]There hasn’t been any major change to what you’d all like to see from us, with the top requests matching what we shared in Season 16’s Big Listen survey results.[/p][p]However, if you’re intrigued about what’s on the horizon, we have news! Our next Community Direct will air on March 30th as part of our broader Sea of Thieves eighth anniversary celebrations, and will provide a look at this year’s upcoming plans for Season 20 and beyond.[/p][p]We’re excited to be able to share this view on Sea of Thieves’ future; we know there’s been a lot of change in the winds lately, but we’re building towards a more meaningful, more sustainable roadmap that ensures we’re delivering content you enjoy, to a quality we’re proud of. More on that in March, when we unveil what’s next on the seas![/p]

[p]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…
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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.
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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…
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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!
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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).
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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.[/p][hr][/hr][p]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![/p]

[p]Update February 13th: Following the announcement that Ashen Garrisons aren’t quite ready to be stormed by pirate crews just yet, Act 3 of Season 18 has been pushed back two weeks to launch on March 5th. The accompanying Twitch Drops will also move by two weeks to start on March 6th; everything else on February’s schedule remains in place. Please bear these changes in mind when reading the article below![/p][hr][/hr][p]Original article: 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![/p][p]
‘The Eternal Guard’ Release – Monday, February 9th[/p][p]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.

[/p][p]Sea of Thieves Season 18: Act 3 – Thursday, February 19th (now delayed – see above)[/p][p]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.[/p][p]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![/p][p]
Pirate Emporium Delightful Discount Sale – Friday, February 20th – Wednesday, February 25th[/p][p]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 (now delayed – see above)[/p][p]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.[/p][p]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.[/p][p]
GameBlast26 – Friday, February 27th – Sunday, March 1st[/p][p]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.[/p][p]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![/p][p]
Gold & Glory Weekend – Friday, February 27th – Monday, March 2nd[/p][p]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.[/p][p]
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![/p]

[p]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[/p][p][/p][p][/p]