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Season Nine Community Weekend Kicks Off on September 30th

Hello, you beautiful buccaneers – and Happy Talk Like A Pirate Day! Given this most special of occasions, we thought it’d be piratically pertinent to share with you the details of our next Community Weekend. Previously Community Days, these have now doubled in length to make them twice as nice for everyone participating, thanks to the popularity of the bumper event we ran to celebrate our fifth anniversary.

Now, let’s get into the delightful details of what awaits all keen corsairs from September 30th to October 2nd – it’s set to be a jam-packed event!

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[h3]Living the Stream[/h3]
Item one on the agenda is how to increase the Community Emissary Grade, which takes on a brand new form for this Season’s Community Weekend. Whereas players could previously contribute to boosting the Grade by using the #SeaOfThievesCommunityDay tag on Twitter, this time the multiplier – and more – will be powered by how much time players spend watching the Sea of Thieves category on Twitch! That’s right: all you need to do to help raise the Grade is tune in to any of your favourite content creators within the Sea of Thieves category between 10am UTC on Saturday, September 30th and 10am UTC on Monday, October 2nd.

As the Community Emissary Grade rises, so will the multiplier on gold, reputation, Renown and Allegiance for all players, with the top Grade offering two-and-a-half times the reward for your work! For those of you still yet to hit level 100 Renown in Season Nine, this will be your chance to do it and make a pretty penny at the same time. And if you’re a few levels off scoring your first Hourglass-related Curse, the same applies – this weekend is the perfect opportunity to maximise your progress and earn some serious stonks.


Talking of streams, the Rare crew will be setting sail on the Saturday morning, live from the on-site tavern! Tankards will be raised, chaos will ensue, pirates will plunder and a gay old time will be had. Join the gang from 10am UTC on September 30th to kick off the event with a healthy dose of shenanigans. Every minute you spend watching will also work towards raising that Community Emissary Grade, and may even earn you some Twitch Drops at the same time. That’s very efficient viewing by any standard.

[h3]Top of the Drops[/h3]
Yes, tuning in to your favourite Sea of Thieves content creators (and of course us, on the Saturday morning) will also count towards unlocking a sweet suite of Drops for your own use! The Eastern Winds Ruby Sturdy Boots, Gilded Phoenix Cutlass, Eastern Winds Ruby Bejewelled Gloves and Gilded Phoenix Eye of Reach will all become available to claim as the weekend progresses, and all you need to do once each prize is up for grabs is watch any Twitch streamer in the Sea of Thieves category (not just Partners on this occasion) for a minimum of one hour per item.

Find out more about how Twitch Drops work on our dedicated page – where you can also make sure your Sea of Thieves and Twitch accounts are linked ahead of time so that you’re eligible for Drops!


We’ve also set a sneaky extra goal, which will bag you a bonus Drop should you collectively rise to the challenge. If you all manage to get Sea of Thieves into the top 10 categories (by highest number of viewers) on Twitch at any point during the weekend, a special Twitch Drop will be unlocked: the Obsidian Captain’s Rugs, equippable to any Captained ship! The Obsidian Ship’s Crest will also be unlocked for participating players if we hit that stretch goal, but awarded at a later date. So do your utmost during the event to unlock these super-swish items, not forgetting to make sure your accounts are linked before you get started!

[h3]Presenting: Pop-Up Plunder [/h3]
It’s not just the increased rewards and more Twitch Drops you stand to benefit from as you race through the different Community Emissary Grades. Every time the community collectively levels up, we’ll introduce a new piece of Pop-Up Plunder to every Sea of Thieves server. But what is Pop-Up Plunder, we hear you cry? Well, we can answer that right now: it’s a way for us to sneak terrific treasures into the world on the fly. And if you think that sounds cool, it’s because it is.

Every time Pop-Up Plunder becomes available, players will receive a notification in-game that fresh loot is live and that a clue regarding the whereabouts of the high-value haul has been released somewhere on Sea of Thieves’ official social media channels. There will only be one plunderous prize per server, and each will only be discoverable for an hour before it disappears – so you’ll have to be swift on social and on the seas to secure it.


Of course, there may be a certain amount of strife involved in retrieving these special stashes of loot. Once the Pop-Up Plunder has been dug up, a cheeky little map marker will appear for everyone else on the same server, just so they know the precious prize hasn’t been handed in yet and they can still steal it. If you’re thinking “well, that sounds dastardly” – you’re right. We designed it like that, because we are dastardly. You’re welcome.

But these spoils are worth fighting for: amongst the assortment of items that will be buried at random are packed Collector’s Chests, Chests of Legends, suites of Siren Gems and even Chests of Fortune, so this is a spicy game of loot roulette that stands to earn you scores of cold, hard gold.

Even after the community have hit Grade Five, we’ll continue to periodically drop Pop-Up Plunder into the world until the end of the event. The majority of this loot will be random, with the only guaranteed Pop-Up Plunder item being Grade Five’s first treasure, which you’ll all recognise as an item particularly rare and Wondrous. Of course, these ultra-rare treasures can only be handed in at certain spots, so you may have to run a daunting oceanic gauntlet to cash in your prize…


[h3]Our Onus Is on Bonuses[/h3]
This Community Weekend won’t just be about precarious pillaging of Pop-Up Plunder – there’s plenty on offer for those who just want to enjoy the good vibes and score some free stuff. As is customary, the glorious Season Nine Community Weekend flag, this time in regal tones of purple and gold, will magic its way into the Flag Box of anyone logging in over the event period.

There’s also very good news if you’re a fan of fondling foliage, as the Touch Grass Emote will be free to anyone logging in too! While we don’t actually want you to touch any grass during the event – ideally, we want you playing and watching Sea of Thieves – we figured it’d come in handy for those moments of heightened emotion where you feel like it could be refreshing to remind yourself of your roots.

And where better to show off your new emote than in front of a stunning Community Weekend-themed picture wall? Following its popularity on our Fifth Anniversary Community Weekend, we’re bringing picture walls back to the Sea of Thieves – but this time at every Outpost, so you won’t need to trek to Port Merrick to snap your perfect selfie. They’ll also boast a flag that represents the Community Emissary Grade at any given time, so you’ll know how at a glance how Grade progression is going. We’ve even managed to squeeze in a functional grog barrel at the scene, so pirates won’t have to travel far for a celebratory beverage. Cheers to that!


If you want to literally fly the Season Nine Community Weekend flag at home, you’re in luck – a time-limited flag and T-shirt will be heading to the Rare merchandise store for the duration of Community Weekend. And if you’re looking for an excuse to pick up additional pirate goodies at a bargain price, the discount code SOTCOMMUNITYWEEKEND will knock 30% off the cost of most Sea of Thieves swag in that very same store, so it’s worth browsing the digital aisles now to see if there are any cute items you’d like to earmark for the occasion.

[h3]Hats Amore[/h3]
Even though Twitter will no longer power our Community Emissary Grade, we’ll still have a big focus on the #SeaOfThievesCommunityWeekend hashtag for fun stories and stunning screenshots, artwork and gameplay clips – so please do spend some time sharing good vibes on all your usual social media profiles. Our Community team will be captaining the channels all throughout the weekend, ready to share our favourite posts!

These events have always served as a super opportunity to spotlight some of our community MVPs, celebrating amazing players, artists, creators and general good eggs. So if you think either you or one of your crewmates deserves fame and a particularly fetching hat, look no further as our #BeMorePirate drive returns for Season Nine Community Weekend.

We’ll be scouring channels and the #BeMorePirate tag for amazing Sea of Thieves stories and creations, from now until the end of the event. Worthy winners will be awarded the Hat of Unfeasibly Glorious Fame, so get your submissions in soon to see if your antics warrant your pirate’s bonce being crowned with such a special bonnet.


[h3]Glove in the First Degree[/h3]
Fashion-focused freebooters, you’re also in luck – it’s time to return to the catwalk for a bonus round of #StyleOfThieves! With just one category to dress for this time, we’re calling your whole crew into the spotlight for the theme of Crew Couture. Show off your cohesive looks or represent your roles on the ship with a screenshot, and you and up to three crewmates could each win a set of Fashionista’s Finery Gloves!

Submissions will open at 10am UTC on October 1st and run for just 24 hours, with the four winning crews being revealed by October 6th. To enter, just post your screenshot during the submission window using #StyleOfThieves and the theme title on X/Twitter, Instagram or our official Discord server via the Pirate Fashion channel, or reply to the #StyleOfThieves post on Facebook.

[h3]Herd Community[/h3]
That’s all you need to know! But the most important thing to do in preparation for Season Nine Community Day is to contact your crew – or, if you’re a lone wolf, mark some time in your diary for a serious bit of solo Sloopin’. Check your Reputation tabs, your Commendations and our Outpost stock to see what sort of targets you can set your sights on, and plot a course for adventure alongside all our other wonderful pirates in this latest celebration of Sea of Thieves’ super community! We can’t wait to see you on the seas.

Sea of Thieves Round-Up: August 2023

It’s already been an entire month (and a bit) since we cast off our moorings and set sail into a sweltering August, if you can believe that. And there were a great many happenings in different corners of the sea throughout the month, so as always we wanted to drop by with a rundown of everything you might have missed. Ready? Well then, let’s go!

[h3]Content Update[/h3]
August’s biggest update didn’t arrive until its very last day, but there was plenty to enjoy before that. Following a hotfix to iron out a handful of issues early in the month, we were all systems go on a shining Gold & Glory Weekend to give everyone a chance to make a name for themselves and pad out their treasuries with increased rewards. If you were a few coins short of your next purchase, it was an ideal time to get sailing!

Then it was time for the big one: the second chapter of The Legend of Monkey Island. A month after players first jumped at the chance to sail to Mêlée Island’s shores, they were back once again at Corina’s behest, setting out to break Guybrush’s curse and rescue him from LeChuck’s sinister plans in ‘The Quest for Guybrush’. For more information on this latest Tall Tale, and everything else that was bundled in with the new update – including a second wave of themed Pirate Emporium cosmetics – our elegantly streamlined set of August release notes is the place to go.

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[h3]News and Features[/h3]
After our conversations with Spiffy in ‘The Journey to Mêlée Island’, we got to thinking about the multitude of animal companions that accompany pirates across the Sea of Thieves. To dig into the origins of the more curious creatures, we sat down with some Collector’s Pet creators in our latest From Concept to Cosmetic article. Which was the hardest pet to get into the game? Where did the idea of the Chocolatier’s Companion pets come from? Will there ever be a Collector’s Pet fox? Find out now!

Over in the community, we had two new Spotlights for you to enjoy: a Creator Spotlight on Flameheart fan AShinyRay, delving into his history on YouTube and a mortifying milk-related disaster, followed by a Community Spotlight with Woodrow Jenkins to find out more about his extensive and decorated career as a pirate.

August’s addition to our ever-expanding streamable soundtrack was ‘Ramsey’s Regret’, while there was exciting news for fans of a more traditional form of gaming as the Sea of Thieves board game was released! Inspired by the Sea of Thieves we all know and love, Voyage of Legends offers a new way to live out your dreams of becoming a fearsome Pirate Legend. Or at least it will if the dice land in your favour.


[h3]Videos and Streams[/h3]
A new month meant, of course, a new instalment of Sea of Thieves News, with Daryl dropping by the Tavern to share sneak peeks at upcoming content. If you have any questions about what to expect in the next few weeks, SoT News is a good bet (until September’s edition arrives).

Then came the most awaited video release of the month: the launch trailer for the second Tall Tale in The Legend of Monkey Island! This tantalising teaser offered players their first glimpse at the journey awaiting them in ‘The Quest for Guybrush’, from a new approach to sword fighting to a lovely trip to the circus for the whole crew.

At the same time, a special Pirate Emporium video showcased the new stock delivered to Outpost shops with August’s update, allowing you to do such things as transform your vessel into the image of the legendary Mad Monkey or acquire a spiffing companion of your very own.

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[h3]Social Channels[/h3]
With sunny skies and summer blockbusters welcoming us to August, we kicked off the month by revealing a new career direction and finding out who among you are true Sea of Thieves fans. Even a few unfortunate mishaps during Gold & Glory Weekend and some Sloop slander weren’t enough to dampen our spirits. Meanwhile, the regular #SundayVibes and #TriviaTuesday offerings kept the focus on the latest Tall Tales…

Community creativity was, as ever, tremendous. Alongside our usual two Community Hub updates, players spent the first half of the month putting their heads together to think up some brilliant Puzzling Pirates screenshots for our latest #SoTShot competition. One fishy fan creation even got a tour of the Rare studio and a chance to share some suggestions. Whether or not we’ll take #MegsWithLegs on board remains to be seen…

Moving into the end of the month, we had a couple of discussions about a variety of coloured flags, wrote poetry and confronted some intrusive thoughts. After a collective effort to rename one of the sea’s many islands, we finished the month by trading good-natured insults to make sure we were suitably prepared for our trip back to Mêlée Island. Calling someone a dairy farmer is only going to get you so far, after all.


Which just about wraps things up for August! Got any good jibes of your own? Feel free to share, preferably in a separate message to any other feedback you might have, on all our usual channels including X-Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube or Twitch, or the official Forums or Discord. For now though, Corina’s calling and we’ve got a Guybrush to save – see you next time!

[hr][/hr]
[h3]Previously in 2023:[/h3]
Sea of Thieves Round-Up: July 2023 Sea of Thieves Round-Up: June 2023 Sea of Thieves Round-Up: May 2023 Sea of Thieves Round-Up: April 2023 Sea of Thieves Round-Up: March 2023 Sea of Thieves Round-Up: February 2023 Sea of Thieves Round-Up: January 2023

Sea of Thieves Release Notes - Hotfix 2.8.5.1

[h3]Fixed Issues[/h3]
Gameplay
  • Pirates entering the water or setting foot on islands should no longer find themselves set upon by emergent threats so quickly. Lingering in the water and sauntering around islands will still result in an ambush sooner or later, but not at the same frequency as before.
‘The Quest for Guybrush’
  • After returning from the Sea of the Damned, pirates who drop treasure overboard will no longer find the items returned to their ship.
Visual and Audio
  • The Flaming Jackal Compass now points pirates in the correct direction!

[h3]Known Issues[/h3]
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.


[h3]Full Release Notes[/h3]
These release notes cover a hotfix. For full details on recently added game features, see the release notes on our latest content update.


[h3]Download and Installation[/h3]
Download Size:
  • Steam: 5.7 GB

The Legend of Monkey Island Continues with ‘The Quest for Guybrush’

Mêlée Island has need of you once again! It’s time to return to Sea of Thieves: The Legend of Monkey Island, an incredible crossover that kicked off in July, beginning a journey to reunite players with the legendary Guybrush Threepwood and defeat the villainous Captain LeChuck – all within the world of Sea of Thieves. Today sees the arrival of the second Tall Tale in the trilogy, promising a wave of new excitement and experiences…

[h3]The Tale So Far [/h3]
Players were granted their first foray into this new playground last month in the opening Tall Tale, ‘The Journey to Mêlée Island’. In this initial adventure, taking place deep within the Sea of the Damned, players were introduced to a distorted reflection of the classic Mêlée Island.

With an ominous fog covering much of the island and Guybrush Threepwood installed in the unlikely position of Governor, it was up to players to get to the bottom of things. By working their way through puzzles, befriending locals with small acts of service and finding enough coins to pay their way when they couldn’t, the story gradually took shape.

Eventually, an audience was obtained with the esteemed Governor Guybrush, followed by a fierce battle with the ghost pirate minions of Captain LeChuck and – for pirates who emerged victorious – a final stop with Corina at the International House of Mojo.

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[h3]Explore New Mechanics[/h3]
Now the time has come to continue the adventure! Having received word that Corina has found a way to break the spell and free Guybrush from his delusion, Captain Kate is recruiting pirates to carry out the plan. To craft the cure, you’ll need to journey back to Mêlée Island in search of three symbols of true pirate courage. They can only be obtained by the fiercest and most cunning of pirates, so keep your wits about you as you uncover more of the island and its cast of inhabitants.

Packed with new places and faces, ‘The Quest for Guybrush’ offers a major expansion on everything you’ve seen before. This Tall Tale will ask you to master Insult Sword Fighting, confront The Beast, return to your treasure-seeking pirate roots and much more. Expect a host of fresh surprises for long-time and new fans of Monkey Island alike throughout this uproarious new chapter of the story.

As before, you’ll be able to work your way through the Tall Tale alone or in a crew, in an isolated map so you’re free to take your time without engaging with other crews. And with the full expanse of Mêlée Island at your feet, there’s plenty to explore!

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[h3]Iconic Outfits [/h3]
Of course, an important part of any pirate’s adventure is being able to dress the part, which is where the Pirate Emporium’s accompanying wave of Monkey Island-inspired cosmetics come in.

With the Mad Monkey ship set, you’ll be able to model your vessel on an infamous Caribbean shipwreck. Fortunately, the design isn’t necessarily a sign that your ship will share the same fate – and to make sure of it, you can supplement your sidearms and guard your loot with the matching Mad Monkey weapons.

In the wardrobe department, the Guybrush Costume Set finally lets you dress up as your favourite mighty pirate, while the Elaine Costume Set offers a chance to emulate the celebrated former Governor. Alternatively, accomplished duellists might prefer the Carla Costume Set, paying tribute to the legendary Sword Master of Mêlée Island.

So, ready to take on the next Tall Tale? Guybrush has need of you, and Mêlée Island isn’t about to save itself. ‘The Quest for Guybrush’ Tall Tale is free for all Sea of Thieves players and available now, so make your preparations, pack your best insults and drop by Capsize Charters to get started...

© 2023 MICROSOFT. © & ™ LUCASFILM LTD.

Sea of Thieves Release Notes - 2.8.5

[h3]The Legend of Monkey Island[/h3]
Voyage deep into the Caribbean with Sea of Thieves: The Legend of Monkey Island – an original story told across three Tall Tales and a hilarious, heartfelt love letter to the iconic Monkey Island game series. The first two instalments are available now!

‘The Quest for Guybrush’
  • Guybrush has been imprisoned in a dream-world by his old nemesis, LeChuck, and now believes himself to be the mightiest pirate who ever cruised the Caribbean. The only way for crews to convince him otherwise is to undertake three Legendary Trials spread far and wide across Mêlée Island. If you don’t succeed, Guybrush may never be freed...
  • New Commendations, achievements and rewards have been added with this update, marking your progress as you make your way through ‘The Quest for Guybrush’ Tall Tale.
  • To find out much more, head to our dedicated page on The Legend of Monkey Island.

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[h3]Pirate Emporium[/h3]
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 page to find out more about the latest arrivals.

New Items – Now in Stock!
  • Mad Monkey Ship Collection
  • Mad Monkey Ship’s Crest
  • Mad Monkey Weapon Bundle
  • Mad Monkey Concertina
  • Guybrush Costume Set
  • Elaine Costume Set
  • Carla Costume Set
  • Spiffy Pet
  • Paradise Garden Cutlass (free!)
  • Sea of Sands Sailor Bundle (Steam Store)

[h3]Outpost Cosmetics [/h3]
New Outpost Stock
  • The Outpost weaponsmiths and clothing shops have received a shipment of new items in the Ashen Dragon set. An expanded range of clothing items can now be purchased along with the Heavy Sword and Rapier, all available for gold.
  • Pirates can also pick up the fetching Ponytail Hair and Silver Beaded Moustache from the clothing shops.
  • Plucky pirates can also purchase the Lucky Hand Wheel, Pistol, Shovel and Fishing Rod from the appropriate shops!
  • The ferocious Flaming Jackal set has also been expanded, with equipment and weapons now available from Outpost shops.
Season Two Legacy Cosmetics
  • Cosmetics previously available during Season Two have now arrived in Outpost shops and can be yours in exchange for Doubloons!
  • Pirates can purchase the Lucky Hand clothing set, along with a range of unique one-off items that were available during this Season. Pirate Legends can also purchase the Athena’s Might Cutlass and Shackled Phantom Hull.
  • The time-limited Ocean Deep items, however, remain exclusive to players who participated in Season Two.
Refreshed Emissary Ledger Rewards
  • Representing the Gold Hoarders in their Emissary Ledger can now earn players the Tribute Peak Spyglass and Bucket.
  • Players seeking out the secrets of the Order of Souls can earn the Relic of Darkness Spyglass and Bucket.
  • The Merchant Alliance honour their high-performing Ledger representatives with the Merchant Ambassador Spyglass and Bucket.
  • Flying the flag of The Reaper’s Bones and earning a high rank in their Ledger can earn players the Masked Renegade Spyglass and Bucket.
  • Legendary pirates representing Athena’s Fortune in their Ledger can earn the Magpie’s Glory Spyglass and Bucket to show their allegiance to the Pirate Lord.

[h3]Accessibility [/h3]
Aiming Accessibility Improvements
  • Within the Audio settings, players now have access to a new setting to aid them in combat with subtle audio cues. This setting is off by default, but when enabled, players aiming their weapon at an opposing crew member or enemy threat will hear an audio cue to help guide their shots.
Zipline Accessibility
  • Following the introduction of ziplines to help pirates navigate Mêlée Island, a new accessibility setting has been added to reduce camera sway while riding.

[h3]Fixed Issues[/h3]
Gameplay
  • Pirates jumping and grabbing a ladder at the top will now smoothly climb the last step and ascend more quickly.
  • Players who join the game on a crew actively taking part in a Skeleton Fleet encounter may now find they initially appear on the Ferry of the Damned before arriving on their ship.
  • The Legend of the Veil Quest Book can now be stashed within the Quest Radial.
  • Pondies can no longer be caught around Port Merrick.
‘The Journey to Mêlée Island’
  • Pirates are prevented from accessing off-limits areas of Mêlée Island while progressing through this Tall Tale.
  • Pirates are prevented from inspecting the Citizen’s wares while handing in items to prevent overlapping dialogue.
  • The Clock Tower is now set to the correct time when starting the Tall Tale from a checkpoint.
  • When the objects blocking the mansion door are removed, they will now be visually removed for all crew members.
  • Pirates will no longer become stuck in the ground at Lookout Point when attempting to jump into the mist.
  • Pirates’ movement will no longer feel buffered when walking over rocks near the mansion.
  • The liquid in Corina’s pot now moves as intended.
  • The History Book has now been repositioned on its stand.
Captains of Adventure
  • Placing a Storage Crate in front of a shipwright will no longer allow Captains to bypass the limit on how many provisions can be purchased.
  • Pirates being harpooned away during a transaction with the shipwright will no longer enable the provision purchase limit to be bypassed.
Visual and Audio
  • Players will no longer hear their own text chat messages audibly spoken by other players who are using Text to Speech.
  • Hendrick’s appearance is now consistently correct during a Lost Shipments Voyage.
  • When a fishing rod is equipped in the Tunnels of the Damned, the float and line no longer disappear.
  • Snakes will no longer appear to turn away from the player when being charmed.
Environment
  • Players can now easily speak to the Pirate Lord in the Pirate Legend Hideout.
  • Further improvements have been made to remove areas where pirates can push through the environment into the sea within the Pirate Legend Hideout.
  • Pirates can no longer intersect with palm trees at Port Merrick.
  • Pirates should no longer encounter an invisible wall when walking around Ancient Spire Outpost.
  • Pirates are no longer able to push themselves under the environment by swimming into rocks at Plunder Outpost.
  • Pirates are no longer able to walk through a stone wall in the closed Rowboat dock at Mercy’s End Fortress.
  • Ship Trinkets on the souvenir wall in the Pirate Legend Hideout no longer have the same sail pattern.
Text and Localisation
  • Article Two of the Pirate Code hanging at the Outposts now consistently shows as “The Sea Unites Us as One Community” in all locations.
  • Coral Artefacts now show the correct names on notifications when handed in to The Reaper’s Bones.
Performance and Stability
  • Improvements made to initial loading times when launching the game.
  • Ongoing improvements made to server stability to reduce instances where players are disconnected from their session.

[h3]Known Issues[/h3]
To learn more about known issues in Sea of Thieves currently being tracked and their status, head over to our Known Issues support site.

[h3]Download and Installation[/h3]
Download Size:
  • Steam: 7.93 GB