Sea of Thieves News

Deep below the surface of the Sea of Thieves, the coral-crusted Sunken Kingdom has always been a place of mystery and wonder – not to mention great dangers. September’s time-limited Adventure, ‘The Sirens’ Prize’, will challenge players to navigate its undersea labyrinths and treacherous shipwreck spires in search of stolen treasures.

The object of your quest: three Ancient artefacts required for a mysterious ritual that will empower the Pirate Lord’s allies to stand their ground in the face of an upcoming resurrection. These relics were claimed by the Sirens as trophies long ago, and will be jealously guarded against any intruders from the surface world. Fortunately, this is not a journey you’ll need to undertake alone...




[h3]Sink Your Watches[/h3]
Whispers of strange sightings at Plunder Valley stretch far beyond mere rumours. Representatives of the Ancients, who inhabited the Sea of Thieves countless generations ago and whose influence can still be felt today thanks to their many ruins, traps and curses, have recently begun to take an interest in the affairs of their former homestead. For the first time in untold years, they are making their presence known.

Pirate Legends who’ve conquered the Legend of the Veil Voyage will already know that the Ancients can be formidable fighters. In ‘The Sirens’ Prize’, crews with enquiring minds (and a talent for holding their breath) will get the chance to spend more time in the Ancients’ company, learning much about their motives and the eventual fate of a truly enigmatic society.

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[h3]Assembled the Rite Way[/h3]
Once your foray into aquatic archaeology has been completed, the stage will be set for a ritual high atop a stormy cliffside, reuniting the treasures at last. This supernatural spectacular will light up the horizon and is bound to attract attention from Flameheart’s followers, along with anyone else who’d rather see the Pirate Lord remain an underdog in the battles to come.

If you’re new to this continuing conflict between the allies of Athena’s Fortune and those who serve The Reaper’s Bones, fear not – the latest in our series of Adventures Ahead articles will bring you up to speed on a story that most recently detoured into the Sea of the Damned. Once you’re in the know, you’ll be more than ready to plunge into ‘The Sirens’ Prize’ by speaking to Larinna at any point between now and September 29. The Sirens are waiting for you...




[h3]Find Out More[/h3]
For more information on the latest Sea of Thieves update, including full release notes, visit the Sea of Thieves website. This update is available for free to all Sea of Thieves players who have bought the game 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. Learn more about Sea of Thieves here, or join the ongoing adventure at www.seaofthieves.com where you can embark on an epic journey with one of gaming’s most welcoming communities!

As Season Seven continues, the team have been working on the next time-limited Adventure along with additional fixes based on feedback from the community. We’re introducing more of this content to the game in today’s release, update 2.6.1.1.

For more information on all the new content that arrived in Season Seven, check out the launch release notes!

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[h3]Adventures[/h3]
Merrick may be free from the Dark Brethren, but other threats persist across the Sea of Thieves – and Belle has now made a deeply unsettling discovery. Time to venture beneath the waves in search of Ancient Treasures in this seventh time-limited Adventure!

‘The Sirens’ Prize’ (September 15th – September 29th)

• Belle has been on the trail of a particularly disturbing rumour, and has unearthed information about an approaching “Time of Resurrection”.
  
• Fearing the worst, she decides new alliances must be made and sets a plan in motion – a plan that will once again require the most fearless pirates to join her cause.
  
• Speak to Larinna to begin this new Adventure, before heading to meet Belle at Plunder Valley. Then prepare for an undersea journey through well-defended Siren Shrines, seeking invaluable artefacts from an age long gone...
  
• Pirates who fully complete this Adventure will earn an exclusive Title and a cosmetic reward to serve as a Memento of their quest.

[h3]Fixed Issues
[/h3]

Captains of Adventure Milestones

• Players reaching Class 50 in any Pirate Alignment will now unlock the achievement entitled A Professional Pirate. Players who had already reached Class 50 in an Alignment prior to this update will just need to raise the Class again to trigger the achievement.
  
• Players reaching Class 50 in any Ship Alignment will now unlock the achievement entitled A Seasoned Ship. Players who had already reached Class 50 in an Alignment prior to this update will just need to raise the Class again to trigger the achievement.

Pirate Emporium

• When browsing the Pirate Emporium, the Mandrake Costume now shows the correct artwork.

[h3]Known Issues
[/h3]

Legend of the Veil Shipwreck Graveyards Temporarily Disabled

• Following reports of server instability and potential economy impact, crews taking on a Legend of the Veil Voyage will temporarily no longer find themselves directed to a Shipwreck Graveyard as part of their Voyage. The team are working on a resolution and intend to return this experience in a future update.

Saved Ship Customisations Not Persisting

• Captains may find that saved customisations such as ship liveries and decorations do not always persist between sessions.

Reduced Server Performance

• Players may experience scenarios where they encounter ping spikes at random while playing, resulting in rubberbanding or client stutters. While improvements were most recently released in update 2.5.3, the team continue to work on further improvements for future updates.

Ranged and Melee Weapon Hit Detection

• In areas of intense action, players may find themselves firing shots or landing strikes that do not cause damage to their targets. While small improvements continue to be delivered during our regular updates, we are continuing to investigate and identify further improvements to the player combat experience.

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.


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[h3]Download and Installation[/h3]

Download size:

• Steam: 4.05 GB

The cannons have silenced, the portals have closed and the Veil of the Ancients has once again been hidden away. Thanks to the valiant efforts of pirate crews willing to venture into the Sea of the Damned and save Merrick, the Dark Brethren have been routed and their plans left in disarray.

Belle insists that Merrick knows more than even he realises, and while it’s still not clear what information the Brethren hoped to gain from their pugnacious prisoner, his interrogation appears to have been interrupted just in time. But where does all this leave our luckless Hunter – and who else might have taken advantage of recent events to further their own schemes?

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[h3]Shark Tales
[/h3]
Merrick’s more familiar than most with the many perils of the pirate’s life, having lost several limbs in a mighty battle against a terrifying Megalodon aboard his ship, the Killer Whale. (His eye, conversely, was claimed by a particularly aggressive parrot, but that’s not a story he tells as often.)

This reckless streak caused no end of domestic strain between Merrick, his spouse Serik and their extended family, but reconciliation proved possible when Merrick settled down at a Seapost to represent The Hunter’s Call and live out the rest of his days as an unassuming trader. At least until Belle came calling…

Time spent sailing alongside the old salt during the events of ‘The Shrouded Deep’ has convinced Belle that Merrick either knows, or gleaned from their conversations, more than he should. It was certainly knowledge worth killing for, as the Dark Brethren tasked Amaranta with ending Merrick’s life and casting him to the Sea of the Damned, where her cohorts were waiting to ensnare him.




[h3]Bar Brawling[/h3]
Unwilling to let Merrick’s secrets fall into the wrong ears, the Pirate Lord was convinced to make use of the Veil of the Ancients – a powerful relic that Merrick himself had helped to recover. With it, he opened passage into the Sea of the Damned, allowing courageous crews to set sail and lay siege to the Dark Brethren’s new hideout: a warped and twisted manifestation of the Sea Dog Tavern laced with devious mechanisms. It’s never been harder to order a grog.

By taking control of nearby beacons and using them to light a path, Merrick’s benefactors made it to the summit and forced a frustrated Warsmith to withdraw empty-handed. Yet with her parting shot, she swore that the Brethren would torment Merrick and his loved ones for as long as he lived. So for his family’s sake, Merrick decided not to board the Ferry of the Damned and regain his flesh-and-blood form, choosing to shun the mortal coil and leave his family behind.

Taking pity, the Pirate Lord has since arranged accommodation for the spectral Merrick that keeps him well out of harm’s way – although, so far as the larger Sea of Thieves is concerned, the forsaken fisherman never did make it home. One question remains, however: where, in the midst of this daring rescue and its bittersweet aftermath, was Belle herself?




[h3]Alarmed Belle
[/h3]
Some insight into that lingering conundrum is offered by ‘The Sirens’ Prize’ cinematic trailer, which suggests Belle’s attention has been occupied by a different danger altogether. The Dark Brethren are not the only group plotting to shape the seas to their own liking, and while the Pirate Lord’s allies have been locking horns with the Warsmith, foes like Captain Flameheart have been able to advance their plans without hindrance.

Caution and suspicion led Belle to place Merrick’s safety in pirate hands, and guided her to a tome which alluded to an approaching ‘Time of Resurrection’. Even the threat of such an event taking place was more than enough to send Belle plunging below the waves in search of aid – though who exactly she intends on seeking help from, and what the cost might be, remains to be seen.

With a portentous prophecy now looming over the Sea of Thieves, and whispers of Heralds and rituals beginning to circulate, it can only be a matter of time before pirates find themselves embroiled in more intrigue ahead of a brewing confrontation… one that fate itself seems to have declared inevitable.

You’ll be able to dive into the next chapter of our ongoing story when ‘The Sirens’ Prize’ launches on September 15th, with your window of opportunity lasting until September 29th. Mystery and history await, but be on your guard – on the Sea of Thieves, it can be difficult to forge alliances without also making enemies…

[hr][/hr]
[h3]Previously: [/h3]
Adventures Ahead: ‘A Hunter’s Cry’ Adventures Ahead: ‘The Forsaken Hunter’ Adventures Ahead: ‘Lost Sands’ Adventures Ahead: ‘The Shrouded Deep’ Adventures Ahead: ‘Forts of the Forgotten’ Adventures Ahead: ‘Shrouded Islands’

Another Season! Sunny number Seven took its time in arriving, but when it did it was a big one, delivering on the Captaincy fantasy that many players have been holding out for since launch. Whether you've been finding your favourite Trinkets or pursuing other achievements in our humble pirate game, we hope you've been doing it with commitment, charisma and only the classiest of ship names announcing your approach.

[h3]Content Update[/h3]
The Season Seven update made landfall on August 4th, making possible all the perks of Captaincy including Ship's Crests and interior customisation, Captain's Voyages, Logbooks, Milestones, the services of the newly arrived Sovereigns and plenty more. The release notes in all their scrolltastic detail can fill you in on the whole deal, along with new features outside the Captaincy feature set (like the portable stools which arguably deserved to headline a Season of their own).

But lore waits for no pirate, and the sixth time-limited Adventure 'A Hunter's Cry' soon swooped in to span the second half of the month, sending pirates on a smash-and-grab mission into the Sea of the Damned to disrespect the Dark Brethren and bring back Merrick. Which sort of worked out for him in the end, especially after some mid-Adventure tweaks to smooth the way for his would-be rescuers.

At the same time, developments in the Mystery of DeMarco's death were gathering speed, with clues from a wrecked ship seeming to point the finger at a shocking suspect, before a series of visions retrieved from skulls brought about another twist in the tale – so how much of the story that pirates have been told is really true? Find out soon as the final revelations unfold...

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[h3]News and Features
[/h3]
News stories naturally followed a similar pattern throughout August: the Season Seven launch article and Xbox Wire post at the start of the month, then the Adventures Ahead article setting the scene for 'A Hunter's Cry' and a Wire post of its own on launch day. A thoughtful feedback-driven rebalancing of Milestones also earned its own article in the week after launch.

But the real world also began to rudely interrupt in August as in-person gaming events picked up pace again, with a Sea of Thieves contingent setting sail (they may have actually flown but that's less on-brand) to Germany for Gamescom 2022. There was a formal schedule and everything, and many photos were taken for your entertainment. We even had bespoke T-shirt designs made for the crew and for anyone else to order if they fancied one for themselves.

To accentuate enjoyment of the game in other ways, the second Sea of Thieves novel Heart of Fire settled onto slightly scorched shelves at last, more music from the game was released in the form of 'Captains of Adventure: Sunrise', and Fangamer also magicked up some new piratey finery. Plus there was a trio of new Spotlight articles inviting you to meet more of your fellow seafarers: artsy meme queen Nomezilla, story-loving Spanish streamer NateaCuiki and long-time community legend Sir Lotus.




[h3]Videos and Streams
[/h3]
A busy month for the Video team, from the Season Seven trailer on the 1st all the way through to the latest episode of Sea of Thieves News on the 31st – a feast for lovers of foxes, folios (well, novels) and Adventure announcements. Between those two dates we took the traditional Deep Dive into the features boasted by a brand new Season, delivered brooding cinematic and rousing launch trailers for August's own Adventure, and stoked the arcane apparatus of Twitch Drops to offer free cosmetics to stream viewers not once but twice.

Video releases were our main export from Gamescom too, with plans to record an 'on location' edition of the official podcast brought about in the merciful shade of a Cologne bridge, hot on the heels of a live show floor panel appearance the day before. Dip in to either of those to find out how the team felt to be back at a live event for the first time since 2019, hear them try to succinctly sum up what's happened in the last three years and get some insights into the future of our story-driven Adventures…

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[h3]Social Channels[/h3]
Sea of Thieves' social channels are a bounteous blend of things in the opening weeks of a new Season: callouts of new features and how they work (like Milestones, Alignments and Logbooks), behind-the-scenes material (including concept art) and bonus bits of lore (like Mollie's thoughts on the Sovereigns), and serious to semi-serious tools for maximising enjoyment of everything that's new (like stream overlays and a ship name generator).

But that doesn't mean the usual antics have to be taken out of play, as our Community Hub recognised two new batches of special Hat recipients in August, while #SoTShot contests gave us worthy sets of winners on the Going Underground theme before teeing up a new contest on the theme of Captaincy. The regular #TriviaTuesday, #SundayVibes and #SoTGear tags also revelled in all the new content… and yes, of course we mined Captaincy's features for a colourful array of occasion-based memes. Hitting half a million Twitter followers also let us mark a tidy little milestone of our own.




And you're up to date! Now stay true to your Captaincy journey under the changeable skies of autumn, and this time next month we'll take a look back at what came sweeping in during September, including the next phase of Adventures and Belle's ongoing love of rituals. Or you can get updates more regularly than once a month by following Sea of Thieves on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube or Twitch, or by mingling in the Forums or Discord. Go on, mingle like nobody's watching. You're a Captain now, who's going to stop you?

[hr][/hr]
Previously in 2022:

Sea of Thieves Round-Up: July 2022 Sea of Thieves Round-Up: June 2022 Sea of Thieves Round-Up: May 2022 Sea of Thieves Round-Up: April 2022 Sea of Thieves Round-Up: March 2022 Sea of Thieves Round-Up: February 2022 Sea of Thieves Round-Up: January 2022

It’s time to suit up and get ready for the first Style of Thieves Seasonal competition with our handy rundown of everything you need to know. Read on to find out when you can enter, what the first set of themes will be and how to cast your vote. Plus we have some top tips on taking the best screenshot that might just help you win some fancy new gloves!

[h3]How It Works
[/h3]

The contest will run in three phases:

Theme Announcement

Each Season, we'll unveil four themes to inspire your outfit choices. We recommend getting started as soon as the categories are announced, since you won't have long to send us your screenshots! To pick an outfit you can contemplate your current clothing collection, raid the equipment shop or work through Renown levels ahead of each submission date so you're ready to snap and send when the time comes.

Get Your Photos In!

Each theme will have its own set submission day to enter, giving you 24 hours to ensure you share your screenshot using @SeaOfThieves and #StyleOfThieves on Twitter, Instagram or Facebook, or through the pirate-fashion channel in the official Sea of Thieves Discord. Be sure to include the name of the theme you’re entering in your post.

Some rules and tips for composing the perfect shot:

• No all-in-one Costumes on the catwalk – we want to see your creativity and individuality.
  
• Unless a theme calls for it, all shots should be solo snaps, not crews. Additionally, only the pirate in the picture will be eligible for the prize.
  
• Find a simple or plain background to pose against, let your outfit pop!
  
• Toggle off your HUD for that clean finish.
  
• Keep your screenshots true to the game – there should be no editing or filters used.

Cast Your Vote

Our crew will shortlist their favourite entries in each category, then share them in a Twitter thread on the voting day allocated to that theme. Then it’s time for you to cast your votes, hitting like on your favourite shot, with the three most liked entries taking the top spots.

We’ll announce the winners both on our social platforms and right here in an update to this article. Up for grabs are the Fashionista's Finery Gloves, a must-have accoutrement for any model marauder! We will award three winners per theme, for a total of 12 pairs of gloves handed out per contest.




[h3]Season Seven
[/h3]
So now that we’ve mapped out the process, it’s time to unveil the inaugural themes and dates for your diaries! The entry period for each theme will start at 10am UTC and run for 24 hours.

Captaincy
Entry date: September 20th, 2022
Voting date: September 27th, 2022

Gold
Entry date: September 21st, 2022
Voting date: September 28th, 2022

Spooky Season
Entry date: September 22nd, 2022
Voting date: September 29th, 2022

Cosplay
Entry date: September 23rd, 2022
Voting date: September 30th, 2022

Remember: a single day to submit your shot for each theme, then in the following week, a single day to vote for your favourites from each theme’s shortlist. Keep an eye on our social channels in early October when we’ll reveal all the winners!

There you have it: everything you need to know about the new Style of Thieves social contest. If you’d like to be sporting a new and shiny pair of gloves yourself, start raiding your wardrobe and grabbing some screenshots so you’re ready for kickoff!