Sea of Thieves News

Happy Community Weekend Week, everyone! As we detailed at the start of the month, this Season’s Community Weekend runs from November 23rd from 25th, with a boatload of thrilling things going on to excite seasoned sailors and swabbies alike. This 48-hour frenzy of fun kicks off at 11am UTC on Saturday 23rd and ends 11am UTC on Monday 25th.

If you’d like to keep the Event’s shenanigans a secret until you log in on Saturday, now’s the time to stop reading – but if you’re intrigued by what’s on offer, then please, read on…

[h3]Persuade the Emissary Grade[/h3]
If you’re new here and aren’t sure how the Community Emissary Grade works, don’t worry, we’re here to tell you! To raise this special Grade, players are tasked with tuning in to Twitch to level up the generosity of the multiplier, with the total Sea of Thieves watch time powering its progress. Simply put: all you need to do to help raise this Grade – and increase in-game rewards – is watch any of your favourite content creators within the Sea of Thieves category during the Event period.

Every time the Community Emissary Grade levels up, so does the boost to gold, reputation, Seasonal Renown, Allegiance and Guild Reputation for not just you but all players sailing on High Seas – with the top Grade offering a sweet two-and-a-half times the rewards for your efforts!


[h3]Drops for the Ocean[/h3]
As usual there’s a range of Twitch Drops for folks tuning in, with the Eastern Winds Ruby Jacket and Hook and the Seasoned Sailor Hurdy-Gurdy and Pocket Watch all on offer to those who spend a chunk of time watching Sea of Thieves creators over the weekend. And we mean any Sea of Thieves creator on Twitch – these Drops are earnable on all participating channels, not just our Partners’ channels – so maybe take some time this weekend to swing by a couple of new streams and say hi.

The special Drop that will be unlocked after the magic goal of 100,000 World Events collectively dived to and completed will be the Obsidian Captain’s Chandelier – another brand new Obsidian item debuting with this special Event! We hope you all like fancy lighting, because this stunning piece will brighten up the Captain’s quarters of any Galleon.


[h3]Freebies and Features[/h3]
Of course, to mark the occasion, everyone who plays during this Event will be gifted the pastel-perfect Season 14 Community Weekend flag – and so that pirates can rank other marauders’ exhibitions of mischief, the Scorecard Emote returns as an accompanying login bonus. Community Spirit Firework Crates will also be available from your local Merchant Alliance representative.

There’ll be a particularly explosive vibe across the Sea of Thieves for the duration of the Event: you’ll find Gunpowder Barrels appearing more frequently on islands, Stronghold Gunpowder Barrels will also be more common and Kegs of Ancient Black Powder may appear in shipwrecks. Business will be booming for the Merchants if you manage to cash these in – and if you don’t, then we guess it’ll be all manner of other stuff booming...

Make a point of checking your Voyages on the Quest Table during this Event too, as you’ll find it offers you a special opportunity – Pirate Legend or not – to tackle an Athena’s Fortune Raid on a Sea Fort for some Legendary loot up to three times over the course of the weekend!


Picture Walls will of course be popping up as usual on every Outpost – perfect for posing against, or for a Community Emissary Grade check given that the attached flags will represent the current Grade (and thus indicate how generous the active multiplier is at that moment). Don’t forget to send your selfies to Sea of Thieves’ social media accounts so we can marvel at how stunning a set of sailors you all are.

[h3]The Joy of a Decoy[/h3]
Pop-Up Plunder returns for Season 14 Community Weekend, but with a cheeky twist: a handful of maps will feature decoy dig spots, also known as Pop-Up Blunder! Some maps – shared on social media, as always – will have more than one X marking the spot, meaning the real treasure will be surrounded by a handful of mischievous duds. Some of these Pop-Up Blunder spots will also contain Gunpowder Barrels, so sorry in advance for the carnage this may cause (but not really).

A new Pop-Up Plunder will spring up every four hours during the event, and the first will be as Community Weekend kicks off. Stay tuned to social media for these clues to drop in!

[h3]Forget Your Troubles, Come On, Get Hatty[/h3]
As is customary with Community Weekend, we love taking the time to bestow both love and rewards upon the unsung heroes and MVPs of our community. The way we do this is to honour a selection of fine folks 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 (the more info the better) with the #BeMorePirate tag.

And if you’re wondering: yes, we will be looking at Bluesky for submissions too. Given the recent boom, it’d be rude not to! Tag us over there with the #BeMorePirate hashtag and @seaofthieves.com.

[h3]The Compass of Chaos[/h3]
To maximise your mischief-focused frolics, we’ve also introduced a brand new tool on our website: the Compass of Chaos! Head over and spin the Compass until it suggests a silly or outrageous adventure idea that tickles your fancy, tackle that task and send us your clips of completion to top it off with a chance to be shared and maybe even score the Hat of Unfeasibly Glorious Fame. This set of silly, shenanigan-focused tasks is designed to prompt some spectacular scenes, and is set to be added to every Season. Go give it a whirl now! Or save your fun for the weekend…


[h3]Seas the Day![/h3]
While we know the start of Season 14 has been a bit wobbly, we’re glad to be finally hitting our stride – and we’re delighted that we can offer you such a smorgasbord of tantalising treats for this upcoming Event. So we hope you’ll join us in making mischief (and lots of gold) for Season 14 Community Weekend. See you on the seas!

Sea of Thieves Season 14 Community Weekend is taking place in just a few days, from November 23rd-25th (11am UTC)! Join us for free goods, boosted rewards, Pop-Up Plunder (and Blunder) fun and more. More details: https://aka.ms/SoTS14CommWknd

What shenanigans shall you be seeking?

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]
[h3]Pirates of Mischief[/h3]
Our November game update sees Season 14’s stealthy feature set finally unleashed in force, providing players with plentiful tools to wreak mischief upon one another. For an overview of this Season’s furtive features, head to our dedicated Season 14 page.

Disguises

• While crouched, players can access the stealth menu to put on a disguise and blend into the environment as a barrel or treasure chest. Unlike hide emotes, disguises allow players to sneak around the world, albeit at a much slower pace.
  
• New disguises can be unlocked through a range of new Commendations added in Season 14. After unlocking one, head to the Vanity Chest and the new Disguises category to equip it.

Hanging from Ledges

• While crouched, players will find various locations around the ship where they can vault over the edge and hang from the outside in order to hide from those on board. They can vault back onto the deck or let go at any time, but if discovered and attacked they’ll be knocked into the sea below!
  
• Pirate explorers may also find a few locations out in the world where they can hang from certain ledges away from their ship. We’ll leave players to discover these locations for themselves...

Traps

• Players can now find deployable traps in various storage containers throughout the world which can be used to damage unsuspecting enemies. These are considered a throwable item, and while players can hold up to five in their inventory, only two can be deployed at any time, destroying those previously placed.
  
• A deployed trap will become armed, and then can be triggered by any careless foot, dealing damage and briefly inflicting a limp. Sneaky players can disarm a trap by crouching, and recover the trap for later use.
  
• A deployed trap can be enhanced with additional items by crouching close to it and using the menu to select an object. The item’s effect is triggered when the trap snaps shut.
  
• Traps can be partially buried beneath softer surfaces for a more effectively concealed surprise, and even placed together to trigger a sequence of catastrophic events!

Blowpipe Balancing

• The blowpipe’s quickfire has been tuned to ensure that it still provides a quick but accurate shot at close range, without overshadowing the benefits of a more considered charged shot.
  
• Even a brief charge will now deliver a strong mid-range shot, while a fully charged shot travels the maximum shot range.

Commendations and Rewards

• With a suite of mischief-making tools now re-enabled, the previously blocked Commendations, rewards, achievements and Trophies are available for players to make progress towards unlocking.

[h3]Expanded Monthly Updates[/h3]
First Week Bonus

• Eager players who jump in during the first week following a Sea of Thieves game update will now receive an early login bonus of gold and Doubloons.

Voyage of Luck

• Players can now embark on a Voyage of Luck each month, offering a quest for a range of high-value treasure. When starting the Voyage, some players will be blessed with a rare Golden Map leading to a jackpot of one of the highest-value treasures out there!
  
• Pirate Legends will get their very own Legendary Voyage of Luck – a Voyage for Athena’s Fortune with treasure befitting a Legend and the same chance of a rare Golden Map!

[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 to browse and buy the latest additions!

New Items – Now in Stock!

• Ancestral Ship Set (returning from time-limited promotion)
  
• Ancestral Collector’s Figurehead and Sails
  
• Motley Mariner Blowpipe
  
• Gorgon Weapon Bundle
  
• Gorgon Ship Collection (returning from Season 12 Plunder Pass)
  
• Gorgon Mixed Bundle – Gorgon Headband, Creeping Stone Curse and Solid Stone Curse (returning from Season 12 Plunder Pass)
  
• Iron Turtle Cannon Flare (players who previously purchased the Iron Turtle Ship Bundle will now find the Cannon Flare in their Ship Customisation Chest)
  
• Festival of Plenty Instruments (time-limited, will return next year)
  
• Festival of Plenty Pet Outfits (time-limited, will return next year)
  
• Banana Banter Emote Bundle
  
• No Thoughts Emote (free!)

[h3]Outpost Cosmetics [/h3]
New Outpost Stock!

• The Outpost weaponsmiths now stock Ironwood Carpenter’s weaponry, with the cutlass, pistol, blunderbuss and Eye of Reach all available to buy.
  
• The Outpost clothing shops now offer Cinched Shirts in four colours for all pirates to purchase.
  
• The Pirate Legend Hideout has been stocked with the Ghost Heavy Sword and Rapier, locked behind progression with the Athena’s Fortune Trading Company.

[h3]Gameplay Improvements[/h3]
Quick Switching Using Crouch

• Players attempting to crouch while switching weapons will now consistently have to wield the second weapon before being able to fire the follow-up shot, preventing weapons from being fired faster than intended.

[h3]Updates[/h3]
DualSense® Wireless Controller Support

• Players are now able to play Sea of Thieves on PC with a connected PlayStation®5 DualSense® wireless controller. The DualSense® wireless controller is supported on both Windows Store and Steam platforms.
  
• Players using a DualSense® wireless controller on PC or PS5® can now further customise the level of haptic feedback within the game settings.

[h3]Fixed Issues[/h3]
Gameplay

• The Guild Reputation multiplier and gold bonuses now consistently apply correctly when selling treasure to the Sovereigns.
  
• Players are now prompted to drop the chicken during the Merchant Alliance Tutorial Voyage, aligning it with the Gold Hoarders and Order of Souls Tutorials.

Pirates of Mischief

• The Commendations entitled Dance Off Danger, Pied Pirate Piper and Trap Ease Artist now progress for the whole crew when meeting the criteria.
  
• The Commendation entitled A Venomous Attack is now able to be completed while standing nearby.

Grapple Gun

• Players finding themselves underneath the Fort of the Damned are now prevented from retrieving treasure from the Fort’s Vault.
  
• Players shooting the Grapple Gun into a solid surface while aiming and walking will no longer have their view pulled to the side.
  
• Attempting to fire a grapple line into a placed dart will no longer cause the Grapple Gun to become stuck reeling in from a distant location.
  
• Players can no longer gain access to the Burning Blade interior by grappling into the front of the ship.

Blowpipe

• Allied Obsidian Skeletons will no longer attack players or each other when hit with a Lure Dart.
  
• Blowpipe darts can no longer be stacked on each other when fired at the same spot.
  
• Lure Darts stuck on a player will now be fully removed if the player leaves the game. Players migrating across servers will also now find their darts left behind are quickly removed.
  
• Players are now always restricted to four Lure Darts in their ammo supply.
  
• Players firing a dart at friendly Merfolk will find they now disappear and do not remain attached.
  
• Players hit with a Black Powder Dart who then dive underwater will now see the fuse doused instantly.
  
• Switching between darts when not charging a shot should no longer cause a brief controller rumble.

Crouching

• Players using ‘Reduce Hold to Interact’ accessibility settings should no longer be able to continue interacting with a barrel’s inventory after moving out of range.
  
• Players can no longer cancel out of a heavy strike with a cutlass by crouching.
  
• Attempting to aim down sights immediately after exiting crouching no longer causes a player’s movement to briefly stutter.
  
• Holding aim down sights while entering crouch will no longer cause the player to exit crouch upon releasing their aim.
  
• Crouching can no longer be used to reel in the Grapple Gun early.
  
• Players attempting to crouch after falling from a great height will now be able to crouch much more quickly, but will continue to suffer from the hindrances of fall damage while crouched.
  
• Rapid crouching while jumping no longer results in players losing the ability to crouch.
  
• Players are now shown the prompt to sit at a location while crouching.

Disguises

• A suite of fixes to disguises have been made to address visual issues with the experience. Players should no longer find themselves appearing incorrectly when using a disguise and should also appear correctly when observed by others.
  
• Turning left or right while disguised will now look and feel smoother.
  
• Players are now prevented from using disguises while flying through the air.
  
• Players wearing the Burning Eyepatch of the Ashen Dragon will now find the visual effects are correctly hidden when using a disguise.
  
• Darts attached to a player will now be hidden when they put on a disguise.
  
• Getting into disguise while on a floating Rowboat now has smoother camera movement.
  
• Players walking through disguised players will not feel any resistance.
  
• Players can now use auto-move from the game settings while in disguise.

Environment

• ‘Shores of Gold’ – The exit staircase from the Gold Hoarder’s lair no longer has a blocking wall preventing players from leaving.
  
• Pulleys on Sea Fort resource barrels containing food now respond correctly to player input.
  
• Improvements have been made to a number of island locations to prevent players from using the Grapple Gun to get outside the world.
  
• At Imperial Crown Fortress and Old Brinestone Fortress, players are no longer able to push themselves through the roof and reach higher areas.
  
• Windows within the Sunken Kingdom can now still be opened when shot with a dart.
  
• Various objects found decorating the Sea Forts are now solid and players are unable to walk through them.
  
• Objects at the end of the bridge at The Reaper’s Hideout now cast shadows correctly.

User Interface

• The Captain’s Logbook now includes new sketches when crews progress through the newly introduced Season 14 Milestones.
  
• The banner shown during the Gold Hoarders Tutorial Voyage now correctly displays the player's name.

Visual and Audio

• Characters’ faces no longer appear to be missing parts when wearing a mask combined with a range of costumes. This addresses issues reported with the Shadow Tide Fox Mask, Thieving Mask of Mischief and Monstrous Mask of Mayhem.
  
• The Pirate Lord no longer becomes transparent when players walk away and return during his speech.
  
• The Rusted Skulls Braced Jacket no longer drifts or distorts when viewed from the third-person perspective.
  
• The Watermelon Wheel has been visually improved and now casts appropriate shadows, is correctly held by players when interacted with and has improved quality when viewed at close range.
  
• The Shadow Tide Capstan no longer has a noticeable change in graphical quality at short distances.
  
• Various Grapple Guns now display the rope tether correctly at the end of the gun.
  
• Music volume on the game’s front end has been adjusted to its intended level.
  
• ‘The Journey to Mêlée Island’ – Murray is now visible near the gate leading to the Governor's Mansion when starting from the third checkpoint.

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.

[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]Download and Installation[/h3]
Download Size:

• Steam: 2.37 GB

It’s safe to say that players faced some unexpectedly rough waters this October. The Season 14 update didn’t land as smoothly as planned, and as a result there’s still work to be done before the Season’s over. Nevertheless, there was plenty of October activity to report on, so we’re here once again to deliver your usual round-up!

[h3]Content Update[/h3]
With the end of Season 13 rapidly approaching as we entered October, it seemed only fair to give everyone who hadn’t maxed out their Seasonal Renown a helping hand. That meant unleashing a weekend of boosted Renown (and gold) for all players, followed by a spree of single-use Gilded Voyages enabling determined pirates to haul in bounteous rewards.

With everyone as caught up as they could be, it was on to the October update proper and the arrival of Season 14. However, launch day hiccoughs led to some features being held back, so best to read the launch release notes to catch up on what made it and what’s still ahead. A hotfix helped iron out some of those issues a little later in the month, reintroducing crouching and tweaking a range of other features. But that’s not the end of our work to fully deliver Season 14, so keep an eye on our channels for up-to-date information!

There was also, of course, no ignoring the fact that spooky season was well and truly upon us last month. Pumpkin-based decorations popped up around the Outposts to herald the Festival of the Damned, and everyone was treated to a sinister Ghoul & Glory Event! All those who joined in got their hands on the Grinning Gourd Bucket, free Voyages and boosted rewards for a full four days.

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]
[h3]News and Features[/h3]
As we built up to the release of Season 14 and all its entailing mischief, it seemed like a good time to highlight some of the community’s best clips from their covert pirate operations. The ensuing Golden Scallywag Awards are still open to entries in eight categories, with opportunities to win an in-game Title and Trinket, Ancient Coins, Plunder Passes and even a physical trophy to brighten up your gaming room.

We couldn’t launch a new Season without a dedicated article covering all the details, of course – but this time it was followed by a State of Play Forum post to address the issues encountered and explain what was happening with the staggered release of features, and then a second post to tee up the hotfix at the end of the month. When you put all that together it’s more reading than most pirates usually get up to, but well worth a look for anyone seeking a status update on Season 14…


[h3]Videos and Streams[/h3]
The November instalment of Sea of Thieves News landed early in the month, previewing some of the content arriving with the new Season while offering a look at upcoming events and the restock of the coveted Sea of Thieves vinyl soundtrack. That wasn’t the only musical news this month either, with the official Season 14 ‘Making Mischief’ track making its way to all the usual streaming platforms.

As always, a Season launch meant a host of new videos showcasing the new features, unlockable cosmetics and Pirate Emporium additions, before we published the launch trailer on update day. We couldn’t leave it there, however; after the last-minute changes to the Season launch and shifting around of features, we wanted to make sure we were clearly communicating our progress on all channels. In practice, that meant Production Director Drew getting back in front of a camera to deliver an update on Season 14 and the plan moving forwards.

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]
[h3]Social Channels[/h3]
Even with everything else going on, the spookiest of seasons was not about to pass without some celebratory competitions. That meant two Community Hub updates, showcasing players’ creative talents and giving us an excuse to hand out some glorious Hats, before we challenged crews to split up for a Lone Sailors round of #SoTShot! After all, the best way of confronting spooks is to go it alone. Finally, there was one remaining piece of Season 13 business to get through before the monthly update: the Style of Thieves winners! Check out those stunning autumnal fashions.

Elsewhere this month, we shut down a sinister grub trader, put up with a visit from everyone’s favourite rogue and took a few minutes to appreciate the water of the Sea of Thieves, but were rapidly distracted by a very strange game of hide and seek. The local serpents were no help. The local felines… well, they didn’t help much either but they were otherwise occupied. We’ll forgive them.


And that was October! A rocky month on many fronts, but we’re all set to get back into gear in November and keep that content coming for the rest of the year. We’ll be back here next month to report on how it’s going, but until then, find us on all the usual social channels: Twitter/X, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Twitch, or via the official Forums and Discord. Happy post-spooky sailing!
[hr][/hr][h3]Previously in 2024: [/h3]
Sea of Thieves Round-Up: September 2024 Sea of Thieves Round-Up: August 2024 Sea of Thieves Round-Up: July 2024 Sea of Thieves Round-Up: June 2024 Sea of Thieves Round-Up: May 2024 Sea of Thieves Round-Up: April 2024 Sea of Thieves Round-Up: March 2024 Sea of Thieves Round-Up: February 2024 Sea of Thieves Round-Up: January 2024

While October was certainly an eventful month on the Sea of Thieves, the waves are looking a little calmer as we head into November. That means we’re ready to look ahead and share a calendar of the events coming your way over the next month!

Golden Scallywag Awards – extended to Monday, November 25th

Following Season 14’s slightly shaky start, the entry period for the Golden Scallywag Awards has been extended. Mischievous pirates now have until November 25th to submit their sneaks, tucks, traps and more to be in with a chance of scooping a real-life statuette and in-game Trinket and Title. For more information, see the competition announcement article.


November Monthly Update – Thursday, November 14th

The next free content update drops on November 14th, and is slated to bring back disguises while enabling pirates to set traps and hang from ledges. Alongside these Season 14 features, there’ll be refreshed fashions in the Pirate Emporium (plus a free emote for collection) and a sweep of smaller fixes to the game experience.

For the first time, we’ll also be offering an extra boost to the monthly update: players who jump in during the first week after release will now earn a bonus stash of gold and Doubloons, and there’s a new free monthly Voyage for all players in the form of the Voyage of Luck. This offers a single map leading to a high-value loot item – and particularly fortunate pirates might find a Golden Map leading to a jackpot cache. These Voyages also have a Pirate Legend flavour for anyone who’s reached that rank.

Sea of Thieves Twitch Drops – Friday, November 15th – Monday, November 18th

If you’re tuning in to watch a streamer showcasing the newly added features, remember you can get rewarded for it too: this time around the Stalwart Sea Dog Spyglass and the Eastern Winds Ruby Belt, Boots and Dress are available by linking your accounts and watching any Sea of Thieves Partner on Twitch. If you’re not sure who to watch, check our Partner Directory to see who’s online and available to tune in to once those Drops go live.

Season 14 Community Weekend – Saturday, November 23rd – Monday, November 25th

The last full weekend of November brings Season 14 Community Weekend to sailors’ shores! Our usual Seasonal frenzy of login bonuses, Community Emissary Grade boosts, a new Obsidian stretch goal, Picture Walls at Outposts, time-limited Voyages, Twitch Drops and more will kick off on November 23rd and run for a full 48 hours.

More details on this Event will follow in the coming weeks, so stay tuned to the Sea of Thieves website and social channels.


This is the schedule of November happenings that we’re currently targeting – so while these dates may flex slightly, this is a relatively reliable representation of what you can expect to enjoy over the next few weeks.

We hope you’re excited as we are to dive into everything on offer, and we’ll see you back here at the start of December, when we tell you how we’re planning on seeing out the year. And yes, if you’re wondering, we’ll definitely be in a Giving mood…