Here we are, halfway (and a bit) through 2022. Hasn't it been lovely so far? No. No, it's been a bit pants, hasn't it. But at least the Sea of Thieves is open for sailing when you need some escapism, keeping up an ongoing monthly bombardment of new stuff for you to do – and in fact June packed in pieces of two separate Adventures, the next phase of the current Mystery and the revelation of what's coming in the next Season. But before we say any more about all that, let's drop in the Content Update subheader...

Much better. Yes, the start of June was all about the struggle for Golden Sands Outpost as Sea of Thieves' fourth time-limited Adventure, 'Lost Sands', entered its final week. After one last update on the numbers, the Adventure concluded on June 9th with the outcome declared in a special livestream – determining that that Reapers had been repulsed and Golden Sands was saved from forever being a foggy dump with rubbish shopping facilities.

A couple of weeks later, it wasn't quite time for Adventure 5 yet but it was time for the other monthly update, the one that brings in a month's worth of fixes and improvements and more creations from the clandestine lunatics who supply the Pirate Emporium – creations like the Prehistoric Plunderer ship set that nails a fossilised behemoth to the front of your ship. That's right! They're off their heads.

The month ended with the 'The Forsaken Hunter', our fifth Adventure, coming in all aflutter with the news that Merrick had mysteriously vanished! Mind, the cinematic trailer on the 27th gave some pretty good indications that he didn't just get drunk and fall off his Seapost, and the launch trailer on the 30th put paid to any remaining uncertainty over that. But the question remained for players to answer over the course of the Adventure: who did this? And why? That's two questions. And what happens next? Three questions, and you can't even answer that one yet without making something up.


The biggest news of the month, of course, was the revelation of Captaincy coming to Sea of Thieves in Season Seven. In this announcement that dropped at the Xbox & Bethesda Games Showcase, taking the form of an actual song called 'Captains of Adventure' because why not, some of the main features – such as ship naming and personalisation, the ability to save loadouts and the services of the Sovereigns – were either teased by or heartily sung from a scroll that ended in the fourth-wall-busting declaration that Sea of Thieves has now passed a monumental 30 million players.

Also doggy-paddling in June's editorial pool was an Adventures Ahead article summing up relevant story events ahead of 'The Forsaken Hunter', then an Xbox Wire post on launch day to lay out what the Adventure entailed. A Season Six Community Day lookback dropped in at the start of the month and, later, there was a recap of our first Mystery so far to bring budding detectives up to speed. But #WhoIsT? No, not 'whoist', that sounds like some sort of weird dessert. And there was no skimping on player Spotlights either, with June lighting up many-time #SoTShot and Hat winner Sayuta and cinematic artisan TruEdits.

As far as goodies and giveaways were concerned, Pride Month saw a very fine Sea of Thieves shirt added to the Xbox PRIDE 2022 range, there were other shirts to encourage taking a stand on Golden Sands, and Titan Comics announced the bundled Sea of Thieves Origins collection coming in October. All that plus a mid-month Gold & Glory Weekend to mark the 30 million player milestone, and a login bonus for the occasion of our second Steam anniversary in the form of a ruddy big scar. Might not be the sort of bonus you'd appreciate getting in real life, but to a pirate it's like a fancy new tie.



Leading the charge in June was that Season Seven singalong announce trailer, performed with gusto by our regular trailer voice man and Video team grafter John. He'd pop back up later in the month shoving his own actual face all over your screen in our first Mystery So Far video, compressing all the key developments into a Scots-inflected rapid-fire recap for which, don't worry, we also provided captions.

Then there was the pairing of our cinematic and launch trailers for 'The Forsaken Hunter', spaced a few days apart as is the way these days to build some buzz before an Adventure kicks off. This one runs until July 14th, so if you act fast there's still time to take part in the manhunt for Merrick's assailant. And the next Adventure will be another finale to a three-episode arc, just like 'The Shrouded Deep' was to the first, so expect some drama leading on from the events of 'The Forsaken Hunter'...

Elsewhere in June, SoT News let our other Scottish Jon into your living rooms to get you all caught up, covering the latest from the Xbox Showcase and Pirate Emporium while dropping dates for end-of-month Adventuring. And the 'Lost Sands' results stream came at you live from the tavern at Rare, with Jo and James from the Community team joined by familiar faces Joe, Mike, Chris and a couple of Sea of Thieves Partners as the community-driven decision to #SaveGoldenSands was unveiled. Yes, we did make sure folks from both sides of the fence were on hand to ensure some on-air salty tears.


There was plenty for our channels to get playful with in June, notably the long-awaited announcement of ship naming and the meme-fest that followed (including John being pulled back into the recording booth for frivolous reasons). We also celebrated New Golden Sands getting its dues, bigged up a Social Swag bonus when 'Lost Sands' was at its peak, requested final judgement on the Lionfish Costume and asked what secrets you might have for the Order of Souls to suck out of your skulls. Just curious.

Social channels continue to play a key role in other areas: like furthering out-of-game elements of the first Sea of Thieves Mystery, with a shift in June as music box clues made way for a note leading players to the next stage of their hunt for answers. They're also invaluable for shouting out Community Hub updates, as new batches of player creations earn the Hat of Unfeasibly Glorious Fame every couple of weeks, and #SoTShot results, with Golden Hour Sails going to a clutch of Instagram and Twitter winners on the Rivalries theme before June's sunlit second theme set up shop in The Shores of Plenty.

Meanwhile, the other hashtags we use 'on the regular' brought in #TriviaTuesday treats for the lorehounds (on subjects from Sea Forts and shanties to the Singh siblings), #SoTGear selections for the collectors (Servant of the Flame Cutlass, Golden Gatherer Merchant Sail and a timely tip of the hat to the Fallen Sea Dog Lantern), and #SundayVibes settings for marauders with more chill than most (taking in trips to Sanctuary and Plunder Outposts, with an additional stop to watch a shipwright do overtime to really make sure those nails were in properly).



And that image serves as a timely if slightly disrespectful end to proceedings here today – but if the combination of feature teases and sass appeals to you, get more of it without waiting for a round-up by following Sea of Thieves on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube or Twitch, then indulge in diverse antics in the official Forums or on Discord. Anything to avoid going outside if it's as hot as it is here in the UK, because your face could melt right off your head, and that's no way to discover you've been some sort of implausible pirate robot this whole time.

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

First introduced alongside an aquatic nemesis way back in Sea of Thieves’ first ever content update The Hungering Deep, the fearless fisherman known as ‘Merry’ Merrick has become a familiar face to pirates old and new. Most recently, he’s been championing the restoration of Golden Sands, a beloved Outpost that had fallen into ruin as part of Captain Flameheart’s nefarious schemes.

Now, in the wake of a victory against The Reaper’s Bones, Merrick has vanished without a trace. Although the cinematic preview of the new Adventure suggests that a foul fate may have befallen this famous Megalodon wrangler…


There are plenty of questions to be answered, and the only way to uncover the real truth behind Merrick’s absence (and learn the identity of those responsible for waylaying the hapless Hunter) is to talk to Larinna, follow her advice and throw yourself into the search. From there, your journey will take you on a trip to Stephen’s Spoils – the humble Seapost where Merrick usually spends his days representing The Hunter’s Call – before the Adventure carries you onward…

If the idea of wading in after four Adventures is a little intimidating and you need a recap of all that’s happened so far, check out the latest in the series of Adventures Ahead primer articles. Consulted alongside the Sea of Thieves Who’s Who directory, these will rapidly get you up to speed and ready to sail!



As your search for Merrick takes you far and wide across the map, you’ll meet familiar friends and foes, some of whom will offer clues to the Hunter’s whereabouts and the motives of those who’ve been scheming against him. Ultimately, though, you’ll need to rely on keen eyes and a sharp sword to unveil a conspiracy that goes far beyond the welfare of a single pirate – it stands to permanently shift the balance of power on the Sea of Thieves.

Whether you stood with or against Merrick during the battle for Golden Sands Outpost, the dark secrets underpinning his disappearance will shape the seas in the weeks ahead. You can discover the truth for yourself, and earn an exclusive Memento of the Adventure, by taking part in ‘The Forsaken Hunter’ between now and July 14. Start sleuthing, pirates – Merrick is counting on you...



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 and pick up some 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 http://www.seaofthieves.com/ where you can embark on an epic journey with one of gaming’s most welcoming communities!

It’s fair to say that Merrick, determined Hunter of the Hungering One, has been the talk of every tavern in recent days. The grizzled old salt was brought out of retirement by Belle during the events of ‘The Shrouded Deep’, becoming embroiled in a perilous quest to help slay the most elusive sea monster of them all.

Unsurprisingly, chasing Megalodons across the high seas soon rekindled Merrick’s desire to be where the action is. He set sail once again and arrived at Golden Sands Outpost, which had been left to rot in the wake of Captain Flameheart’s destructive ambitions, in order to champion its restoration.

So began ‘Lost Sands’, and after a tense tug-of-war with the Outpost’s fate in the balance, Merrick and his friends – not to mention the countless pirates who joined his cause – were able to drive away agents of The Reaper’s Bones and begin a new era of prosperity at Golden Sands. Why, then, has the victorious Hunter not been seen in recent days? Examining Merrick’s recent activities may provide insights…


New arrivals on the Sea of Thieves may not remember Golden Sands Outpost as anything other than a desolate wasteland, let alone recall its days as an appealing destination for anyone looking to trade, but the island was once considered an idyllic rest stop at the heart of the Shores of Plenty.

That changed overnight when Golden Sands was suddenly drenched in a dense fog; an event that kickstarted the ‘Shrouded Islands’ Adventure and the beginning of an assault that saw the Outpost’s residents kidnapped by Flameheart’s forces, then imprisoned in six imposing Sea Forts.

While courageous crews ultimately arranged a daring rescue that saw the island’s inhabitants released from captivity, Golden Sands itself remained shrouded and abandoned – at least, until Merrick arrived on the scene…

Time spent with Belle aboard the Killer Whale offered Merrick unique insight into what had kept the Outpost from recovering in the wake of ‘Shrouded Islands’. The answer, as it turned out, was lying beneath the very beaches that gave Golden Sands its name.

Accompanied by some willing residents who were keen to return home, Merrick proceeded to unearth hidden Relic Caches buried by members of The Reaper’s Bones. These secret stashes were intended to both cloak the Outpost and thin the barrier that separates the living world from the ghostly Sea of the Damned, furthering Flameheart’s agenda.

Unsurprisingly, the Servant of the Flame was less than pleased by this sudden interference in his father’s master plan. Having learned of Merrick’s reconstruction efforts from his avian spies, the Servant vowed to replace any Relics that had been destroyed, sending forth Reapers to cast Golden Sands even further into ruin.



The stage was now set for an intense confrontation between two unlikely opponents, each joined by more loyal pirates as the days went on and both sides determined to prevail. Pirates who sailed in Merrick’s name found themselves delivering much-needed supplies to the Outpost, while swiping Relic Caches from the Reapers ferrying them in aboard dangerous Soulflame Rowboats.

The Servant’s allies, meanwhile, strove to escort those same Relic Caches safely to the intended destination, then destroy their Rowboats on the beaches of Golden Sands itself, unleashing ethereal energy to plunge the island further into darkness. If they were able to make off with Merrick’s supplies along the way, so much the better.

It was Team Merrick standing triumphant when this contest concluded, though an early lead and the determined efforts of The Reaper’s Bones almost saw the Outpost evacuated for good. With the Servant in reluctant retreat, the denizens of Golden Sands returned home at last – and so did Merrick, bowing out gracefully and setting a course for Stephen’s Spoils to resume his culinary duties with The Hunter’s Call.



Barely had Merrick set a pegleg on his favoured Seapost, however, before he was drawn away on some new journey – and this time, not even Larinna’s Bilge Rats can divine his exact whereabouts. There are those who suspect he’s fallen back into bad habits and will turn up in a grog-fuelled stupor sooner or later, though others are more concerned about foul play preventing his return.

Have Merrick’s recent successes brought about his own undoing, is he simply taking a well-deserved vacation, or are there more nefarious forces at work? It’s true that in the wake of ‘Lost Sands’, Merrick has made new enemies eager to take revenge upon the pirate who many consider to be a pillar of the community. For all we know, you may even be among their number…

Still, there’s no question that the Sea of Thieves owes Merrick dearly. Soon Larinna will be entreating pirates to settle that debt and see if they can bring the heroic Hunter safely home. You’ll be able to join her search and discover the truth behind this fateful disappearance for yourself when ‘The Forsaken Hunter’ launches on June 30th, a maritime manhunt that lasts until July 14th. Mark the date carefully – it may just save Merrick’s skin…

Adventures Ahead: ‘Lost Sands’Adventures Ahead: ‘The Shrouded Deep’
Adventures Ahead: ‘Forts of the Forgotten’
Adventures Ahead: ‘Shrouded Islands’

As the first official Mystery began to unfold on the Sea of Thieves, it was a shock to pirates sailing the seas last month when a skeleton appeared, unannounced, on the potentially appropriately named Sea Dog’s Rest. Boots, gloves and a hat suggested a victim, but the question for now was a simple one: who did this surprise skeleton belong to?

The nearby accoutrements immediately called to mind the recently retired Sea Dogs, leading most passing gumshoes to suspect the dynamic duo of DeMarco and Lesedi, what with their disappearance following the disbanding of the Sea Dogs and closure of their tavern. Regardless of who it belonged to, the cadaver drew curiosity from a crowd of corsairs, with swathes of scoundrels visiting to pay their respects in a range of unique ways! At least, we think they were paying their respects…

Regardless, an event quickly flipped the question from murdered to murderer!


A short while after the skeleton’s initial appearance, pirates became privy to previously unseen symbols on the nearby music box via the engagement of outside eyes. And only when enough pirates were brought into the presence of the mysterious marks did a melody start to play…

The shanty ‘Seek the Dead’ could be heard from the music box, but that wasn’t all. Strange footprints, a note and a red shell collaborated to point pirates to a mysterious offshore chest containing the Fallen Sea Dog’s Lantern. Once equipped, the red glow of this secret searchlight revealed a hidden message: Who Killed DeMarco?

There was also the question of “Who’s that?”, quickly replaced with “Oh, it’s Lesedi”, as the other former head of the Sea Dogs had taken up a spot nearby to drown her sorrows and ensure she didn’t have to pick a side in the whole Golden Sands situation.

And that wasn’t all! The Fallen Sea Dog’s Lantern not only showed the seeming affirmation of DeMarco’s demise, it revealed hidden messages at certain grave sites containing a sentence each. A conversation? An argument? Who knows!

As the month went on, more mysterious objects and marks appeared in spaces frequented by pirates outside the Sea of Thieves, and once again droves were drawn to the music box and what secrets would await once an ample audience was acquired. A change of tune to ‘Row, Row, Row Your Boat’ signalled a boatload of new message fragments. Then another summons to mass caused a smooth transition to ‘Ballad of the Mer’, spawning more messages in the Sunken Kingdom.

After all this had occurred with seemingly no new leads, it wasn’t long before a hastily intercepted message from the Order of Souls appeared to answer one of the questions of “Who” and introduce a new one…



It seems the mysterious message fragments comprise an argument between the Sea Dog siblings, but there was clearly another at the scene with a name beginning with ‘T’, who may be able to shed some light on the events that befell our skeletal stiff. But who, then, is T?

Keep your eyes sharp and your lanterns held high, pirates, as clues to the ongoing Mystery could be hidden anywhere. Follow us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook to stay up to date with secrets as they appear, and join our official Discord to share theories and collaborate with fellow pirate investigators. Now, if you’ll excuse us, we’re off to waggle our hook at a few suspicious tavern keepers…

The past month has seen big news in the form of the Season Seven Captaincy announcement, now mere weeks away. Until then, you can enjoy the fruits of your ‘Lost Sands’ labour as New Golden Sands Outpost begins its recovery, impress people with amber from the Pirate Emporium and pick apart a new stack of adjustments and improvements. And one last time, remind yourself of the features that came front-loaded into Season Six via the trailer below!


Ready to move forward? Then take our hand (not the hooked one, for your own sake) and let us show you exactly what’s new in the latest update...

The fifth time-limited Adventure is here, and following a Megalodon melee in ‘The Shrouded Deep’ and a war of attrition in ‘Lost Sands’, many pirates were probably hoping for some downtime. As was Merrick, but things are rarely so simple on the Sea of Thieves...

‘The Forsaken Hunter’ (June 30th – July 14th)

• After recently putting himself on the front line, helping Belle retrieve the Veil of the Ancients and rallying traders and pirates alike in the rebuilding of Golden Sands Outpost, Merrick has gone missing under mysterious circumstances.
  
• With several days having passed since he was last seen, many are worried about his whereabouts. Speak to Larinna to begin this next Adventure and search for the missing Hunter before it’s too late!
  
• Pirates who fully complete the Adventure will earn an exclusive Title and a cosmetic reward to serve as a Memento of their quest.

The world of Sea of Thieves doesn’t stay still for long, from major regional discoveries down to the smallest island alterations. And with certain Adventures comes a new way to bring about change – driven by the decisions of pirate crews!

New Golden Sands Outpost

• After tireless work from all its supporters, Golden Sands Outpost has been saved. Merrick and the Outpost residents are eternally grateful to those pirates who joined their cause.
  
• The enshrouding fog has lifted and island life is beginning to return to normal, although the scars of battle remain. The residents have begun to make repairs and are more than happy to resume trading!
  
• However, the Pirate Lord and Golden Sands’ traders will not stop there. They have plans to protect the island from future threats, meaning that more changes will emerge over time.
  
• To commemorate the rebuilding, all have agreed that the island will from now on be known as New Golden Sands Outpost.

Bring millennia-old prizes into the present with the Prehistoric Plunderer collection, comprising a ship set, costume, weapons and lantern. You can double dip on new emotes too, and this time it really is your last chance at this Season’s Plunder Pass!

Season Six Plunder Pass

• Anyone wishing to take full advantage of Season Six rewards can still buy the Plunder Pass. Any rewards unlocked will become available upon purchase, so players who have raised their Renown throughout Season Six can instantly see their hard work rewarded before the Season ends.
  
• This Season’s Plunder Pass offers early access to the complete Spring Blossom ship set, the evolving Forest's Blessing Costume and other items of upcoming Emporium stock, and can be purchased at any time through the Pirate Log, Pirate Emporium or Steam Item Store.

Prehistoric Plunderer Ship Collection

• Emerging from the depths of time, this ship collection brings the majesty of prehistory to the seas. In addition to the main bundle, a ferocious Collector’s figurehead and Collector’s sails can be purchased separately.
  
• A Prehistoric Plunderer Essential Ship Bundle is also on offer, including just the core ship cosmetics at a discount.

Prehistoric Plunderer Costume

• Studded with dinosaur bones and turning your skin to amber, this costume urges you to let out your finest primeval roar!
  
• While wearing this ferocious outfit, players can perform the Amber Inspector Emote.

Prehistoric Plunderer Weapons

• Feel the brutal bite of beasts from a land before time with these four fossilised weapons.

Prehistoric Plunderer Lantern

• It’s amazing to think the tiny creature encased in this lantern evolves into a mighty Megalodon. Truly, life finds a way.

Stage Dive Emotes

• Hide in the most dramatic fashion possible with this set of outrageous yet somehow stealthy emotes.

Sports Day Emotes

• Let’s get physical with this selection of athletic emotes. Don’t forget to warm up properly!

Freebie Rant and Rave Emote

• This petulant display is often followed by a colourful tirade through the speaking trumpet.

Fossil Frenzy Bundle (Store Only)

• Available only from the Steam Store for Steam players, this bundle contains the Prehistoric Plunderer Costume, Lantern and Weapon Bundle, 550 Ancient Coins and a free 25,000 gold bonus for use in the Outpost shops! Head to the Steam Item Store to find out more.

Emporium Summer Sale (starts June 24th)

• Fabulous discounts are available on a range of Pirate Emporium items from June 24th–July 11th. Pirates will be able to pick up sizzling deals on Collector’s Pets and a wide range of emotes!

Twitch Drops

• Continue to unlock even more cosmetics throughout Season Six with Twitch Drops! Stay tuned to Sea of Thieves social channels to find out when Twitch Drops will be active for Partnered streamers, allowing players to earn more items from the Twilight Hunter set. Find out how to link your accounts and more on our dedicated Twitch Drops page.

Plucky Ruffian Sea Dog Set

• The Outpost clothing shops now stock the Plucky Ruffian Sea Dog set, available to purchase for gold.

Swapping Analogue Sticks

• Players using a controller can now swap the actions performed by the two analogue sticks using ‘Swap Sticks’ under Input Settings. When enabled, the Left Stick will be used to look around, while the Right Stick will be used to move.

Skeleton Fort Improvements

• Food Barrels in Skeleton Forts are now stocked with a wider range of food, and each barrel contains a larger supply.
  
• Barrels holding cannonballs in Skeleton Forts now use the Cannonball Barrel’s visual appearance.
  Island Threat Balancing
  
• Skeletons encountered while exploring islands have had their damage slightly reduced.

Emissary Flags and Tunnels of the Damned

• Following the discovery of a gameplay exploit, active Emissaries passing into a Tunnel of the Damned will no longer drop a broken Emissary Flag upon leaving the server. This is a temporary mitigation which will be replaced by a permanent fix in a future update.

Pirate Legend Hideout Shops

• The shop in the Pirate Legend Hideout now offers the Veil of the Ancients Costume to those Legendary pirates who have earned the required promotion. This costume is no longer available from the Pirate Lord.

Gameplay

• Players should no longer experience an extended wait time on the Ferry of the Damned before the portal opens.
  
• Players should once again be able to deliver Fruit Crates and Wood Crates to the Merchant Alliance, and no longer be redirected to Merrick.
  
• After passing through the Tunnels of the Damned, crews should find that other players they encounter in the world can still be muted when using ‘Mute All Other Crews Voice Chat’ from the Settings menu.
  
• The ‘Place Map Bundle’ tooltip should no longer be shown on the Captain’s Table when a player is not in possession of a Map Bundle.

Legend of the Veil Voyage

• Playing through the Legend of the Veil Voyage and then migrating servers will no longer cause players to lose their progress.
  
• Treasure items left untouched following a Haunted Island encounter should no longer disappear if the Veil Stone is used prior to collecting the rewards.
  
• Ancients summoned during the Haunted Island ritual can now be heard speaking during the final battle.
  
• Purchasing a Legend of the Veil Voyage from the Pirate Lord now displays the correct iconography in the confirmation window.
  
• Players exploring a Shipwreck Graveyard will now encounter sharks.
  
• Treasure Crates discovered while exploring a Shipwreck Graveyard should now always be retrievable.
  
• Improved grammar in the Shipwreck Graveyard quest book pages and tooltips.
  
• The Veil Stone treasure chest recovered from a Shipwreck Graveyard can now be opened while being held.
  
• Quest Book pages provided by the Pirate Lord to seek out Belle during a Haunted Island quest now use correct landmark names.

Environment

• The pet cage aboard a Sloop has been moved back to give players easier access to the Map Table.
  
• Players who attempt to jump on the bookcase in a Sloop should no longer be loaded back onto the ship.
  
• Players should no longer find a floating candle above an interactable barrel at Shark Bait Cove.
  
• Grog bottles in Old Brinestone Fortress no longer float above the ground.
  
• Pets can now be placed on the Sloop’s bed.
  
• When swimming in deep water or flooded rooms, players’ pets should no longer walk around underwater.
  
• Players should no longer be able to walk through pillars next to the Storeroom in Sea Forts.
  
• The rug at Mercy’s End Sea Fort should no longer intersect with the floor.
  
• Players should no longer be able to walk through wooden crates at Imperial Fortress, Traitor’s Fate Fortress and Mercy’s End Fortress.
  
• Players can no longer pass through the hanging barrels near the Treasury room at Imperial Crown Fortress and Old Brinestone Fortress.
  
• Within the Pirate Legend Hideout, players should no longer be able to push through the sea floor and appear in the open sea.

Visual and Audio

• Players should no longer be able to strike at a location where another player may be respawning and hear an audio effect, confirming that player’s location.
  
• Legendary Luke in the Pirate Legend Hideout now has voiceover lines when speaking.
  
• Players and pets should now sit correctly inside the Magpie’s Glory and Silent Barnacle Cannons when loaded.
  
• Equipping the Spring Blossom Figurehead or Collector’s Spring Blossom Figurehead on a Sloop should no longer show floating objects beneath the figurehead.
  
• During the Maiden Voyage, the Rowboat lantern is now connected correctly to the Rowboat.
  
• Pets offered food will now move smoothly to the right position before taking a bite.
  
• The Eternal Freedom Wheel now casts a shadow on the deck.
  
• While holding an Instrument of the Damned, looking at smoke should no longer cause the smoke to appear in front of the instrument.
  
• Walking over wooden planks in Old Brinestone Fortress should now cause the correct sound to be heard.
  
• Players should no longer see an option to sit in mid-air when on the west side dock at Dagger Tooth Outpost.
  
• Players should no longer encounter oversized projectiles fired from a Trident of Dark Tides.

Text and Localisation

• Skeleton Captain names shown on Bounty Quests from the Order of Souls now display correctly in Japanese.
  
• Description for the Eastern Winds Jade Shovel has been revised.

Performance and Stability

• Improvements made to reduce scenarios where players can experience extended black screen loading times when using a mermaid or returning from the Ferry of the Damned.
  
• Improvements made to the accuracy of a player’s firing location when shooting a ranged weapon. This is intended to improve hit detection across a range of gameplay scenarios where the player is moving while firing.
  
• Server optimisations made to reduce the frequency of server performance spikes, which can result in players experiencing lag spikes, rubberbanding and server correction during gameplay.
  
• Server stability has been improved, reducing scenarios where crews are removed from a game session.

Reduced Server Performance

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

Steam Achievement Unlocking Issues

• Some Steam players may find that after an achievement is unlocked in the game, it is not unlocked within Steam.

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.


Download size:

• Steam: 9.51 GB

May! A month stuffed to its extremities with Adventure, from the last stretch of 'The Shrouded Deep' to the opening gambits of 'Lost Sands'. And in the space between them we managed to pack in this Season's Community Day and the launch of the very first Sea of Thieves Mystery. There has, as DCI Taggart used to say, been a murrr-der, and it's better if we get these obscure British references out of our system here than in an in-game weapon description or something. Now then: let's recap!

Yes, 'The Shrouded Deep' – our third time-limited Adventure, and first finale Adventure running to three weeks instead of two – still had half its runtime to go as we moved into May. Only when the monthly update landed on the 12th, with a suite of wild Emporium additions (Lionfish! Crab! Rat!) and bunches of bugfixes and improvements, did the grand Ghost hunt draw to a close.

It wasn't quiet for long, of course, with Mysteries making their Season Six debut as promised earlier in the year. So are we seeing things? Or hearing things? Who can say – Mysteries aren't about having the answers laid out in plain sight or explained in detail, so stay sharp for clues both in-game and out, leaving your deerstalker and/or handlebar moustache wax within grabbing distance. No, you maniacs, they're just detective references, not clues.

Two weeks after the end of 'The Shrouded Deep', our next update introduced the fourth Adventure, 'Lost Sands'. While the bombast of battling Megalodons receded into a more prolonged power struggle, emotions were still running just as high. The fervent back-and-forth over whether to #SaveGoldenSands or #RuinGoldenSands was stoked by updates on the state of play after the first weekend, and a breakdown of actions that players could take to swing the balance. The outcome wouldn't be known until 'Lost Sands' ended on June 9th, so players seized the opportunity to change the world and, just as importantly, blag some sweet Mementos while they were at it.


In the world of words delicately whittled or sometimes rancorously hammered into the shape of news posts, 'Lost Sands' was preceded by the regular Adventures Ahead primer to get everyone up to speed ahead of the new Adventure, while our dedicated Mysteries article saw Creative Director Mike carefully set the scene without straying into a morass of spoilers. Upcoming social contest Style of Thieves got its own editorial exposé on Community Day, and we canvassed another convocation of artists and producers to give you a From Concept to Cosmetic breakdown of the Islehopper Outlaw set.

The Spotlight schedule didn't falter in the face of all this, adopting an accidental food theme in May as Captain Peachy rolled into the ranks of Community Spotlights while KatLikesTacos packed her single-item shopping list for a Creator Spotlight outing. Our second Spotlight Showcase settled into place on Steam too, rounding up all the recent Spotlight activity for news hunters of those geyser-pocked wildlands.

And – and! – we rolled out a whole new section to help folks stay on top of Who's Who on the Sea of Thieves, as our Adventures and Tall Tales and Mysteries continue to usher characters in and out of the limelight. And – and! – May's musical release returned to us from a Voyage deep into the pixellated past, as the enduring 'We Shall Sail Together' was adorably demade for a Retro Mix.




Plenty going on here in May too: central to it all was the double bill of Adventure-based trailers, with the 'Lost Sands' cinematic dropping a few days ahead of the Adventure to build hype before the launch trailer landed alongside the game content itself. Would have been weird if it didn't, really.

In the wake of a full introductory video for Mysteries, video clips have already gone on to become an integral part of how these stories will feed out hints and revelations – beginning with a clip that had no name except for a simple, sad skull emoji. RIP, you bombastic old peacock. We have no doubt that the truth of this tragic tale will eventually come to light, as the pirate community is bristling with eagle-eyed investigators.

Back before any of this in the first half of May, episode 7 of the Official SoT Podcast turned the tavern into a bathysphere exploring previous Adventure 'The Shrouded Deep', while a fresh episode of Sea of Thieves News divulged details of Community Day along with a bundle of end-of-month Twitch Drops, easing the transition as a knackered May tagged in June.


Community Day was of course May's pivotal point on our social channels, arriving as it does only once a Season, and arriving this time surrounded by orifice-sealing nervousness over the spectre of Strawberrybeards. Thankfully all was well from go-live time onwards, with Community Emissary Grade Five triggering a monster Renown multiplier well before the halfway mark, at which point we dropped some sweet, sweet stats. There was also free stuff to be had, sales, a fancy banjo – even a bespoke challenge list, checklist, score card and smart screenshot frames to help players share whatever they were up to. The latter idea then carried over to the 'Lost Sands' Adventure, where another clutch of assets assisted efforts to #SaveGoldenSands or #RuinGoldenSands.

It was a three-batch month for Community Hub updates, delivering new drops of player creativity at the start and end of May with one in the middle for luck. Early May #SoTShots, on the other hand, were only interested in Megalodons, with the shortlist as difficult as ever to whittle down even with separate sets of winners on Twitter and Instagram. Once more sticking to the spirit of the live Adventure, the next #SoTShot theme was Rivalry with more sets of winners currently on the cusp, the very cusp of being decided.

#TriviaTuesday kept it relevant to recent updates with info on Ancient Phantoms, the Veil of the Ancients and Ghost Garrisons, plus the Servant of the Flame's history and current cause. And for the weekend wind-down, #SundayVibes swept us off to Fools Lagoon and Golden Sands, bookending a double appearance for Sea Dog's Rest, for reasons of… a Sea Dog… having a nice rest?



And that's an end to it! Thank you for your service, May – off you go, close the door on your way out but be sure to let the cat in first. In a dangerously brave plot twist, the cat's name is June. And if you want to keep up with June's cantankerous edicts then you'd better follow Sea of Thieves on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Twitch, the official Forums or our Discord server. And come back here for next month's round-up, when we'll be cross-hatched with cartoon scratch marks from trying to shove June off the chair so someone else can sit down.

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That’s right, as revealed in our singalong segment at the Xbox & Bethesda Games Showcase on June 12th, the long-awaited promise of Captaincy is soon to be fulfilled in Sea of Thieves.

Season Seven arrives in July, and with it comes a whole set of Captaincy features that will not only allow you to name your ship and emblazon it on the crest for all to see, but customise the ship’s interior to your heart’s content and earn a whole host of new progression rewards too. Miss the Showcase event? You can watch the trailer right here…



Hopefully this gets your buccaneer blood pumping for everything coming to Sea of Thieves in Season Seven. Plenty more detail to be shared as we get closer to launch!

As you’ll have seen in the trailer above, we’re also celebrating the landmark of 30 million players. It’s a truly staggering milestone that means the world to everyone here at the studio. We want to thank you all so much for joining us on the seas since 2018, and we are giddily excited to see how many of you go on to take up the mantle of Captains.

In honour of this 30 million player milestone there’ll be a Gold & Glory Weekend starting on June 17th, offering double gold and reputation and boosted Renown for all treasures cashed in. Before June ends you can also look forward to content updates delivering further improvements and fixes, heaping new treasures onto the Pirate Emporium shelves and ushering in our fifth time-limited Adventure, ‘The Forsaken Hunter’. And then the age of Captaincy will be imminent…

It’s set to be an exhilarating couple of months for Sea of Thieves, so settle into your Captain’s chair, start brainstorming the best ship name on the seas and brace for the next phase of adventure!

While the current state of the seas could be best described as turbulent, with pirates scuffling over the fate of Golden Sands in our latest Adventure ‘Lost Sands’, those with the capacity to cast their minds back to May 14th will remember a pallier period of piracy. A more relaxing event. A Community Day, if you will.

That’s right, the 24-hour period that ran from 10am UTC on Saturday May 14th saw scores of scoundrels setting sail with a view to make the most of boosted gold and reputation for the duration, and of course picking up their free flag and Wing Flap Emote. Alongside in-game actions, many pirates also took to Twitter where they could mingle among the community and share their shenanigans using #SeaOfThievesCommunityDay, with the ultimate aim of boosting Renown gains to previously unseen levels through cumulative use of the hashtag!

The lack of a certain berry-bearded bounder obviously kept morale high, contributing to speedy sharing of the tag and the Community Emissary Grade being raised to its maximum level in under 11 hours, more than an hour quicker than the previous Community Day! We were even trending for a bit, so thanks for helping us raise our flag high. Go ahead and pat yourselves on the back for us. It would take a while for us to get around to all of you.



Speaking of all of you, let’s talk cold hard stats to get a view of what you got up to as a community throughout those 24 hours. Fun and frolics were high on the agenda, with 525,387 fireworks fired, 810,862 pints of grog downed and 1,900,558 instruments played. There were also 205,162 instances of pirates hiding in barrels, though how many of those were for nefarious deeds and how many were simple practical japes, we can’t say. Aside from fireworks, cannons were used to launch a lot of cannonballs (14,474,694 to be exact), a lot of pirates (1,492,407 counts of corsair cannonballs) and a number of projectile pets (71,235).

In terms of the biggest numbers, you’re all clearly very hungry, scoffing a total of 9,212,294 pieces of grub, of which 3,078,249 pieces were the classic banana. But then, treasure hunting is hungry work, and after raking in a cumulative total of 129,420,824,546 gold we can’t blame you for splashing out on a few prime Kraken steaks. You deserve it!

You all also had a lot to say about the most important debate on the Sea of Thieves right now, with 39,746 Pocket Rats whipped out versus 59,527 Pocket Crabs after their recent introduction to the Pirate Emporium. Seems the presence of the pinchy crustaceans in our trailers may have inflated their celebrity status…



Moving away from the big numbers, we also like to use Community Days to bestow the blue bonnet, otherwise known as the Hat of Unfeasibly Glorious Fame, on deserving but as-yet-unsung pirates, and this time we gave away more than 30 over this 24-hour period. Dedicated artists such as Ozurian Art, Skeleton Crew Comics, ColourMeFun and Havexis, prop creators like MiniMeMarcLee and Sirbats and Community legends including Capt_Ballzonia, gaming_4nj4, AT0MAC and ItsGummyyBear all found long-overdue fancy caps in their Equipment Chests throughout the day.

We also celebrated a number of sailors doing something special for the day itself. From personal projects such as Cpt_Drasuk’s Community Day skull competition and KlutchxKing518’s concertina effort, to in-game fun inspired by our Challenge List from vznDustBunny and crew, we loved seeing how the community marked the day and we hope they enjoy peacocking about with their new headwear.

Speaking of peacocking, we also snuck in a little announcement during the day, revealing that our new #StyleOfThieves social competition will be launching during Season Seven and offering a way to earn the Fashionista’s Finery Gloves! Fashionable filibusters should hop over to our dedicated article to learn more about that, and keep an eye on social channels following the arrival of the next Season to be sure of seeing the first set of prompts.



We’ve covered a lot and we haven’t even mentioned the Gilded Phoenix Banjo Twitch Drops. Or our special screenshot frames and wallpapers we made for the day. Or how you all told us what Sea of Thieves means to you in a handful of words. Or the fact that our merch store had an actual physical flag available to buy. Or the fun score card we created and saw people using on streams and social media. Or people scouring the seas for crews sailing under the Deckhand and Quartermaster Sails and giving away elusive Obsidian items. Or us calling out everyone looking at their phones instead of handing in loot (we know you do it). As with last time, let’s just say lots happened.

So if you sailed with us at any point during our Season Six Community Day, either on the seas or simply via social media, thank you. Thank you for bringing your creativity, fun and passion for the Sea of Thieves we share, and for making loads of noise in the simple spirit of shouting that affection at the world. The #SeaOfThievesCommunityDay tag remains an archive of your enthusiasm. It’s both heartwarming and humbling for us (and the entire Sea of Thieves team) to see, and certainly puts a big gust of wind in our sails.

We’ll be holding another Sea of Thieves Community Day in Season Seven, so keep your eyes on the horizon and, more helpfully, our social media channels (and Twitter in particular), to find out when that’ll be. We’re already looking forward to seeing how you’ll all impress us again!

The fate of Golden Sands Outpost hangs in the balance in Sea of Thieves’ fourth time-limited Adventure, ‘Lost Sands’. In a departure from previous Adventures, players can pick the path they wish to follow, either choosing to aid in the Outpost’s reconstruction or dooming it to be ever shrouded in ethereal mist.

The side with the most support at the end of the Adventure will determine the future of Golden Sands in Sea of Thieves, so weigh your options carefully! Do you want the Outpost restored to its previous prominence, or would you rather leave it in ruins as a tactical play or a testament to Captain Flameheart’s power? As with previous Adventures, players have been given a glimpse of the current state of play in the cinematic opening trailer...


Following the thrilling conclusion to ‘The Shrouded Deep’, Merrick found his lust for excitement and adventure rekindled, and has now set his sights on rebuilding Golden Sands Outpost – which was left abandoned at the beginning of the very first Adventure, ‘Shrouded Islands’. But even as Merrick tries to rally the island’s inhabitants, a shadowy threat lies in wait. The Servant of the Flame is determined that the Outpost should remain in ruins, and gathers his forces to plot sabotage.

Will you be swayed by Merrick’s fervor and take the Hunter’s Path, helping him track down key supplies to restore Golden Sands to its former trading glory? Or will you slip onto the Servant’s Path, using Soulflame Rowboats to smuggle Relic Caches to the Reapers, scheming to keep the island shrouded?

The future of Golden Sands can even be influenced when not directly taking part in the Adventure. Anyone can contribute to the reconstruction by delivering useful supplies to Merrick, or disrupt those supply lines to support the Servant of the Flame. Every little action could swing the balance until this Adventure concludes on June 9!

If you want a recap of everything that’s happened up to this point, our Adventures Ahead series of story primers should provide all you seek. We release a new instalment before the start of each new Adventure, so you can jump right into the story whether you’re a veteran Adventurer or ‘Lost Sands’ is your very first.

Now it’s time to act, pirates – pick a side and help decide Golden Sands’ destiny in ‘Lost Sands’! Don’t forget to use the #SaveGoldenSands or #RuinGoldenSands tag to state your allegiance on your social channel of choice. You’ve got until June 9 to help change the course of Sea of Thieves history…


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 http://www.seaofthieves.com/ where you can embark on an epic journey with one of gaming’s most welcoming communities!

As Season Six 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 2.5.2.1.

For more information on the last batch of improvements and May’s Pirate Emporium offerings, see the previous release notes. For a refresher on all the new content that arrived back at the start of Season Six, check out the launch release notes!


The seas have settled following the successful recovery of the Veil of the Ancients. However, Golden Sands Outpost remains on the verge of being lost forever as our Adventures continue. It will take everyone working together to save it... if that’s what they choose to do!

‘Lost Sands’ (May 26th – June 9th)

• Merrick has returned to Golden Sands to lead the rebuilding effort, recruiting its former inhabitants along with any other pirates willing to help. Meanwhile, sinister figures have been spotted lurking in the shadows of the Outpost’s surrounding islands…
  
• Speak to Larinna to begin this Adventure and join in the global community effort, as the fate of Golden Sands Outpost is left in players’ hands! Will you follow the Hunter’s Path or the Servant’s Path? Are you team #SaveGoldenSands or #RuinGoldenSands?
  
• Choose to either help Merrick track down precious supplies to restore Golden Sands to its former Outpost glory, or side with the Servant of the Flame and use Relic Caches to keep this once thriving island enshrouded by the fog.
  
• Even when not directly taking part in the Adventure, players can tip the balance by delivering useful supplies to Merrick or diverting them to the Servant of the Flame. All viable actions can influence the outcome until the Adventure ends on June 9th.
  
• Separate cosmetic rewards are available for completing the Hunter’s Path and the Servant’s Path, serving as Mementos of the time players helped decide the fate of Golden Sands. An exclusive Title can also be earned for completing all Deeds in this Adventure.

Soulflame Rowboats

• During this Adventure, pirates can discover Soulflame Rowboats emergently across the seas, crafted by The Reaper’s Bones for the purposes of causing mayhem.
  
• Soulflame Rowboats come with a reinforced explosive keg strapped to the rear, allowing pirates to light the fuse before reaching their target and detonating. The keg is resistant to small arms fire, but repeated attacks will eventually cause it to explode.

Gameplay

• Improved the experience when bailing a full bucket of water, reducing scenarios where water would still be left in the bucket after bailing.
  
• Players lighting the Flames of Fate and placing a Ritual Skull within the Fort of the Damned will now consistently begin the encounter.
  
• Players should now encounter a more consistent rotation of World Events across the seas.

Pirate Emporium

• While wearing the Lionfish Costume, attempting to perform the emote from the radial menu will now display the correct iconography.

Performance and Stability

• Optimised retrieval of player models for players joining a server to improve server performance and reduce black screen load times.

Reduced Server Performance

• Players may experience scenarios where they encounter ping spikes at random while playing, resulting in rubberbanding or client stutters. While improvements have been released in update 2.5.2.1, the team continue to work on further improvements for future updates.

Steam Achievement Unlocking Issues

• Some Steam players may find that after an achievement is unlocked in the game, it is not unlocked within Steam.

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.



Download size:Steam: 5.26 GB