The fourth Spotlight Showcase instalment is here! It’s been a while, dear readers, so we’ve got three whole months of Spotlights to catch you up on. There’s a brilliant cast of seafaring characters ahead (including our fourth ever Legend Spotlight), so settle in and enjoy this trip down community lane.




First, cast your minds back to August, when we caught up with artist and meme queen Nomezilla for a Community Spotlight. We asked about the development process for her wacky designs, such as the stylish Strawberrybeard, and the story behind her ‘Infernal Galop’ music video. She also shared her love of motorcycles and tales of taking her – frankly adorable – trio of dogs on hikes.




For a Creator Spotlight in August we had none other than NateaCuiki. She discussed how her nocturnal habits allowed her to engage with people on both sides of the Atlantic, including the passionate Spanish-speaking community of Sea of Thieves players. On the subject of streaming, she shared some of her struggles and her best advice for anyone else also thinking of creating content.




Then caught up with a Legend who’s been sailing since the Closed Beta back in 2018: Sir Lotus. Lotus is a Boatswain and a true veteran of the seas, so we sat down with him to find out about challenges faced in the last four years, his journey to Legend and some considerations for other up-and-coming Pirate Legends. He was also keen to set the record straight on a certain incident…




Moving into September, we had another Community Spotlight for you, this time with renowned artist Crewgles! Known for his fine work as part of the ever-friendly Arrt Club, Crewgles also spoke about how his passion for architecture has led to another level of appreciation for the wild and varied structures of Sea of Thieves. Do you know how many bricks you can find in-game?




Next we headed to Australia to speak with another wildly talented Arrt Club participant for our next Community Spotlight: Zookie. She shared the first piece of Sea of Thieves art she did and the touching story behind it, as well as dropping a few hints about what she might be working on next. If you’re a Flameheart fan, Zookie’s definitely one creator to keep an eye on!




We kicked off October by returning to the green-tinged world of Creator Spotlights in the company of streamer Kaidawrath, to hear all about her treasure-hoarding shenanigans. Alongside her record of burning more than 4000 innocent pineapples, she spoke about the responsibility of having an audience and why it’s important not to get discouraged when you’re first starting out.




And finally we come to the last Community Spotlight of October, where we caught up with TheCloudBee to hear how she’s bringing together her passion for gaming and her work as a charity ambassador. As she’s also a formidable helmswoman with experience in countless contests, we of course had to get all her best tips for manoeuvring across the Sea of Thieves.

And thus concludes the latest Showcase! The last three months saw some fabulous members of the community sharing their thoughts, so be sure to check out the full versions of all of these interviews at the links. If you’re looking for more, then don’t forget you can find the full archive of Community, Creator and Legend Spotlights on the Sea of Thieves website. Or if you’re interested in a more abridged collection, there’s always the previous Showcase instalment!

That’s all for now, but we’ll have plenty more Spotlights in the weeks and months ahead, so keep a weather eye on the horizon. Until then!

We’ve done it. We’ve finally arrived at the spookiest of seasons! October brought all the ghouls, goblins and ghosts that any self-respecting pirate could ever want. After all, who doesn’t love the spiderweb/pumpkin aesthetic?

Taking its lead from the shifting seasons, Sea of Thieves also had an eventful month. You might have noticed that there was a brand new Adventure – or perhaps you were too busy getting ready for the later Tricksters and Treaters Event? What we do know is that with so much going on, trying to keep track of it all would test any pirate, so settle in and let’s review everything that went down in October 2022.

The big news in October was of course the arrival of ‘The Herald of the Flame’, Sea of Thieves’ eighth time-limited adventure. Players were treated to the return of the wily Stitcher Jim, finally emerging from his self-imposed exile with a menacing new look. Together with the Pirate Lord’s allies, players from across the sea came together to strike back against the Reapers and bring down their plans.

Putting down an undead and on fire pirate from an old prophecy feels like it should have been more than enough excitement for the month, but we weren’t done! Towards the end of October, we embraced the spooky spirit with an all-new Tricksters and Treaters Event. The task was simple: either act as a Treater, burying treasure for other players to find, or embrace the pranking as a Trickster and steal everything not nailed down on other people’s ships – all with exclusive cosmetics and Titles on the line.

And, lest we forget, the most important part of any spooky season: the costumes. The Pirate Emporium was flooded with new seasonal cosmetics, including the ultra-slimming Spinal Costume. After all, why fight with the skellies when you can become one? For any players partial to a bit more coverage – or, you know, skin – the Graveyard Gladiator set offered a nice, fleshy alternative. Wait, that came out wrong. Look, free pumpkin juggling!


With ‘The Herald of the Flame’ Adventure to explore, we of course dropped a new Adventures Ahead article to remind you of the tale of Stitcher Jim. We weren’t about to let the seasonal spirit go unsung either, so the latter half of the month saw both an eerie Emporium sale and the release of the new ‘Spooky Selects’ soundtrack entry. Remember, drifting through the cold moonlit waves, accompanied only by ghostly shanties of long-gone pirates, can absolutely be self-care and you shouldn’t let anyone tell you otherwise.

The Community Hub got no less than three sets of updates on what our crafty community have been creating, and as always, we had fortnightly Spotlights throughout the month. We started with a Creator Spotlight on renowned Twitch privateer Kaidawrath, speaking about how her platform grew from humble origins. Then for our Community Spotlight we turned to TheCloudBee to discuss her charity work and what it takes to become a fearsome helmswoman.

Continuing the charity theme, Sea of Thieves teamed up with SpecialEffect on October 7th to help level the playing field for gamers with physical disabilities. For #OneSpecialDay, we donated 100% of Sea of Thieves’ net proceeds on Steam to support their incredible work. Thank you to everyone who got involved and helped to raise money for the cause!




We couldn’t kick off a new Adventure without giving you some trailers, could we? ‘The Herald of the Flame’ cinematic trailer landed early in the month, with the launch trailer just a few days later. Before you had a chance to rejoice and/or dread the return of dear Jim, episode 9 of the official podcast also dropped to answer some of your burning questions and offer up hints about what’s in store for Sea of Thieves’ future.

With the Tricksters and Treaters Event rapidly approaching, John couldn’t resist giving us a spine-tingling edition of Sea of Thieves News. Then once the Event landed, we turned our attention to Twitch and the Tavern of Terror stream to watch as our assembled crew scrambled to uncover a traitor in their midst. There was… mixed success. (Seriously though, is that horizon advancing too quickly for anyone else?)

Twitch Drops once again made their mark in the middle of the month, and on October’s very last day we casually dropped the first trailer for the Adventure awaiting in November…


Way back in September we got fashionable with the first ever #StyleOfThieves competition, and October brought things to a generous conclusion for its debut Season. Piracy has never looked so good. Elsewhere, we raised a toast to Age of Empires as it celebrated its 25th anniversary, building the team their very own ship with a unique colour scheme and inspirational name.

Now, deep breath. Lots more to cram in. Okay? Go. At the start of the month, we invited you to get into the spirit and it took off from there. For the artistically minded, there were two seasonally themed #SoTShot challenges: Striking Skeletons and Frightening Photos. Arrt Club prompt attempts were made in-house, while over on TikTok, our sound designers tried out something a little different for our Megalodon friends.

Our #TriviaTuesday bursts helped to fill in some background on the ‘The Herald of the Flame’ Adventure, while an impromptu geography challenge ended with a surprisingly in-depth discussion about apostrophes. Players’ treasure-burying alignment was called into question, and of course the other side of the Tricksters and Treaters Event coin was the opportunity to send us a tweet and get tricked or treated by the Jack O’ Looter!




So that was October. Phew. What a month. Did we miss anything? If any of this passed you by, don’t forget you can keep up to date with all Sea of Thieves news as it happens by following us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube or Twitch, or joining the official Forums or Discord. This month’s already shaping up to be packed with goodies of its own, so stay tuned, stay spooky and have a great November!

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Sea of Thieves Round-Up: September 2022
Sea of Thieves Round-Up: August 2022Sea of Thieves Round-Up: July 2022Sea 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

The Time of Resurrection has arrived, and the infamous Skeleton Lord Captain Flameheart is about to return to the seas – as long as his loyal followers within The Reaper’s Bones are able to complete their long-awaited ritual! Elsewhere, the Pirate Lord’s allies have concocted a rival scheme in an attempt to banish Flameheart for good, placing Captain Pendragon’s life on the line to do so.

Now players must decide whether to ally themselves with Belle or the Servant of the Flame, supporting their chosen side in a battle that spans the Sea of Thieves. It will be pirates, not prophecies, that determine whether Flameheart or Pendragon stands triumphant when the dust settles, with the other consigned to exile. Either way, the future of the Sea of Thieves hangs in the balance...



Both sides require the energy of Dark Relics to successfully compete their rituals, specifically Bewitching Dolls. These hotly contested items can be found sequestered around six Sea Forts scattered across the Sea of Thieves, and must be delivered directly to either Belle or the Servant of the Flame, depending on your allegiance. But there’s a catch...

The Bewitching Dolls draw their power from the Sea Forts that house them, and their effectiveness is greatly increased when your chosen side is in command of the Fort – something you can establish by flying their banner from its flagpole, fighting your way through Phantoms to get there if necessary.

Handing in a Doll at a time when all six Sea Forts are under your side’s control is the most efficient way of assisting in the ritual, while leaving Forts unclaimed will diminish the relic’s effectiveness. Beacons above each Fort will indicate which side, if any, currently holds them.

Forts actively held by the enemy will limit the Dolls’ power, so crews will need to think carefully about their actions – is It better to attack and claim another Fort, defend those you already control or make a dash to hand in your Bewitching Dolls? The choice is yours.





Crews will need to undertake the Adventure to receive a fresh flag from their chosen side and claim a Sea Fort, but existing flags can be taken down by any passing pirate, allowing crews to sabotage their opponents’ efforts at any time while the Adventure is live.

Similarly, players can scour the Sea Forts for Bewitching Dolls (or seek to steal them from other unwary players) at any time, whether or not they’re actively pursuing the Adventure, so there’s plenty of space for sailing skulduggery and tricky tactics. And keep an eye out for Soulflame Captains within the Forts: should you find and defeat one, its remains can be used to enchant a Bewitching Doll, greatly increasing its worth to Belle or the Servant of the Flame.

However you decide to approach this fateful fight, everyone will have an opportunity to sway the final outcome. For a primer on the forces at play and the circumstances that led to this tipping point, be sure to read our latest Adventures Ahead article. ‘Return of the Damned’ is now underway, and following its conclusion, the results of this cliffhanger community choice will be revealed in a special livestream event! The Adventure itself concludes on November 17th.





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 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 2.6.3.1.

For a rundown of the most recent Pirate Emporium additions and October’s set of improvements and fixes, see the previous release notes. For more information on all the new content that arrived in Season Seven, check out the launch release notes!


Although the Herald of the Flame was vanquished by the efforts of pirate crews, the Time of Resurrection has not yet been averted. With the future of the Sea of Thieves on the line, where will those who sail upon it place their allegiance in our ninth time-limited Adventure?

‘Return of the Damned’ (November 3rd – November 17th)

• Speak to Larinna to begin this Adventure and join the fray, with the souls of two powerful pirates hanging in the balance! Will you be #TeamFlameheart or #TeamPendragon?
  
• Either choose to save Pendragon from his noble sacrifice by allying with Belle at Shipwreck Bay as they subvert the Reapers’ ritual, seeking to banish Flameheart’s spirit to the Sea of the Damned for good...
  
• Or choose loyalty to the The Reaper's Bones and protect their ritual at all costs! The Servant of the Flame is channelling dark powers to resurrect his infamous father, summoning those loyal to the cause to join him at The Reaper’s Hideout.
  
• Whatever their allegiance, crews will clash at the Sea Forts spread around the Sea of Thieves during this Adventure. Forts can be claimed for either side by raising the appropriate flag.
  
• When as many Forts as possible are under the control of their chosen side, pirates should seek to recover the Dark Relics known as Bewitching Dolls found within the Forts, returning them to either Belle or the Servant of the Flame.
  
• If enchanted by the energy of a defeated Soulflame Captain, these Relics will carry even greater power!
  
• Join in the global community effort to determine which side amasses the greatest strength for its ritual, determining the fates of Pendragon, Captain Flameheart and the world as we know it.
  
• Participating players can earn rewards as Mementos of the time they helped decide the fate of the Sea of Thieves. An exclusive Title can also be earned for completing all Deeds in this Adventure.

Gameplay

• Players exploring The Devil’s Roar should no longer experience continual volcanic eruptions and earthquakes while traversing islands.
  
• Players should no longer encounter multiple active World Events at the same time.

Pirate Emporium

• The Collector’s Lodestar Figurehead is now purchasable at the correct price in all locations within the Emporium.

Environment

• Players exploring the Shrine of Tribute will no longer discover a placeholder environment asset.

Visual and Audio

• Players wielding weapons and equipment will now hear the intended audio effects.
  
• Players should now hear the appropriate waterfall sounds when exploring various islands.

‘Return of the Damned’ Early Completion

• Crews who are skilled enough to return an enchanted Bewitching Doll to Belle or the Servant of Flame while all Sea Forts are claimed for their chosen side will find the Adventure completes abruptly, removing their Quest Items and showing the final sequence. They are then offered the chance to repeat the Adventure to amass further strength for their chosen side.

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.

Download size:

• Steam: 4.81 GB

The clock is counting down towards the Festival of the Damned, but there are those on the waves who have no time to indulge in revelry. After all, thanks to the Servant of the Flame and his loyal Reapers, the return of Captain Flameheart is imminent – so long as their plan succeeds, that is. Belle and her allies, meanwhile, are risking everything to ensure that Flameheart’s resurrection is thwarted and the notorious Skeleton Lord never reclaims his physical form.

Battle lines are being drawn and it’s almost certain that pirates will find themselves caught up in the brewing conflict. But before you pick a side, here’s a seaworthy summary of how all this came to pass…

When it comes to reviving their infamous leader, Captain Flameheart’s followers have clearly been playing the long game. Even before The Reaper’s Hideout was completed, Dark Relics were being gathered and the island known as Old Boot Fort repurposed as a ritual site – one intended to perfect the practice of summoning spirits back from the Sea of the Damned.

Once his soul had been unleashed by an unwitting Captain Pendragon, Flameheart wasted little time in deploying dangerous Ashen Lords and marshalling Ghost Ship armadas to menace the Sea of Thieves, but he himself was little more than a spectral onlooker in these encounters. Trapped beyond the veil, there was only so much influence Captain Flameheart could exert.

Now, though, the pieces are in place to empower a ritual that will restore Flameheart to physical form. This would potentially allow him to take charge of The Reaper’s Bones, although the devious warmonger may well have other ambitions in mind of which not even the Servant of the Flame is aware…


Said physical form, as it turned out, was being meticulously restored by Stitcher Jim, having returned to the Reapers to fulfil his role as the Herald of the Flame. Once Jim’s involvement was confirmed and his work forced him out of hiding, it was these preternatural preparations that gave the Pirate Lord’s allies their opportunity to strike.

A desperate assault on Molten Sands Fortress led to the defeat of Stitcher Jim and, courtesy of a triumphant Pendragon and his Sword of Souls, destruction of the skull that would have completed Flameheart’s body. Belle was convinced that this victory had put paid to any chance of Flameheart’s revival – but even in death, the Herald of the Flame had one last part to play…

With Flameheart’s remains and Stitcher Jim’s skull recovered from the aftermath of Molten Sands, the Reapers have used every last trick at their disposal to ensure the prophesised Time of Resurrection proceeds as planned. Should they succeed, their ragtag assembly of bones and brimstone will be transformed into a fully formed Skeleton Lord: Captain Flameheart, just as he appeared in his prime.

There’s no longer any chance to prevent the Reapers’ ritual from taking place, but as the old pirate saying goes: “If you can’t beat ‘em…” At Shipwreck Bay, Belle and Pendragon are readying their own version of the ceremony and will attempt to summon Flameheart themselves, drawing him away from his waiting body so that his spirit can be cast into exile instead.

Unfortunately for Pendragon, participating in this desperate scheme has placed his own soul in jeopardy. If the Reapers succeed and Flameheart is reborn, it will be Sir Arthur who finds himself marooned in the furthest reaches of the Sea of the Damned, beyond even Belle’s ability to aid him.

Twin rituals. The fates of two powerful pirates hanging in the balance. Each side equally determined to secure their preferred future for the Sea of Thieves. Both Belle and the Servant of the Flame are calling for aid, and this is where pirates come in…




The key to success lies in controlling Flameheart’s Sea Forts, which now burn with the six Flames of Fate – effectively transforming the entire Sea of Thieves into one gigantic Fort of the Damned rite. Within these Forts lie a multitude of Bewitching Dolls: powerful Dark Relics that can aid both Belle and the Servant in their respective rituals, depending on who pirates choose to deliver them to.

There is a catch, however – the Dolls draw their power from the Forts that house them, which means that the more Sea Forts are under a side’s direct control, the more effective the Relics will be. To that end, both Belle and the Servant are preparing special flags for those who are willing to join their cause. Acquiring one is as simple as playing (or replaying) the Adventure and speaking to the representative of your chosen side.

These flags can then be flown at conquered Sea Forts, capturing them for that side and increasing the power of Bewitching Dolls handed in (and causing the Forts to be defended by loyal Ancient or Reaper Phantoms, depending on who’s currently in charge). Since flags can be lowered at any time by passing pirates looking to sabotage their enemies, even if they’re not undertaking the Adventure, the stage is set for a frantic battle of strength and cunning that will span every region of the sea.




As if things weren’t deadly enough, vicious Soulflame Captains are being drawn to the Sea of Thieves in Flameheart’s wake. There’s no telling if and when they might make their presence known at a Sea Fort, but if one is encountered and defeated, its essence can be used to enchant a Bewitching Doll, further increasing the Dark Relic’s usefulness when handed in at Shipwreck Bay or The Reaper’s Hideout.

Whether it’s tearing across the map to claim several Sea Forts at once, viciously defending those bastions they’ve already conquered or lying in wait to snatch Bewitching Dolls from the clutches of pirates who let their guard down, different crews will approach the impending battle in different ways – and ultimately, their actions will determine whether it’s Flameheart or Pendragon who’ll be standing tall on the Sea of Thieves in the months ahead.

Which side will you stand with? You have until November 3rd to make your decision, for that’s when ‘Return of the Damned’ launches, with the two-week battle reaching its crescendo on November 17th and the winning side being declared shortly after. Choose carefully, pirates – the future of the Sea of Thieves lies with you…

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Adventures Ahead: ‘The Herald of the Flame’Adventures Ahead: ‘The Sirens’ Prize’
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’

Content updates wait for no-one, so here we are delivering a fresh batch of fixes, event details and dark Emporium delights even as the latest time-limited Adventure drives Sea of Thieves’ story forward. If you're just joining us, see the trailer below to catch up on this Season’s initial content drop from a couple of months back...


Season Seven’s launch may seem like a distant memory to many pirates as Season Eight’s time draws near, but there’s still time to go back and catch up on those launch release notes too. Then read on for the latest updates!

It’s another month of dark and brooding Emporium vibes as the Graveyard Gladiator confronts you with a ship set, costume, weapon bundle and drum. Hear that cackling? The killer Spinal Costume is now in stock too! Evildoer Emotes and a spooky sale seal the deal...

Season Seven Plunder Pass

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

Halloween Emporium Sale

• Fabulous discounts are available on a range of Pirate Emporium items from October 28th to November 1st (10:00 UTC). Pirates will be able to pick up wicked deals under the Halloween tab including spooky costumes, pets, weapons and a wide range of emotes.
  
• To celebrate the sinister season, skeleton pets are also back for a limited time too: head to the Emporium and make a killer saving on the Skeleton Pet Bundles!

Spinal Costume

• Pay tribute to a savage skeletal warrior who personifies the killer instinct!
  
• Players can perform the Victory Cackle Emote with this costume equipped – the shrill, triumphant laugh that inspired a generation of scrappy skeletons.

Graveyard Gladiator Ship Collection

• Carry your challenge far and wide in a great chariot of the seas. Premium items such as the Collector’s Figurehead and Sails are separate purchases outside the main Ship Bundle.
  
• Players who only want the core components of this ship set can purchase the Graveyard Gladiator Essential Ship Bundle at a lower cost.

Graveyard Gladiator Costume

• Not just born for battle but reborn for it too, this undead champion will never stop seeking challengers.
  
• Players can perform the Dust to Dust Emote while wearing this costume, giving their adversaries a moment to understand that this will be the place where they fall.

Graveyard Gladiator Weapons

• Four weapons of a seasoned champion, each one a combination of battle tool and trophy.

Graveyard Gladiator Drum

• A battle drum passed down through generations of people who savour the sensation of hitting things.

Evildoer Emote Bundle

• Undertake or at least plan some pantomime villainy with this set of nefarious emotes.

Freebie Juggling Pumpkins Emote

• Beginner level: coconuts. Intermediate level: pumpkins. Advanced level: blunderbombs.

Chosen Champion Bundle (Store Only)

• Available from the Steam Store, the Chosen Champion Bundle contains the Graveyard Gladiator Costume, Weapon Bundle and Drum, along with 550 Ancient Coins to spend in the Pirate Emporium and a free bonus of 25,000 gold. Head to the Steam Item Store to find out more.

Some traditions transcend time and place, as you can see from the Tricksters and Treaters Event getting ready to go on the last weekend of the month! There’ll also be more Twitch Drops before Season Seven retreats into the mists of history...

Tricksters and Treaters (October 28th – November 1st)

• This year, Sea of Thieves marks the spooky season in a new way: with a Tricksters and Treaters in-game Event that asks pirates to enable generous treats or undertake dastardly tricks!
  
• Tricksters and Treaters compete to raise enough points to meet their own cumulative Community Goals, with bespoke rewards and a Title on offer to those who play their part.
  
• Keep an eye on Sea of Thieves social channels for updates as this Event approaches, and check the Events Hub for a link to all the info when it's live!

Twitch Drops

• Continue to unlock even more cosmetics throughout Season Seven 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 Eastern Winds Sapphire items. Find out how to link your accounts and more on our dedicated Twitch Drops page.

‘The Herald of the Flame’ (October 13th – October 27th)

• With The Devil’s Roar fallen silent, Belle fears a prophecy could be coming true, heralding a dark ritual soon to take place. Her allies set off to scour the region, uncover the truth and face the fallout in this eighth time-limited Adventure!
  
• ‘The Herald of the Flame’ Adventure will remain available to play until October 27th. Speak to Larinna with your whole crew present to begin the Adventure.

Seared Forsaken Ashes Equipment and Weapons

• The Outpost equipment and weapon shops now offer the Seared Forsaken Ashes items for purchase with gold.

Gameplay

• The ominous ship cloud in the sky signifying an encounter with a Skeleton Fleet has returned to the rotation of world events.
  
• Players taking on a Skeleton Fort should no longer find that skeleton waves halt, preventing the encounter from progressing.
  
• Handing Devil’s Roar Cargo Run Crates in on time and in perfect condition will now update the following Commendations correctly: Merchant of Forsaken Silk, Merchant of Forsaken Flora and Merchant of Forsaken Rum.

Captains of Adventure

• Players who start a solo Captained session should no longer see a notification that the Captain has left.
  
• Players swapping Trinkets in quick succession will now find the correct Trinkets remain applied when starting the next game session.
  
• Players discarding Captain’s Voyages in quick succession will now find the correct Voyages in the Captain’s Bookshelf when starting the next game session.
  
• Players enabling ‘Replace Gamertag on Ship’s Banners’ will now find this setting persists across sessions.
  
• Players enabling ‘Replace Ship Names’ will now find all ship names are replaced when browsing owned ships in the Ship’s Log.
  
• A customised Captain’s Logbook will now retain its customisation when dropped on the ground.
  
• The Ancient Chain ornament no longer moves strangely when the ship is moving.
  
• When clicking on locked Captaincy items in the Ship Customisation Chest and Flag Box, players will now hear the correct audio effects.
  
• Filtering by ‘Items I Own’ in any customisation shop no longer causes the supply and Voyage shops to appear empty.
  
• Crews returning to the Sea of Thieves after visiting the Sea of the Damned should no longer see the Ship’s Crest visual effects replay.
  
• The ‘Info & Tips’ button can now be found when first interacting with the Ship Customisation Chest.

Environment

• Players can no longer swim through the wall with the Siren riddle in the Shrine of Tribute.
  
• Players can no longer jump into the gap in the map and fall underneath that area within the Shrine of Ancient Tears.
  
• Loot no longer disappears when placed at the Vault's entrance on Kraken Watchtower.

Visual and Audio

• The Bleakheart Banshee Eye of Reach scope no longer becomes transparent after reloading and shooting.
  
• ‘The Seabound Soul’ – On Pendragon's arrival, he will now appear alongside his sword.
  
• ‘Heart of Fire’ – On Pendragon's arrival, he will now appear alongside his sword.

Text and Localisation

• Approaching Sharon the shipwright at New Golden Sands Outpost now brings up the correct interaction text.
  
• When navigating UI menus, font artifacts should no longer be left behind on-screen.
  
• The ship selection screen now correctly displays text in Turkish and German languages.

Performance and Stability

• Improved server stability to reduce scenarios where crews are removed from a game session.
  
• Client stability has also been improved, reducing scenarios where players experience a game crash.

‘The Herald of the Flame’ Quest Items

• When playing latest Adventure ‘The Herald of the Flame’, should a crew experience a server migration while carrying the Vault Key, it may not migrate to the new server with them. Affected players will receive a “Vault Key Lost” message and the Adventure will need to be restarted.

Larinna Adventure Dialogue Discoverability

• Unless a player's whole crew are present when talking to Larinna, she will only have dialogue about Captained ships and will not offer the option to begin the latest Adventure.

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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Download size:

• Steam: 6.24 GB

Even in the wake of his historic defeat, Captain Flameheart has loomed large over the Sea of Thieves. Fleets of his Ghost Ships roam the open ocean and attack anyone they encounter, while the infamous warmonger himself continues to mastermind his nefarious schemes from the shadows.

Despite lacking a physical form, Flameheart has remained a consistent threat to the pirate life, and there are those who would seek to bring about his full rebirth. Having discovered an Ancient prophecy concerning a Time of Resurrection, Belle believes that The Reaper’s Bones will seize the opportunity to return their lord and master to the waves.

The main architect of Captain Flameheart’s rebirth is described by the prophecy as the Herald of the Flame, and Belle has her suspicions that this refers to none other than Stitcher Jim – a lifelong villain and manipulator who once served among Flameheart’s most devoted followers. Jim, however, has not been seen since the climax of the ‘Heart of Fire’ Tall Tale, and it’s uncertain what role he will play in events now unfolding.

To be certain that she’s hunting the right man, Belle is requesting that pirates follow Stitcher Jim’s trail through the volcanic Devil’s Roar – a normally turbulent region that has fallen oddly silent in recent days. Establishing Jim’s current allegiance, ahead of an inevitable confrontation between the Pirate Lord’s allies and those faithful to Flameheart, might just mean the difference between victory and defeat.




Whether or not Stitcher Jim is destined to serve as the Herald of the Flame, it’s clear that battle is brewing and this Adventure looks set to culminate in a clash of epic proportions. Flameheart’s undead forces are ferocious, but Belle’s recent actions have seen a number of courageous Ancients pledge their blades to the Pirate Lord’s side, ready to fight alongside crews and forestall Flameheart’s resurrection if they possibly can.

Ahead of the fight, any pirates needing to reacquaint themselves with key players like Belle and Flameheart should look no further than our most recent instalment of Adventures Ahead – articles that recount recent story events for anyone seeking a quick refresher.

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 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 2.6.2.1.


For a rundown of the most recent Pirate Emporium additions and late September’s set of improvements and fixes, see the previous release notes. For more information on all the new content that arrived in Season Seven, check out the launch release notes!

As the ferocious Devil’s Roar begins to fall silent, Belle fears the prophecy could be coming true, heralding a dark ritual soon to take place. Her allies set off to scour the region, uncover the truth and face the fallout in this eighth time-limited Adventure!

‘The Herald of the Flame’ (October 13th – October 27th)

• Belle has returned to Stitcher Jim’s old hideout to consult various manuscripts and parchments concerning the prophecy. The silencing of seismic activity in The Devil’s Roar is a worrying omen.
  
• Speak to Larinna to begin this new Adventure, then head out to liaise with Belle at Liar’s Backbone.
  
• Time is short, and you’ll need to seek proof of the truth behind the prophecy. An ally will lend a hand as you locate the trail of an old enemy, expose his deeds and dealings since your last encounter and put together the pieces of this puzzle 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.

Visual and Audio

• ‘Lords of the Sea’ – Pirates reaching the top of the Siren Spire will once again find Cutler Beckett guarding the Dead Man’s Chest.
  
• Crews uncovering the Mystery of DeMarco’s death and descending to the Shrine will now find all characters are present during the final cutscene.
  
• Crews cashing in Athena’s Fortune treasure or Emissary Flags should no longer see a placeholder Commendation unlocked.

Larinna Adventure Dialogue Discoverability

• Unless a player's whole crew are present when talking to Larinna, she will revert to her dialogue about purchasing Captained ships rather than offering the option to begin the latest Adventure.

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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Download size:

• Steam: 4.98 GB

Any crews who visited Plunder Valley during the recent events of ‘The Sirens’ Prize’ would have found themselves making some new and unexpected acquaintances. Their trip to the Sunken Kingdom, and subsequent retrieval of three long-lost treasures on Belle’s behalf, was courageous enough to convince an Ancient Priest and his acolytes that pirates are worthy comrades. At the Adventure’s conclusion, they pledged themselves to the cause of defending the Sea of Thieves.

It’s always good to have allies, especially in a world where the likes of Phantoms, Ocean Crawlers and Ashen Lords delight in picking fights with any pirates they encounter. But who are these Ancients, and what precisely had Belle so concerned that she was willing to risk life and limb to secure their help? To answer all that, it’s best to start before the beginning…

While the Pirate Lord is often considered responsible for ‘creating’ the Sea of Thieves as it currently exists, he was far from the first to set foot upon its shores. Others had previously pierced the Devil’s Shroud – but none, perhaps, left so significant a legacy as the enigmatic civilisation now known as the Ancients.

Not only were the Ancients capable fighters and seafarers, they displayed remarkable mastery of the Sea of Thieves’ special qualities. Over lifetimes, they formed their own pact with the merfolk and constructed great storehouses for their vast treasures, leaving behind plenty of powerful artefacts – and quite a few cursed relics – when they suddenly departed.

Why the Ancients chose to leave their home, and where they sailed to, was a profound mystery for many years, though Belle’s recent intervention has provided an answer. The Ancients undertook a mass exodus into what they called their ‘Sea of Tribute’, an ethereal realm that pirates know better as the Sea of the Damned.

Not all the Ancients were able to make the trip. The spirit of their legendary Great Warrior remained unaccounted for, trapped in skull fragments long since stolen by the Sirens. By retrieving these fragments and reforming the skull, Belle was able to release the soul of the Great Warrior to be with his kin once more. In return, the Ancient Priest has sworn that when the time is right, he will answer her call.




Years spent exploring the Sea of the Damned may have given Belle extensive knowledge of the Ancients and how to secure their loyalty, but it was a card she played reluctantly, having stumbled upon one of their most troubling prophecies. It details a looming Time of Resurrection, when a powerful enemy is destined to return and wreak havoc upon the Sea of Thieves.

Belle believes that this can only be referring to Captain Flameheart, who has haunted the seas in a spectral state since his release in ‘The Seabound Soul’. Given the chaos he caused when manifesting as little more than an ill-tempered cloud, the damage inflicted when he reclaims a physical form could be catastrophic – and his return would serve as a rallying cry for The Reaper’s Bones.

The Servant of the Flame, meanwhile, is aware of this omen and will be striving to ensure his father’s rebirth comes to pass. After all, Belle only discovered the prophecy’s existence while exploring the lair of a man who was instrumental in the creation of The Reaper’s Bones, and whom she now suspects will assume a fated role as the Herald of the Flame. A man named Stitcher Jim…


Before the Sea of Thieves had so much as been given its name, Stitcher Jim was working to undermine it. Sneaking into Ramsey’s pirate paradise and beginning his days as a devoted servant of the Gold Hoarder, Jim eventually found himself switching sides after being saved from a fiery fate in The Devil’s Roar.

His rescuer was none other than Wanda, the Warsmith, at the time fiercely loyal to Flameheart. Jim immediately pledged his own allegiance to the Flame, all too eager to throw his lot in with the Reapers if it meant being in the good books of both his ‘beloved’ and the world’s most dangerous pirate – classic Stitcher Jim, in other words. He masqueraded as a Bilge Rat to acquire valuable resources, helped construct The Reaper’s Hideout and ultimately fooled Arthur Pendragon into freeing Flameheart’s spirit.

And yet, Jim’s loyalty was repaid with unexpected betrayal during the ‘Heart of Fire’ Tall Tale, when he became an unwitting sacrifice in Flameheart’s plan to summon the Ashen Lords. Jim fled the scene in a blind panic, and nobody has laid eyes on him since that fateful day. This leaves Belle unsure of what part, if any, Stitcher Jim is destined to play in the battle ahead.

It’s a question that may not be left unanswered for long, as the normally tumultuous Devil’s Roar has fallen eerily silent. Believing that the Time of Resurrection is almost at hand, Belle prepares to summon her pirate allies once more, hoping that they will uncover the truth behind the prophecy – and the whereabouts of the Herald of the Flame.

Events that have been unfolding since ‘Heart of Fire’ will reach a crescendo when ‘The Herald of the Flame’ launches on October 13th. You’ll have two weeks to scout for Stitcher Jim before the Adventure reaches its end on October 27th, so get ready to return to his hideout at Liar’s Backbone and finish what was started all those months ago. Oh, and be sure to keep an eye out for an old friend along the way…

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Adventures Ahead: ‘The Sirens’ Prize’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’

September? The neediest month. Or at least this one was, demanding we lavish two content updates upon it as well as a full Adventure and a Community Day. So that's what we did, and if we spend any more time here introducing everything that happened we won't have time to fulfil all our plans for October, so headlong into the round-up we go! Sit down! Take this cup of lukewarm tea! Don't ask questions!

September's first update came strutting in at the very start of the month, restocking the Pirate Emporium with those all-important fox pals alongside the snappy Mandrake Costume and ship set. Four weeks later... it was still September, such is the sheer nerve of the month, but we went ahead and dropped another update anyway – this time bringing a batch of sinister Bleakheart Banshee gear to the Emporium along with all the latest gameplay tweaks, rebalances and fixes.

Nestled between those two was a mid-month update allowing us to unleash 'The Sirens' Prize', Sea of Thieves' seventh time-limited Adventure. Covering the second half of September and kicking off a new arc of Adventures dominated by a prophecy of Pretty Bad Stuff, this one saw Belle directing pirates down to the sea bed to liberate Ancient artefacts from the clutches of surly Sirens.

Meanwhile, some of the world's other inhabitants were granted a little closure as our first Mystery reached its conclusion, with DeMarco's killer unmasked and a cloud of lingering suspicion lifted from the Pirate Lord. Of course, this being the Sea of Thieves where it's always possible a soul is still out there somewhere, it's unlikely the Singh family will leave it at that...


Our News section was big on Community Day in September, kicking things off with an announcement article detailing the antics ahead, then following up with a full-hearted look back at the marvels we saw our pirates create and undertake on this once-a-Season celebratory day. There were also stats, because anyone who says they don't like stats about bananas and grog on a tasteful gold background is lying.

We published an Adventures Ahead article to set up the undersea shenanigans of 'The Sirens' Prize', and a story on the arrival of our Style of Thieves social contest, first announced during the last Community Day. And as if we'd let a month go by without a couple of new Spotlights: this time it was the turn of the architecturally inclined Crewgles and artistically accomplished Zookie, while alternate weeks saw our Community Hub refreshed with additional player creations. No musical ventures in the Hub this month, but to make up for it the latest addition to the streamable Sea of Thieves soundtrack was 'The Shrouded Ghost', and if that one doesn't get you frothing with maritime urgency we don't know what will.




All sorts in September. All sorts. Most strikingly, of course, the portentous cinematic trailer and stirring launch trailer for 'The Siren's Prize', but that wasn't everything by any means: the team also delivered a Community Day video at the start of the month, a hearty John-fest of a Mystery catch-up video as players began to slot together the final pieces of that puzzle, and a flawlessly performed Jon/John clash in September's edition of Sea of Thieves News, giving way to a good look at all that creepy Banshee gear and a wee tease of the next Adventure.

On the streaming side, Community Day gave us interactive exploits helmed by guest host LazyBuzzard but beholden to the whims of the chat, followed a couple of weeks later by Sea of Thieves TV's second big September event – the 24-hour Galley of Grub charity stream, combining in-game food task fulfilment with a satisfying chunk of cash raised for No Kid Hungry. Plus! Twitch Drops everywhere: during the streams, on Community Day and one more time with a bundle of blue-accented armaments at the end of the month.




Did we happen to mention Season Seven Community Day in passing? We did? Well, gird your loins for a full-blooded infodump. September 17th was the big day, close enough to Talk Like a Pirate Day to merge the two into one big party, and in the week leading up to it we set out expectations for the (deep breath) gold and rep multiplier, free Flag and emotes, sales and discounts, Hats and Drops, streams and Partner hangouts; we also handed out a checklist, bingo card and a bunch of handy assets for sprucing up whatever it was you were up to. Then as the day progressed we celebrated reaching Community Emissary Grade Five and the resultant rush of Ancient Skeleton spawns, and the following day we compiled a full list of folks who'd earned themselves (or been successfully nominated for) a Hat of Unfeasibly Glorious Fame. So a whole stack of stuff going on, and if you missed it you should definitely jump in next time. And the servers didn't crash! Bonus!

In the ongoing spirit of community, we made use of Season Seven's Captaincy tools to hail fellow studios with ships decorated to match their games: witness the Broodmother to mark Grounded's full launch, and the Manatee because... well, just because Halo. Also drawing our appreciative eye were September's #SoTShot contest winners on the consecutive themes of Captaincy and Colourful Captures – while Striking Skeletons is the current theme, should you want to sprint out and snap some bony bad 'uns while there's still time.

#StyleOfThieves also debuted in September with its first set of categories (Captaincy, Gold, Spooky Season and Cosplay), while #TriviaTuesday talked Merrick's fate and the Twisted Tavern, #SundayVibes visited The Crooked Masts and Kraken's Fall and #SoTGear showcased various Trinkets. And that might just be the most links we've ever crammed into three paragraphs.


That's it, we're done! But before you leave, we heard you like links and haven't had enough links yet so here are some links: we cordially invite you to follow Sea of Thieves on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Twitch or the official Forums or Discord. Now go! Enjoy October! See how long you can go before someone ruins it by saying 'spoopy'! Oh, sorry.

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