The team behind Sea of Thieves just hosted their 2024 preview event and gave us a look into upcoming content for the rest of the year.
The development of Sea of Thieves in recent years has been a little opaque, despite a fairly open Insider system. However a recent patch updated the game’s backend in anticipation of the PS5 release, including support for DirectX 12 (DX12) and some better water graphics. In fact, Sea of Thieves is allegedly done with big “housekeeping” patches and can instead focus on actual gameplay going forward.
So what has Sea of Thieves got planned for seasons 12, 13, and 14?
Season 12
New Weapons
Double Barreled Pistol: The Double Barreled Pistol can fire 2 shots before needing to reload, or shoot 2 at once for a more powerful shot.
Throwing Knifes: Throwing knifes can be used in melee with quick and low damage attacks and a charged stabbing attack. Players can also throw the knife for high damage, missed knifes will stick in terrain and can be retrieved.
Scattershot Cannon Balls: Wide-spread damage for close range from a cannon. The goal is to drain enemy resources with small holes rather than one big hole.
Bonecaller: A throwable item that spawns skeletons loyal to the thrower. It can also be shot from cannons to spawn skeletons on their ships.
Windcaller: A horn that blows wind into your sails that’s BEYOND full billow in speed. It can also knock back players. On rowboats and in the water you can aim it backwards to propel yourself. It will also put out fires and you can aim it down to reduce fall damage.
Ziplines: Ziplines have been added to several islands around the Sea of Thieves to make it faster to travel.
New Mechanics
Balancing on harpoon lines: Players can balance on harpoon lines to travel distances and board enemy ships.
Season 13
Flameheart and the Burning Blade return
Flameheart’s Burning Blade is a wandering World Event that will sail around the Sea of Thieves. Players can sink it themselves, or pledge allegiance to Flameheart and make themselves a PvP World Event unto themselves.
Players crewing the Burning Blade will be given orders from Captain Flamehearts to visit new Skeleton Camps and Ancient Ruins to discover secrets for Flameheart. Players collect “Tribute”, but it’s a high risk.
Skeleton Camps
Skeleton Camps are also a new on-demand encounter for players even when they’re not on the Burning Blade. We’re unsure what the rewards will be.
Season 14
Pirates of Mischief?
Pirates of Mischief is the internal name for Season 14 and will focus on “new ways to stealth and new ways to cause mischief”
Blow Darts
A new “weapon” that can track players and items that it sticks to. There may also be other effects.
Traps
The idea of using blunderbombs and other items to trap locations and ladders to protect their ship or a location.
You can check out the full preview event below.
Sea of Thieves is also hosting a 6th anniversary event between now and March 25. Players can sign in and receive a Golden Sailor Capstan, and also complete Legendary Messages in a Bottle to earn Athena’s Fortune loot and the limited time Seaglass Rapier.
Sea of Thieves is available for Windows PC (via the Microsoft Store, and Steam), Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and is coming to PlayStation 5 on April 30. If you missed it, you can find our review here (we can’t recommend it enough!)
