Sea of Thieves developer Rare has announced that Cursed Sails, a sizable free update, is coming to the game at the end of the month. Cursed Sails, which is “the most substantial update yet,” according to Rare, will be adding some new and challenging foes to the game, and a new Alliance system.
“Cursed Sails will change things forever on the Sea of Thieves, as the sails you see cresting the horizon are no longer guaranteed to be other players making their own way through the world. The decks beneath those masts may now be manned by skeletal marauders returned to the seas from their restless graves,” Rare wrote in post. “All that sustains these grinning terrors is a thirst for battle that leads them to terrorise Outposts and call out defenders to face them on the tides…” Literal skeleton crews stalking the seas may spell trouble for players, but more content in the update is designed to give players an edge against such foes.
A new type of ship, the Brigantine, is being added alongside the Galleon and Sloop. The Brigantine is specifically designed to accommodate a crew of three. In addition, a new Alliance system will “encourages crews to band together in pursuit of their goals, tackling greater challenges and sharing the rewards.”
While the series of challenges included with Cursed Sails is a limited-time campaign, the additions it brings to Sea of Thieves are not. “Rest assured that even if you’re late to the party, you won’t miss out on seabound skirmishes with the roaming undead as this new menace will remain in the world even after the campaign ends. You just can’t put a good pirate down,” Rare added. “Especially if they’ve already been dead for decades. The Brigantine ship and the Alliance system will also be permanent additions to Sea of Thieves.”
Sea of Thieves is available now for Xbox One and PC. Cursed Sails arrives on July 31.