In an effort to reconnect with players and address concerns about the game's future, Rare held its first Sea of Thieves Community Direct livestream on July 10.

The 50-minute event offered fans an in-depth look at upcoming content, key changes to the game, and a renewed commitment to its stability and transparency. The announcement came just days after Rare was hit by massive layoffs and the cancellation of the long-standing Everwild project.

A Look Back at Sea of Thieves and a Focus on the Future

The livestream was hosted by John McMurtrie, joined by senior developers Christina McFairholm, Shelley Preston, Mike Chapman, and Drew Stevens. The broadcast began with a review of the past year, particularly Seasons 13–16. The team acknowledged that players felt stagnation in the game's "sandbox" and outlined steps already taken to breathe new life into the open-world pirate adventures.

"Our goal was to add new mechanics and more ingredients to the sandbox," said Mike Chapman. "We want every journey to bring new opportunities and surprises."

New Season Structure in Sea of Thieves

Rare introduced an updated approach to seasonal content designed to keep gameplay fresh and engaging throughout each three-month season. From now on, each season will have a predictable structure:

• Month 1: New sandbox features, world updates, and mechanical changes.
• Month 2: A major live event that brings players together in new challenges.
• Month 3: A community-wide "call to action" with updates to old content.

Season 17, titled Smugglers’ Tide, will kick off this new model: it will introduce a smuggler faction, new hideouts, smuggling voyages, and revamped Skeleton Forts. Following that, in Season 18, the studio will bring the long-forgotten area of Devil’s Roar back to life.

Custom Servers in Sea of Thieves: A Long-Awaited Addition

The biggest surprise was the confirmation of the launch of Custom Seas at the beginning of 2026. This subscription-based premium feature will allow players to create their own unique game worlds with customizable parameters such as:

• Enemy spawning and AI behavior;
• Loot generation and weather conditions;
• Cinematic tools for creating stories and events.

Rare emphasized that the decision to make this feature paid is due to the complexity of its development and ongoing maintenance costs.

Additionally, the Safer Seas mode will be expanded: friends will be able to sail private flotillas, opening up new opportunities for peaceful gameplay or story-driven adventures without interference from other players.

Insider Programme Agreement Updates

Another major change from Rare will be a complete overhaul of the Insider Programme. For the first time, the Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) will be lifted, allowing Insider players to openly discuss, stream, and share test version content.

This change aims to encourage broader discussions about development and give players more influence in shaping future updates. The fully revamped and more rewarding Insider Programme will launch in 2026.

Restoring Trust with SoT Fans

Acknowledging past communication mistakes, Rare promised to enhance transparency through the return of regular Developer Updates and hosting Community Direct twice a year. The company also discussed internal restructuring, including expanding teams focused on game stability and health—areas that have drawn increasing criticism from players.

Rare admitted that releasing unstable updates, performance issues, and slow responses to cheats have undermined trust. Strengthening these teams is expected to ensure more stable and reliable updates in the future.

Live Events and Content Development in Sea of Thieves

The livestream also highlighted improvements to live events, which will become larger, more engaging, and offer better rewards. Community Weekends and seasonal holidays will follow a predictable schedule, providing players with regular opportunities to participate.

Rare also confirmed that narrative stories will give way to gameplay-focused seasonal events, marking the end of the era of frequent Tall Tales and Adventures in favor of flexible and repeatable activities.

What Led to the Sea of Thieves Community Direct

This Community Direct came during a challenging period for Rare. The studio was one of many Xbox teams affected by Microsoft's decision to lay off over 9,000 employees. The cancellation of Everwild and the departure of studio veteran Gregg Mayles, who had been with Rare for over 35 years, created uncertainty about its future.

Despite this, Sea of Thieves remains a bright spot for Rare. The game, now in its 17th season, continues to maintain a strong player base on Xbox, PC, and PlayStation.