Sea of Thieves’ next update brings in anti-cheat, solo-play Safer Seas changes, and plenty more.
Rare’s popular pirate adventure Sea of Thieves is preparing for an impactful mid-season update planned for March 14th. Videos and announcements from the developer have revealed a host of notable changes and additions coming to the game focused on improving the player experience.
Perhaps most notably, Rare is introducing anti-cheat protection through Easy Anti-Cheat and adjusting the private “Safer Seas” mode to be more accessible for solo players. Alongside these headline changes also come new cosmetics, teases of anniversary celebrations, and more quality of life tweaks.
Let’s start with the headline-grabber – the addition of anti-cheat. As a popular live-service multiplayer game, Sea of Thieves has unfortunately seen its share of cheating over time which disrupts the experience for legitimate players. To tackle this growing problem head-on, Rare is integrating Easy Anti-Cheat (EAC) – the tried and tested kernel-level anti-cheat solution developed by Epic Games that is already in use protecting games like Fortnite and Apex Legends.
EAC should help Sea of Thieves detect and prevent a wide array of cheating behaviors like aimbot, espionage, or movement hacks much more effectively going forward. Players can hope for a renewed sense of fairness after cheaters are driven away.
In addition to anti-cheat, another major change sees adjustments to Safer Seas – the private server option for those seeking a more relaxed solo pirate experience separate from public multiplayer. Previously, solo Xbox players needed an active Xbox Game Pass subscription to access this mode. However, the update will remove this requirement, allowing any solo Xbox players regardless of subscription status to freely enter Safer Seas. This opens up the option much more widely and removes a barrier potentially preventing some from enjoying solo play. The upcoming PlayStation 5 version of Sea of Thieves is also getting the same treatment, with solo players there likewise gaining subscription-free access to private servers on that platform.
While solo players no longer need subscriptions for Safer Seas, it’s worth noting subscriptions will still be required on both Xbox and PlayStation for those wishing to sail together with friends on crews or engage with enemies on the standard public servers as per usual.
These changes specifically relate to solitary private adventuring only. Overall though, the adjustments foster greater ease of access to all Sea of Thieves has to offer regardless of subscription status or preferred playstyle.
Beyond the headline additions, the update also brings a generous helping of new vanity items for players to acquire and fly their pirate flags with pride. Emotes, ship cosmetics, equipment skins, and more fresh rewards were shown off in the developer update video. This constant drip-feed of exclusive limited-time rewards keeps players motivated to log in and experience new seasonal festivals or time-locked events.
And speaking of events, Rare also teased early celebrations are planned for Sea of Thieves’ upcoming 4th anniversary on March 20th. Past anniversary bashes have brought unique tall tales, commendations, and rare plunder to uncover, so expect another fun-filled in-game party is in store this year too.
With all these exciting incoming changes and rewards on the horizon, it’s an excellent time for new and returning pirates alike to set sail once more in Sea of Thieves. The anti-cheat implementation and Solo-focused accessibility tweaks pave the way for an even more welcoming multiplayer experience. And with the 4th anniversary celebrations and fresh cosmetics around the corner, there’s no shortage of reasons to embark on the next adventure beginning on March 14th. Rare’s live service commitment shows no signs of slowing as they diligently work to strengthen and grow their sea-faring sandbox for years to come. Fair winds and following seas to all crewmates young and old – the seas are calling once more!
Marc jackson
Hello from Kiddishop.