Sea Of Thieves
News, coverage and analysis tracking Sea Of Thieves across the outlets.
Latest coverage
Xbox's consolidation plans might mean you get a new Halo sooner, but history shows production line development makes for boring games
Xbox's strategy of consolidating studios and pushing for more frequent releases, exemplified by the Activision Blizzard acquisition and changes to the Halo team, risks creating a future of formulaic and uninspired games. The author argues that while such consolidation might seem efficient, history shows that annual releases and a focus on existing franchises often stifle creativity and lead to a homogenization of game design, potentially resulting in a less exciting gaming landscape.
Activision tar över Halo och Bethesda börjar bossa över Obsidian
Microsoft has announced a significant restructuring of its gaming division, including the closure of Ninja Theory and the merger of Playground Games with Turn 10 Studios. Activision will take over development of the Halo series, while Bethesda Softworks will oversee Obsidian Entertainment. This follows recent layoffs and studio departures within Xbox.
Xbox confirms 268 more layoffs, further studio closures, and Obsidian's shift to Bethesda as major restructuring continues
Xbox has confirmed 268 additional layoffs and further studio closures as part of its ongoing restructuring. This follows previous significant job cuts, with some studios facing proposed closure and others being reorganized under different leadership, including Bethesda overseeing Obsidian Entertainment.
Activision prepares to "make the greatest Halo game ever" as it takes control of the franchise from Halo…
Xbox has announced a significant restructuring of its first-party studios, transferring stewardship of the Halo franchise from 343 Industries to Activision Blizzard. Rare and World's Edge will also operate under Activision Blizzard, impacting franchises like Sea of Thieves and Age of Empires. This move involves substantial layoffs and a new team being assembled to develop the next Halo game, with a stated goal to "make the greatest Halo game ever."
Xbox announces a further 268 layoffs as Ninja Theory and Arkane remain on shaky ground
Xbox announced 268 additional layoffs, impacting studios like Halo Studios and XGS management, following a larger restructure initiated by CEO Asha Sharma. Ninja Theory faces potential closure as two acquisition agreements fell through, while Arkane Studios is still under consultation. This latest round of job cuts brings Xbox closer to its planned total of 3,200 redundancies.
Halo’s Next Game Is Coming From An Unexpected Developer: Activision
Microsoft has announced that Activision will develop the next Halo game, establishing a new team for the franchise while a smaller team at Halo Studios continues to support existing titles. This change coincides with significant layoffs impacting Halo Studios and other Xbox developers, as part of a broader reorganization under Bethesda and Activision Blizzard.
Halo Studios Eliminates 268 Roles, Activision Working on Next Halo Amid Xbox’s Reorganization
Xbox has confirmed significant layoffs and studio reorganizations, with 268 roles eliminated at Halo Studios. Activision is now developing the next Halo title with a new team, while Halo Studios will maintain a small support team. Other studios like World's Edge, Rare, Obsidian, Playground Games, Turn 10 Studios, and King have also been affected by the restructuring.
Free Play Days – Sea of Thieves and Hell Let Loose Vietnam
Xbox is offering Free Play Days for Sea of Thieves and Hell Let Loose from September 17 to September 20. Hell Let Loose requires an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, Premium, or Essential membership, while Sea of Thieves is available to all Xbox members on Xbox and PC.
Sea of Thieves: Season 21, Talk Like a Pirate Day, New Rewards, Amazing Prizes and More!
Sea of Thieves is launching Season 21 and celebrating Talk Like a Pirate Day with new rewards, a free play weekend from September 17-21, and sweepstakes for prizes like an Xbox Series X. The update introduces the Parley Pennant for diplomatic interactions and offers various in-game items and bonuses for Xbox Game Pass subscribers and Microsoft Rewards users.
Coming to XBOX Game Pass: Gears of War: E-Day, Minecraft Dungeons II, Dune: Awakening, and More
Xbox Game Pass is adding a variety of new titles throughout September and October, including Gears of War: E-Day, Minecraft Dungeons II, Dune: Awakening, and Call of Duty: Black Ops 6. Several games are also leaving the service on September 30th.
"What's the harm in asking?" – Dlala Studios on taking a big swing to get comedy legend Bob Mortimer for the upcoming game Murals
Dlala Studios discusses the surprising process of securing British comedy legend Bob Mortimer for their upcoming game, Murals. The studio founder shares how they took a chance by asking Mortimer's representatives, leading to him voicing the character 'Magic Dave'. The interview also touches on Dlala's journey from work-for-hire on titles like Battletoads and Disney Illusion Island to self-publishing their own original IP, Murals, highlighting the risks and rewards of independent development.
Cyberpunk 2077 is coming to Battle.net for some reason, and Geralt will be in Diablo 4
Cyberpunk 2077 and its expansion will be released on Blizzard's Battle.net digital storefront later this year, joining other non-Blizzard titles. Additionally, Geralt from The Witcher series will appear as a barbarian skin in Diablo 4 for players who pre-purchase The Witcher 3's Songs of the Past DLC on Battle.net. The collaboration also includes Edgerunners-themed cosmetics for Overwatch next year.
Sea of Thieves readies multiple events and some new Custom Seas options for Season 21 on September 17
Sea of Thieves is launching Season 21 on September 17th, featuring a variety of live events including a new Talk Like a Pirate Day event and returning favorites like the Festival of the Damned. The update also introduces new Custom Seas options for players creating their own experiences, such as customizable treasure placement and day/night cycle speed.
Persona 6, Kingdom Hearts 4 spoilers may have emerged online amid massive achievements leak for unreleased games
A massive leak has exposed achievement lists for numerous unreleased and unannounced games, including Persona 6 and Kingdom Hearts 4. The leak, potentially originating from Valve's Steam API, has led to widespread spoilers online. While some lists are confirmed to be inaccurate, many appear legitimate, impacting games from major franchises and smaller indie titles.
In a world of Slime Rancher and Palworld, I still crave more Viva Piñata
This article reflects on Rare's 2006 title Viva Piñata, contrasting its charming life simulation gameplay with the studio's earlier, edgier titles and later Microsoft projects. Despite not being a commercial success, Viva Piñata is praised for retaining Rare's distinctive design magic and offering a surprisingly deep experience with a hidden dark side.
Your game (probably) doesn’t need fishing
This article argues that fishing mechanics are often unnecessary and detract from the core experience in games unrelated to the sport. While acknowledging optional fishing in titles like Destiny 2 and Delta Force, the author criticizes its simplistic implementation and how it can become a mandatory activity for progression. The piece contrasts this with games where fishing feels natural, like Sea of Thieves or Red Dead Redemption 2, and suggests developers should reconsider adding fishing to genres where it doesn't fit.
Sea of Thieves promises changes to its cash shop that swing the balance back to earnable cosmetics
Sea of Thieves production director Drew Stevens announced upcoming changes to the game's cash shop, set to begin in October with Season 21. These changes will introduce smaller bundles of high-quality items, more brand collaborations, and cosmetics inspired by Rare's back catalog, while in-game currency cosmetics will see a stronger offering. Additionally, a planned experiment will remove a ship's emissary status upon portal hopping to address PvP player utilization.
Synths, impossible physics, and an "erotic experience with a PS5 controller" - the side projects of game devs are a reminder creativity is undimmable
This article highlights the undimmable nature of human creativity through the lens of game developers' personal side projects. Despite industry pressures, developers are pursuing diverse creative outlets, from interactive fiction and VR experiences to physical art and hardware experiments, demonstrating a persistent drive to create for its own sake.
Sea of Thieves decouples feature sets from seasons to make sure new ideas are finished before release
Sea of Thieves is changing its development approach to decouple feature releases from seasonal schedules, aiming to ensure new ideas are fully realized before launch. Production Director Drew Stevens explained that future seasons will not be tied to specific feature sets, allowing them to roll out as they are completed. This shift follows a period where the game was described as being in a 'rough place,' with the team now focused on revitalizing the sandbox and giving new features adequate development time.
Here Is Xbox CEO’s Plan To Turn Things Around
Xbox CEO Asha Sharma outlined a new strategy focused on strengthening the platform, growing games into global franchises, making Minecraft a creator platform, and extending beloved game worlds. Despite a recent revenue decrease, Sharma aims for Xbox to return to growth by the end of fiscal year 2027, with plans for significant expansion in games, film, TV, and consumer products.