September's Sea of Thieves update has arrived! Entitled Smuggler's Fortune, this latest bundle of brand new content introduces another set of new Voyages to help fill those Doubloon coffers. But there's more to this story, so be sure to check out our latest Content Update trailer!
Official Sea of Thieves Content Update: Smuggler's Fortune
Yes, in addition to new Voyages, updates and general improvements, Smuggler's Fortune ushers in the Pirate Emporium, where players can get their hooks on a feathery or furry personal friend alongside new emotes and ship cosmetics. With the opening of Duke's Black Market too, Smuggler's Fortune promises plenty of opportunities to further personalise your pirate adventures.
Smuggler's Fortune
Following the delivery of Reaper's Chests to Duke during Dark Relics, he's now managed to crack open the chests and reap the valuable items inside. Unfortunately, alongside all the treasures, it turns out that many of the Reaper's Chests simply contained bones, rags and shards that Duke has no idea what to do with, so he's been burying it all at Shipwreck Bay until he can figure out a more sustainable plan. In comes Stitcher Jim, claiming he's turned over a new leaf and wanting to prove himself. Rag and Bone Voyages are the result, with the following types available from Duke…
Duke has begun to take a more prominent role at the Outposts. After retrieving a huge haul of Reaper's Chests during Dark Relics along with investments from the Trading Companies that he schmoozed during Black Powder Stashes, Duke has now opened his Black Market shop!
Duke's Black Market offers a range of unique items, from new cosmetics through to variants of previously time-limited cosmetics. These offers will only last until the next Monthly Content Update when the stock will be refreshed, so grab them now! (Duke has also mentioned that these items will appear back in stock in future updates.)
The Pirate Emporium is now open! The Emporium offers only the rarest goods that have been smuggled into the Sea of Thieves. All these exclusive items can be yours in exchange for Ancient Coins, a new currency in Sea of Thieves purchasable with your hard-earned real-world money. You can access the Pirate Emporium from the Sea of Thieves main menu before jumping into the game, or at an Outpost via the new store opened above the Order of Souls tent.
New stock is added to the Emporium with each update, so head back regularly to see what's new!
With the grand opening of the Pirate Emporium, a range of personal pirate pets has at last arrived on the Sea of Thieves. Whether you fancy an exotic parrot or mischievous monkey, head to the Emporium to purchase a loyal companion for your next adventure!
Official Sea of Thieves Content Update: Smuggler's Fortune
Yes, in addition to new Voyages, updates and general improvements, Smuggler's Fortune ushers in the Pirate Emporium, where players can get their hooks on a feathery or furry personal friend alongside new emotes and ship cosmetics. With the opening of Duke's Black Market too, Smuggler's Fortune promises plenty of opportunities to further personalise your pirate adventures.
Smuggler's Fortune
Following the delivery of Reaper's Chests to Duke during Dark Relics, he's now managed to crack open the chests and reap the valuable items inside. Unfortunately, alongside all the treasures, it turns out that many of the Reaper's Chests simply contained bones, rags and shards that Duke has no idea what to do with, so he's been burying it all at Shipwreck Bay until he can figure out a more sustainable plan. In comes Stitcher Jim, claiming he's turned over a new leaf and wanting to prove himself. Rag and Bone Voyages are the result, with the following types available from Duke…
- Reaper's Grave Voyage – Stitcher Jim has struck a deal with the local Seaposts to acquire Duke's excess stock. Grab yourself a free Reaper's Grave Voyage and set out for Shipwreck Bay to dig up the crates before heading to a designated Seapost to cash them in. Delivering these crates on time will also provide a repeatable source of Doubloons, just in time for the introduction of the Black Market. Stitcher Jim claims he'll take care of the rest, but that's a lot of bones!
All Rag and Bone Voyages are time-limited for the duration of the Smuggler's Fortune update. - Seapost to Seapost Voyage – Some Seaposts need assistance in moving their crates to Seaposts on the outskirts of the Sea of Thieves, so pick up a free Seapost to Seapost Voyage to help them manage their cargo!
All Rag and Bone Voyages are time-limited for the duration of the Smuggler's Fortune update. - Legendary Reaper's Grave Voyage – Pirate Legends are tasked with a Reaper's Grave Voyage requiring them to load their ship with even more cargo before heading out to their designated Seapost for disposal. Expect to net more Doubloons from this Legendary Voyage!
All Rag and Bone Voyages are time-limited for the duration of the Smuggler's Fortune update. - Smuggler's Fortune Commendations and Rewards – A range of Mercenary Commendations are available to unlock for helping Duke and Jim deliver their cargo. You can also earn Doubloons to spend in the Black Market along the way, as well unlocking the 'Bone Haul Bearer' and 'Bone Haul Bandit' Titles.
The Smuggler's Fortune update provides a mix of persistent and time-limited Commendations. Check the Reputation page for the time-limited stamp!
Duke has begun to take a more prominent role at the Outposts. After retrieving a huge haul of Reaper's Chests during Dark Relics along with investments from the Trading Companies that he schmoozed during Black Powder Stashes, Duke has now opened his Black Market shop!
Duke's Black Market offers a range of unique items, from new cosmetics through to variants of previously time-limited cosmetics. These offers will only last until the next Monthly Content Update when the stock will be refreshed, so grab them now! (Duke has also mentioned that these items will appear back in stock in future updates.)
- Fearless Bone Crusher Clothing – This month Duke is offering a twist on the previously available Bone Crusher clothing set by introducing Fearless Bone Crusher clothing. Available for Doubloons, players can acquire the Fearless Bone Crusher Jacket, Fearless Bone Crusher Dress and Fearless Bone Crusher Hat.
- Fearless Bone Crusher Ship – In keeping with the Bone Crusher theme, Duke is also introducing the Fearless Bone Crusher ship livery range. Available for Doubloons, players can acquire the Fearless Bone Crusher Hull, Fearless Bone Crusher Sail and Fearless Bone Crusher Flag.
- Deep Ocean Crawler Weapons – Something for your gold? This month Duke introduces a twist on the Ocean Crawler set with the 'Deep Ocean Crawler' weapons. By digging into their gold reserves, players can acquire the Deep Ocean Crawler Cutlass, Deep Ocean Crawler Flintlock, Deep Ocean Crawler Blunderbuss and Deep Ocean Crawler Eye of Reach.
- Letters of Recommendation – Players are now earning a steady stream of Doubloons through the on-time delivery of Rag and Bone Crates and hoarding of Reaper's Chests, in addition to the Mercenary Voyages being made available for free! So under the provision of the Trading Companies, Duke has begun restricting the flow of Letters of Recommendation. Players will now be only able to purchase a single Letter of Recommendation for each Company in each month.
The Pirate Emporium is now open! The Emporium offers only the rarest goods that have been smuggled into the Sea of Thieves. All these exclusive items can be yours in exchange for Ancient Coins, a new currency in Sea of Thieves purchasable with your hard-earned real-world money. You can access the Pirate Emporium from the Sea of Thieves main menu before jumping into the game, or at an Outpost via the new store opened above the Order of Souls tent.
New stock is added to the Emporium with each update, so head back regularly to see what's new!
- Parrots and Monkeys – Looking for a feathered friend to sail beside you with the wind in its feathers, or a nimble companion to follow you deep into an underground cave while you explore ancient ruins? The Pirate Emporium offers a range of parrot and monkey breeds for its grand opening, from the cheeky Parakeet and proud Macaw parrots through to the nimble Capuchin and wise Barbary monkeys. With each breed offering a range of different colours, there's plenty of choice!
- Sea Dog Pet Outfits – Each pet can be dressed in a fetching Sea Dog Outfit. Fancy an eyepatch for your Capuchin or a bandana for your Macaw? Go to the Pets section of the Pirate Emporium to purchase an outfit before heading to the Pet Chest to equip it.
- Sea Dog Discount Bundles – For this month only, you can pick up discounted bundles for the Macaw and Capuchin, each dressed in a fashionable Sea Dog outfit.
- Bear & Bird Ship Collection – Fans of Banjo-Kazooie will find a brand new livery available for purchase. Whether you pick up individual Bear & Bird ship items, the full set or the Collector's Figurehead and Sails, you now have various ways to show your love for the famous duo. A Bear & Bird Ship Bundle is also on offer which includes all the regular ship cosmetics at a nice discount!
- Emotes Variety Bundle – You can now express yourself in all kinds of new ways with a Variety Bundle of emotes, some of which are also sold separately.
- Emote Selection – The Vanity Chest has now been updated with an emote tab, giving players the ability to configure their emote radial however they like. On purchasing a new emote, players can now replace an existing emote with their shiny new one!
- Ancient Coins – Ancient Coins are the currency of choice for the Pirate Emporium. When inside the Pirate Emporium, press 'X' (Xbox) or 'F' (Win10) to access a range of Ancient Coin packs for purchase on your Microsoft account without leaving the game.
- Ancient Skeletons?! – Pirates have begun to report sightings of a mysterious Ancient Skeleton carrying a giant sack of Ancient Coins while out exploring on islands. Even though it flees on sight, lucky pirates may be able to defeat the skeleton before it returns to the ground and collect the Ancient Coins it leaves behind. Stay alert for the distinctive sound when it clambers out of the ground and take it down before it disappears!
With the grand opening of the Pirate Emporium, a range of personal pirate pets has at last arrived on the Sea of Thieves. Whether you fancy an exotic parrot or mischievous monkey, head to the Emporium to purchase a loyal companion for your next adventure!
- Where Are They? – So, you've bought a new companion from the Pirate Emporium, but where can you find it? Just head to the Pet Chest outside any Outpost Pirate Emporium or on your ship to select your new companion and bring it along with you on your adventures.
- Name Your Pet – Once a pet has been selected in the Pet Chest, you're free to name it however you see fit. With your pet selected, press 'X' (Xbox) or 'F' (Win10) to access the naming window – but keep it clean!
- Pet Outfits – Once purchased from the Pirate Emporium, fetching new outfits can now be equipped on your loyal companions. Each outfit is unique to a specific breed of animal, so head to your Pet Chest and dress up your favourite!
- Follow the Leader – Pets will instinctively follow you as you traverse the Sea of Thieves, from joining you for a drink in the tavern to feeling the wind in their fur or feathers far out at sea.
- Hanging Out – When on your ship, pets remain idle before picking a spot to hang out. Look out for your monkey perching next to the wheel as you sail your ship, or your parrot taking a nap on the Captain's table while you vote for your next Voyage. Perches have even been added to the Rowboats!
- Stay! – While holding your pet, you can place them directly onto one of the hangout spots set up all over your ship. Then they'll stay put even if you leave the ship and head off into the world, for those times where stealth or focus is key!
- Pet Cages – Working pet cages have been added to all ship types! Swing the latch and you now have a handy place for your favourite companion to sit which is a little more out of the way.
- Look Out! – Your loyal companion will react to the world around you and cower when you and the crew are in danger! Don't worry, they can't be hurt, but they might need a bit of fuss once you've vanquished any threats.
- Picking Up Pets – You can pick up any pet you find in the world, whether it's yours, a member of your crew's or even a rival pirate's. Once picked up you can give them a good fuss and then show them off to others. When showing off your pet, other pirates can feed it, stroke it and even take it from you to play with.
- Dismissing Your Pet – If you are away from your ship and looking for a quick way to dismiss your pet, head to the 'My Crew' section in the Game Options. Under 'Pet Management' you have a quick way to return your pet to the Pet Chest.
- Arena Cross Play – Xbox players now have an option in the main settings menu before jumping into a game session to enable an Xbox controller preference for Arena matchmaking. This will search for Xbox players using controllers and attempt to match you with players who have also selected this option (but if not enough players are found with this preference, you will be moved to a mixed-platform game so that you can still get into the action). If you set this preference to 'Off', you will be matched with all players including those on PC and any Xbox players using a mouse and keyboard.
- Meg Head in the Tavern – During your time in The Arena's Glorious Sea Dogs Tavern, you will now see the magnificent trophy head of the Megalodon that DeMarco himself defeated!
- Arena Non-Verbal Messages – While inside The Arena, non-verbal pirate phrases have been revised to provide more tactical use in Arena contests.
- Arena Welcome Message – When joining The Arena by going into the Tavern or straight into a contest, players will now be shown a welcome message informing them of their team name, colour and iconography.
- Rejoin Your Game Session – When disconnected from the game due to a sudden exit, game crash or network issue, players are now offered the chance to rejoin their game session once they return to the main menu. Game sessions are now kept alive for a short period of time after the last crew member disconnects, providing a 10-minute window to return to the session without losing progress.
- Aggressive Skeleton Ships – When out sailing the world, crews will once again hear eerie sounds from the depths as aggressive Skeleton Ships breach alongside them to attack. Skeleton Sloops have entered the fray too, ensuring different crew sizes encounter an appropriate challenge! When sailing on a Sloop, crews should no longer encounter an aggressive Skeleton Galleon and will instead find themselves attacked by a Skeleton Sloop. Brigantine crews have a chance to encounter both Skeleton Sloops and Skeleton Galleons, while Galleon crews will always encounter the most challenging Skeleton Galleon.
- Roaming Skeleton Sloops – Skeleton Sloops have now been seen roaming the seas outside Skeleton Ship battles. A challenging clash for Sloop crews or a potentially easy target for larger crews – either way, head out there and claim those rewards!
- Storage Crates – There is now a chance to find washed-up Storage Crates out there in the world. These crates can be carried and used to store anything that you could put into a barrel!
- External Sea Dogs Tavern Challenge Route – In Adventure, if you head to the Glorious Sea Dogs Tavern in the centre of the world, you can find a new jumping challenge route. Head to the top of the tavern through the staircase and track your best times or try to beat your crewmates by ringing the bells at each end. The Challenge Route can even be attempted backwards to ramp up the difficulty!
- 'Shores of Gold' Final Cutscene – After breaking through the Shroud, uncovering the Shores of Gold's secrets and fighting their way through the caverns, crews skilled enough to defeat the fabled foe will experience a new final cutscene showcasing their epic journey.
- Blunderbuss Knockback Balancing – We've reduced the range at which a Blunderbuss shot will apply a knockback to a rival player, so you now must be much closer to get that knockback. The distance a player is knocked back by the shot remains the same!
- Gunpowder Keg Hit Detection – Improvements have been made to ensure hitting gunpowder kegs at range is more consistent with ranged weapons.
- Explosive Damage on Ships – When ships are affected by explosions (gunpowder kegs, volcanic rocks etc.) they now use a new more realistic damage model using an inner and outer blast radius. This new setup ensures that greater damage is applied closer to the explosion, and less damage further away.
- Harpoon Aim Support – Firing a harpoon at a player or treasure Item now has a much greater chance of connecting with your intended target, even while on a moving ship!
- 'Wild Rose' Music Box – Players can now interact with the music box in the 'Wild Rose' Tall Tale in order to play the Wild Rose Theme.
- Reaper's Chest VFX – The Reaper's Chest now has a new smoky visual effect when discovered in the world, and the light pillar has had a further effect pass to ensure its visibility at all times of day/night.
