A Sea of Thieves update is on its way, with Rare revealing that changes are set to be deployed in the very near future. While this update won’t feature many major new additions to the game, it’s at least a start for the Xbox One and PC sandbox adventure, and maybe we’ll eventually get something much more substantial added to what is an unfortunately empty experience.
Though Rare are likely being bombarded by ideas from the Sea of Thieves community right now, I have a few of my own that would help build upon the sturdy foundations of an otherwise disappointing game. I’m hoping that Sea of Thieves pulls a No Man’s Sky in that it becomes an infinitely superior game post-launch, and with tweaks along the lines of the ones featured below, I’d be more than willing to give it another shot:
Sea of Thieves Update Idea #1: More Sea Life
Swimming around Sea of Thieves‘ ocean is nowhere near as terrifying as it should be. When I accidentally jump off my boat or get washed out to sea after a PvP encounter, I want to feel as though all is hopeless unless my crew turns around and rescues me. I don’t want a miserable-looking mermaid swiftly teleporting me back to the ship as while that’s undoubtedly a useful mechanic, there should be a sense of dread whenever you’re left stranded.
I was hoping that Sea of Thieves‘ waters would be filled with more Lovecraftian nightmares aside from the Kraken. There are sharks, and it can be unsettling to have them chomp away at your legs while you’re trying to swim away, but Rare’s fantastical setting does not take advantage of all the mythical and horrifying sea creatures that could be shoved inside it. Rare might not want to transform Sea of Thieves into a full-blown horror game, but even having the ability to swim alongside passive marine life such as dolphins would mix things up. This sea shouldn’t be so empty.
Sea of Thieves Update Idea #2: Bustling Outposts
Why are Sea of Thieves‘ outposts so dead? You’d expect that a chance to take a reprieve from drowning and being shot by haunted skeletons would see pirates flocking to these islands, but they are pretty lifeless all things considered. Aside from the odd NPC manning a shop, you’ll rarely find other players walking around them, and if you do, chances are they’re going to stab you in the back and steal your ship.
Introducing some form of safe haven for pirates to venture to with a larger tavern and more opportunity for interactions between crews would be perfect, with players calling a truce just to share a few pints of grog and sing some sea shanties. Instead, venturing to an outpost is a case of talking to some static AI characters with dull dialogue before setting sail once again. Player interactions are the best part of Sea of Thieves, and it would be great if Rare would encourage more of them.
Sea of Thieves Update Idea #3: Mysteries to Solve
Sea of Thieves‘ mysterious collection of islands initially seems like it’s going to contain a variety of secrets, until you’re a handful of hours in and realize you’ve been repeating the same tasks over and over again. Aside from the odd message in a bottle giving you a cool riddle to solve, you’re mostly left sailing across a desolate ocean with not a whole lot to do.
I was initially taken aback when encountering the red sea for the first time, before being disappointed after discovering that it was just a way for Rare to indicate that I’d reached the boundaries of its world map, though I’d love for similarly strange moments to occur while playing through it. I hope that Sea of Thieves eventually reaches a point where surprises lie in store for the player at almost every turn — and I hope that Rare keeps these secrets closely guarded rather than laying them out in patch notes.
Sea of Thieves Update Idea #4: Better Respawns
Battles between crews are currently frustrating. You’ll shoot down a rival crew member, they’ll respawn nearby, and ultimately even if you take down a bunch of players in one fell swoop they’ll be able to jump back into the game and take you down. This shouldn’t be the case, and when you defeat an opponent it shouldn’t feel as though victory is only determined by who gets the most favorable respawns. While it’s understandable that respawns would be more forgiving during PvE encounters, and it is perhaps difficult for Rare to build a system that can determine between the two, PvP battles are routinely a mess right now and I hope they’re fixed in a future update.
Sea of Thieves Update Idea #5: Make the Merchant’s Alliance More Fun
This particular idea was suggested by a Sea of Thieves Reddit user, who requested a complete overhaul of the Merchant’s Alliance, currently the least exciting company in the game. Whereas the Gold Hoarders and the Order of Souls will have you out digging for treasure chests or hunting skeletons, the Merchant’s Alliance instead want you to go capture chickens. It’s about as dull as it sounds.
Redditor Atlas1080p suggested that the Merchant’s Alliance should instead introduce sea life to hunt down, such as sharks and whales, along with new equipment to do so, such as harpoons. Players could even hunt the Kraken, cutting off one of its tentacles for a special prize. Having players track down more dangerous beasts would certainly make the Merchant’s Alliance infinitely more interesting to work for, rather than the endless quest to trap pigs in cages that it is now.
