Sea of Thieves Releases New Update Alongside PS5 Early Access, Here’s What It Does

A new Sea of Thieves update is live alongside the early access release of the PS5 version. More than this, developer Rare has provided the patch notes for the update, which are extensive, and reveal and detail everything the new update does. For most PS5 users, the game doesn’t unlock until April 30, but those with early access on PS5, as well as those on Xbox consoles and PC, can now download the new update and jump right into it because servers are once again live after being taken offline this morning. 

While we have the patch notes for the update, which can be seen below, Rare has not provided any information about the file size of the update on any platform, which means we have no idea how large it is, and thus how long it will take to download. What we will note is the patch notes, so this may indicate a meatier download. 

Sea of Thieves April 25 Update Patch Notes

Microsoft Account Linking

• All players will need to sign in with a Microsoft account to play Sea of Thieves. When launching the game, players will be guided through the account linking process.

• Be warned, account linking is a permanent decision, as players are only able to associate a single Microsoft account with a single account for PlayStation™Network. Only use the Microsoft account on which you intend to carry over your progress to launch!

• Experienced players from other platforms who joined during the PlayStation®5 Closed Beta will have their pirate and all associated progress seamlessly transferred and accessible for play. Be sure to use the correct Microsoft account, as the two accounts chosen to be associated cannot be changed later.

Player Names and Online IDs

• Once a Microsoft account is linked for Sea of Thieves play, all players will be displayed using their Microsoft account gamertag.

• Players on PlayStation®5 can utilise the Recent Players List feature, located within the Game Options menu, to view the Microsoft account and linked online IDs of players on PlayStation™Network they encounter, as well as directly viewing their profile.

Inviting Friends into a Crew

• When setting up a crew, players can use the PlayStation®5 Game Base to invite existing PlayStation friends using ‘Invite to Game’.

• Players are also able to use the new in-game friends list, which consolidates friends from the linked Microsoft account and the account for PlayStation™Network into a single location for seamless crew management.

Cross-Platform Play

• Cross-platform play is enabled by default, ensuring that all new players joining High Seas will find their home on the waves with other players from all walks of life. Players on PlayStation®5, however, can choose to disable crossplay from Matchmaking Settings and only matchmake with others on PlayStation™Network.

Performance on PlayStation®5

• Sea of Thieves on PlayStation®5 is optimised to run at 60 FPS in 4K resolution, ensuring complete parity with Xbox Series X players.

• Players can access an additional Performance Mode from the game settings for supported TVs, allowing for 120Hz refresh rates at 1080p resolution.

HDR Setup on PlayStation®5

• New players on PlayStation®5 using a HDR-supported screen should perform HDR calibration when playing for the first time. Navigate to ‘HDR Calibration’ in Game Settings to configure your experience.

DualSense™ Wireless Controller Support

• Hungry for haptic feedback? The DualSense™ wireless controller enhances the experience of movement and interactions with the world.

• Adaptive triggers leveraging unique qualities of the controller heighten the gunplay experience, allowing players to feel every bullet they fire.

• When a headset isn’t connected, the controller’s built-in microphone will serve as the default device for communication, granting all players access to in-game voice chat.

Voice Chat Notifications

• When using in-game voice chat with crewmates or other players you meet in the world, the name of the broadcasting players will be shown within the HUD in a new indicator.

Player Moderation

• Players now have access to the Player Blocking tool in the game’s settings. This allows a player to be blocked, resulting in them being restricted from communicating with you using in-game voice chat.

• The Player Blocking tool also allows for easy management of your Blocked Players list.

Fates of Fortune

Chest of Fortune

• The Chest of Fortune has been returned to the locked Vault of the formidable Fort of Fortune. Keep a keen eye on the horizon for the ominous red skull cloud in the sky when it becomes active.

• Crews who retrieve Chests of Fortune can now earn the next Grade of the Fortune’s Favour Commendation, unlocking access to the Fates of Fortune Lantern, Spyglass, Compass and Bucket.

Reaper’s Chests

• Crews chasing down the tell-tale beacon of the Reaper’s Chest or Reaper’s Bounty can earn the next Grade of the Reaper’s Riches Commendation, and start unlocking access to the Fates of Fortune Banjo and Drum.

Gameplay Improvements

Hit Registration Improvements

• Further improvements have been made to calculate the location of player shots more accurately across the client and server, providing a sizeable improvement to hit registration for ranged weapons across a range of combat scenarios.

Skeleton Ship and Megalodon Encounters

• The frequency of emergent Skeleton Ship and Megalodon encounters has been reduced to match the frequency of encounters prior to Season 11.

Animation Quality Settings

• Players now have improved control over the character animation quality within the Graphics Settings. This will provide a smoother experience; however, higher settings may impact CPU performance.

Outpost Cosmetics

New Outpost Stock!

• The Outpost shops have received a new shipment of items from the Seared Forsaken Ashes set, with the ship set and clothing now available to purchase with gold after unlocking the Warsmith of the Flame Commendation.

• The Outpost weapon shops now have the Forsaken Ashes Heavy Sword and Rapier available for Doubloons after unlocking the Devil’s Cartographer Commendation.

Legacy Event Cosmetics

• Previous rewards from the Wish You Were Here Event have now been added to the Outpost shops. The Cartographer Tattoo and the Refined Gold Cutlass, Spyglass and Speaking Trumpet are now available for Doubloons.

Season Five Legacy Cosmetics

• Cosmetics previously available during Season Five have arrived in Outpost shops and can now be yours in exchange for Doubloons!

• Players can purchase the Bell Brigade clothing set, along with a range of unique one-off items that were available during this Season. Pirate Legends can also pick up Merrick’s Tankard and Grimm’s Jacket.

• The time-limited Ancient Gold items, however, remain exclusive to players who participated in Season Five.

Updates

Report a Player

• The in-game Report a Player tool has now been extended, providing the ability to report players for Movement Exploits, Aiming Exploits and Toxic Behaviour.

• As with all player reports, these will be referred to the Sea of Thieves Support team for investigation and follow-up action.

Pirate Emporium Quick Menu

• The Pirate Emporium can now be accessed via the Quick Menu, allowing pirates to browse the Emporium at any time!

Pirate Emporium Local Currency Purchasing

• With shopping improvements in the works for the Pirate Emporium, this update removes a lesser-used feature that provided players with the ability to make purchases within the Pirate Emporium directly using their local currency.

Port Merrick Front End Menu

• The tavern location for the front end is now using the recently constructed Port Merrick tavern.

Fixed Issues

Gameplay

• Crews diving to an experience or Faction battle and surfacing alongside another ship should no longer encounter issues where items on board their ship become non-interactable.

• The frequency of sharks appearing when players set foot in the water has returned to normal levels.

• Resolved an issue experienced during high network traffic where players bailing from a ship would find that water would only be visually thrown from a bucket, and could then be thrown a second time.

• Console players can once again use a mouse and keyboard with full compatibility.

• Skeletons have been reminded that they need to repair damage to their ships during battle.

• Shipwrights should now consistently deliver purchased supplies to Captains.

• Players losing treasure during the Merchant Alliance or Order of Souls Tutorial Voyages will now find the Voyage cancelled.

• Players can no longer use a cannon to generate additional throwables.

• All Gold Hoarders Vault Voyages have been updated to prevent crews from predicting the location of the treasure.

• Players will no longer find treasure from a Siren Shrine reappears after leaving and returning to a cleared area.

• Selling Gold Hoarders artefacts at The Reaper’s Hideout should no longer progress Gold Hoarders Commendations.

• Captains leaving a ship damaged at the end of a session should now consistently find the ship seaworthy in their next session, but will still need to restore it to fully repair it.

• The following Commendations will now progress when completing the required criteria: Righteous Victory, Athena’s Shield, Order of Ghouls, Hunt Them Down, Is That All You’ve Got?, Bones, Not Bonds.

• Crews failing to find an Hourglass battle after diving will no longer be unable to catch fire when returning to their original server.

• Resource Crates placed on a docked Rowboat should now still be visible and accessible after leaving the Tunnels of the Damned.

Performance and Stability

• Players should now find in-game voice chat works consistently when playing across platforms and regions.

• Resolved a prevalent client crash affecting Xbox consoles following the upgrade to GDK.

• Improvements made to shop purchasing when under heavy load, reducing scenarios where players may become stuck ‘Counting Coins’.

• Players should no longer become stuck waiting while attempting to purchase a Trading Company promotion.

• Players returning through the Tunnels of the Damned following a Tall Tale should no longer experience a Hazelnutbeard error.

• Further improvements made to game stability to reduce scenarios where players experience an unexpected exit from the game or become disconnected from their session.

Anti-Cheat

• Players on Steam should no longer encounter the error that Easy Anti-Cheat is not installed when installing from the Steam Store.

• Improvements made to Anti-Cheat detection, reducing the frequency of players encountering a Hazelnutbeard error.

• Improvements made to Anti-Cheat detection to further protect from external access.

User Interface

• Players can now successfully send Guild Invites to players not on their Xbox friends list.

• Players on PC will now find their graphics settings are consistently saved across sessions.

• Crewmates attacked by an enemy will now show the appropriate Crew Status Tag on their nameplate.

• The Ruby Stinger Cutlass shown in the Armoury preview now more closely matches the wielded weapon.

• The Flourishing Wild Rose items now display the correct iconography in the cosmetic chests.

• Viewing the Lantern Dance Emote within the Vanity Chest now displays the correct flame colour.

• The Noble Spartan Sails now display the correct iconography in the Ship Customisation Chest.

• Players attempting to close the virtual keyboard while typing in text chat will now find the menu is closed.

Visual and Audio

• Players should now consistently see their ship name adorning the Ship’s Crest when joining a session.

• While navigating around islands, players should no longer see leaves sometimes pop in and out.

• While observing shadows cast on board the ship, players should no longer see the shadows of ropes sometimes pop in and out while moving.

• Picking up a Captain’s Key while on a Lost Shipment Voyage should now show it sitting correctly in the player’s hand.

• While on the Legend of the Sunken Kingdom Voyage, picking up the Gold Hoarders Medallion should no longer cause it to visually shrink in the player’s hand.

• Players traversing the world should no longer see large shadows pop in and out across islands or while out at sea.

• Players picking up the Vestige of Power or Ashes of Ruin will now find they use the correct animation when held.

• Players dodging repeatedly with a sword should continue to see their sword sway when returning to blocking.

• During cutlass battles with skeletons and Phantoms, striking and blocking animations are now more accurately synchronised for both players and enemies.

• Players swimming quickly underwater will now see the correct bubble effects from both hands.

• ‘The Journey to Mêlée Island’ – The Clock Tower Key should now sit correctly in the player’s hand.

• ‘The Shroudbreaker’ – The Mysterious Stranger now animates smoothly during the initial cutscene.

Environment

• Crews exploring a sunken shipwreck should once again be able to easily retrieve Bounty Skulls from within the Captain’s quarters.

• Crews unlocking the Vault beneath the Fort of the Damned will now find the treasure placed neatly on the surfaces.

Accessibility

• Players on Xbox using ‘Let Games Read to Me’ will find the virtual keyboard is now narrated.

Text and Localisation

• Improvements made to Quest Books across The Legend of Monkey Island Tall Tales to reduce overlapping text in a range of languages.

• The Unbroken Bonds Sails now have an appropriate name when viewed in the Ship Customisation Chest.

• Tasha at Ancient Spire Outpost no longer has duplicated words in her dialogue.

• Ship names using the maximum character length will no longer overflow within the Captain’s Logbook.

• Text shown on the loading screen will now be displayed correctly when using an Ultrawide monitor.

• ‘A Pirate’s Life’ – The Cursed Captain’s name should always be shown alongside the relevant subtitles in all languages.

Not only does the PS5 version of Sea of Thieves release on April 30, but this will also commence Season 11, which you can check out here. It is unclear if another update will release on April 30 or if this update fully serves the launch of Season 11 and the full PS5 launch.