Sea of Thieves Season One kicks off next week

Sea of Thieves' Season One update is going live Thursday, January 28, Rare has announced. You can also see the new home screen up top and in the announcement tweet below.

Rare revealed last month that Sea of Thieves would be ditching its long-held monthly update structure for new seasonal content drops and a battle pass system. As part of this transition, the PvP Arena mode won't be getting any new content, though it'll still be available to play for the foreseeable future. We aren't sure just yet how much the battle pass - er, Plunder Pass - will cost, but it'll likely fall roughly in line with battle passes for other games.

Like most online games, the seasons will launch every three months and introduce "a new experience or way of play," various live events, tons of new rewards, quality-of-life updates, Emporium updates, and Twitch drops. Season One will also usher in a new progression system where, by "engaging in all aspects of the pirate's life," you earn rewards and rank through 100 levels of Pirate Renown. So basically, there's a clearer sense of progression in the usual day-to-day grind.

Rare didn't say anything new about Season One in the release date announcement, but we've heard it adds a new voyage type at the Merchant Alliance that takes players to a lost shipwreck in search of treasure, which sounds about par for the course. Personally, I can't wait to see some of the new baddies and world events coming in Season One and later updates, because I still can't imagine anything more terrifying than being pulled underwater by a Kraken.

If you're still trying to find your sea legs, don't miss out on these essential Sea of Thieves tips for beginners and seasoned pirates alike.