Sea of Thieves Can Be Played Solo, Will Have A Beta, Will Allow Players To Board Other Ships

Rare may have been in the doldrums for years now, but it is hard to take a look at their upcoming pirate themed adventure game, and not feel a kind of stirring that only classic Rare games used to be able to cause back in the day. It just looks so charming, so whimsical, and so inventive in so many ways- just like Rare games used to be.

It’s why we are so delighted each time there is new information on the game- and we got a lot of that recently, thanks to the game’s extensive presence at E3, which just concluded. During Microsoft’s E3 live coverage, Rare Lead Designer Mike Chapman shared some things about the game, that are bound to allay some fears that some may have had about the game, and also sharing other details that are bound to delight.

He noted, for instance, that Sea of Thieves doesn’t have to be played with other players- if you wish to, you can play it solo. That said, if you do want to join other players, then you’re in luck every sail you see on the horizon in the game will be a ship manned by a crew of real players (as a neat little touch, you can use your spyglass to zoom in on them and observe them as they go about their merry way). If you want, you can even board these other ships! Though there is not a dedicated board button yet in the control scheme (which is what prompted speculation that the game may not allow for that option), players will absolutely be able to do this, mostly contextually, by pulling close to another ship and then simply making your way across your ship and on to theirs.

If you were sold on the game by the E3 showing, and want to try the game out for yourself, you’re in luck: Chapman confirmed that there will be a beta for the game, though he also clarified that he can’t commit to any dates yet, as Rare are still working on nailing down the core experience and basics before they share much of the game with players at large.

It all sounds great to me- and this is the kind of game that I remember loving Rare for. I truly hope that it turns out well for them- for now, it seems to be a welcome return to form. Sea of Thieves will launch next year, on Xbox One and PCs running Windows 10.