Rare acknowledges the current model is falling short

Rare has done what live-service teams often do only after the complaints become impossible to ignore: it has said out loud that the current content plan for Sea of Thieves is not working.

In its March community direct letter, the studio admitted that the game’s present release rhythm has not landed the way it hoped. According to Rare, the three-act structure used to deliver smaller pieces of content has created strain inside the team while still failing to meet player expectations. Not exactly the kind of efficiency anyone dreams of.

"When reflecting on our current rhythm of release, it’s clear to us that the signals we’ve had from our players show our current model isn’t working," the developers wrote. "Delivering bitesize content via our three-act structure has put a lot of pressure on internal teams, while also still not delivering to our players’ expectations, so we recognise it’s something that needs to change."

What changes are coming

Rare says the game will be adjusted in several areas moving forward. The studio plans to:

  • Crack down more aggressively on toxic behavior
  • Restructure cosmetic offerings
  • Promote player-created wares
  • Rework the seasonal model so it includes more events

The message is clear enough, even if the pacing has apparently needed a public intervention: the current approach is being replaced with something broader and, hopefully, less exhausting for everyone involved.

Custom Seas is going to everyone in Season 20

One of the bigger updates concerns Season 20, which will make the Custom Seas ruleset available to all players, regardless of whether they are subscribers.

Rare said the decision came after reflecting on the feature’s limited access. The studio noted that locking Custom Seas behind a subscription could keep it from reaching its full potential. So, in the name of community creativity, it wants everyone to be able to use it.

"It became clear to us that locking the feature behind a subscription was potentially limiting its true potential," Rare said. "So, in the spirit of unleashing community creativity for all, we want everyone* to be able to play with it."

That means Season 20 will not just be another content drop. It will also be a reset of how Rare is thinking about Sea of Thieves going forward, with more emphasis on community use, player expression, and a seasonal structure that does more than just show up on schedule.