Tag: Sea of Thieves

  • Xbox Honors Rare’s 40th Anniversary with Limited Edition Controller

    Xbox Honors Rare’s 40th Anniversary with Limited Edition Controller

    Key Takeaways

    1. Rare Limited, known for games like Banjo Kazooie and Sea of Thieves, is celebrating its 40th anniversary with new merchandise.
    2. The 8BitDo Ultimate 3-mode Controller – Rare 40th Anniversary Edition features wireless connectivity for Xbox consoles and includes a stylish charging dock.
    3. The controller has a unique blue design with elements from Sea of Thieves and Banjo Kazooie, and is priced at $89.99.
    4. The upcoming season of Sea of Thieves (starting August 14) will include 40th anniversary cosmetics and rewards for players.
    5. Evercade plans to release a compilation of 12 classic Rare games, with pre-orders starting on September 30th.

    Rare Limited, the studio that is owned by Xbox and known for beloved games like Banjo Kazooie and Sea of Thieves, is celebrating its 40th anniversary. To commemorate this special occasion, the studio is introducing merchandise inspired by its classic games, which includes a limited edition 8BitDo controller. This controller marks 8BitDo’s first 2.4GHz wireless Xbox controller.

    New Controller Details

    The controller is called the 8BitDo Ultimate 3-mode Controller – Rare 40th Anniversary Edition, and it is modeled after the original 8BitDo Ultimate 3-mode Controller. Both controllers share the same model number and features.

    What sets this special edition apart is its ability to connect wirelessly to Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One consoles through the included 2.4GHz adapter, unlike the standard version that only supports wired connections. Additionally, it is compatible with devices running Windows, Android, and Apple operating systems.

    Design and Features

    Dressed in a blue color scheme, the 8BitDo Ultimate 3-mode Controller – Rare 40th Anniversary Edition features yellow shoulder buttons, triggers, and back buttons. It showcases designs from both Sea of Thieves and Banjo Kazooie, along with a golden tactile D-pad. The controller also comes with a stylish charging dock that has a compartment for the 2.4GHz adapter and includes two custom joycaps.

    This new controller can be purchased right now from 8BitDo’s eShop and Amazon for $89.99, which is $20 more than the standard edition.

    Additional Announcements

    Alongside the controller, Microsoft has announced that the upcoming season of Sea of Thieves, scheduled for August 14, will feature cosmetics in a 40th anniversary bundle, including a Rare Ruby Eyepatch. Players can also obtain a Rare Ruby Hat by purchasing select Ancient Coin packs that can be bought with Microsoft Reward Points. Furthermore, Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers will have the opportunity to claim a special Rare Ruby Emote.

    Additionally, Evercade has shared plans to release a compilation of 12 classic Rare games featuring titles like Jetpac, Atic Atac, Knight Lore, Pro-Am, Cobra Triangle, and arcade versions of Battletoads. Pre-orders for this collection will open on September 30th.

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  • Sea of Thieves Adds Custom Servers Following Community Feedback

    Sea of Thieves Adds Custom Servers Following Community Feedback

    Key Takeaways

    1. Custom Servers Launching: Rare will introduce custom servers in early 2025 as part of a new premium subscription model, fulfilling a long-standing community request.

    2. Unique Gameplay Experiences: Players can customize their servers by adjusting loot, enemy spawn rates, and other gameplay elements, creating a personalized gaming environment.

    3. Safer Seas Fleets: The new custom servers will allow friends to occupy an entire server together while maintaining progression, improving cooperative play.

    4. Focus on Game Improvement: Rare is prioritizing game security, performance, and player safety in 2025 to enhance the overall player experience.

    5. Seasonal Content Revamp: The current seasonal content model is being restructured into a more organized three-month season to better align with community expectations.

    Sea of Thieves is gearing up for some big changes as it nears 2026. The developer, Rare, has revealed plans for custom servers that will launch early next year, as part of a new premium subscription model. This announcement was made during Rare’s first-ever Sea of Thieves Community Direct, where they highlighted this feature as something the community has long wanted, and the developers have been working hard on.

    Custom Experience for Players

    With the introduction of custom servers, players will have the opportunity to create their own unique gameplay experiences. Rare refers to this as “their private sandbox,” where players can use various switches, toggles, and commands to shape their server experience. This means players can adjust loot, enemy spawn rates, or even turn off AI entirely. However, Rare has yet to disclose the specific pricing for the premium subscription.

    Enhanced Play with Friends

    In response to community feedback, these custom servers will support Safer Seas Fleets. This feature allows a group of friends to occupy a whole server while keeping the same progression as the solo version of Safer Seas. It simplifies the process for friends wanting to play together without the need to coordinate across multiple servers.

    Additionally, players will be equipped with a cinematic camera toolset that enables content creators to explore camera angles that were not feasible in standard servers.

    Future Plans for Sea of Thieves

    Rare has introduced this much-anticipated feature to help sustain its Sea of Thieves player community. The game reached an impressive milestone of 40 million lifetime players in April 2024. However, it hasn’t been smooth sailing on the PS5, with a 58% drop in its player base since launch.

    Drew Stevens, the Production Director, has been open about these challenges. For 2025, Rare is prioritizing three key areas: game security, performance, and player safety.

    Alongside the custom servers, Rare is also planning to revamp Sea of Thieves’ seasonal content model. They are moving away from the current seasonal format to implement a more thoughtfully structured three-month season.

    With the rollout of custom servers and the reworking of their seasonal content strategy, Rare is making strategic adjustments to meet community expectations and compete in the live-service game market. As Sea of Thieves approaches its 7th anniversary since its launch, these updates could potentially lead to a transformative year for the game.

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