Once again, the developer is looking for the opinions of the players of Sea of Thieves, and a new poll has been given to the new pirates. Rare is asking and offering feedback, which is then made more precise for future strategies, thus they are encouraging everybody to participate. This is a very direct link to the community, and it surely illustrates Rare’s fidelity to the pirate adventure world built on player input as the answers could potentially affect the future content and features to a great extent.
The invitation to give feedback saw immediate responses across the different channels, with the players sharing their opinions ranging from compliments to very detailed requests. A user called Chasing Nerd Cred, for example, expressed, “As a beginner this game is a dream come true. Random occurrences at every session together with world interactions are what really make the game and not the loot or where the world events are.” Most gamers are with this player and they appreciate the very same feature—the unpredictable moments that create great stories.
Nonetheless, there was a bit of negativity too. A number of gamers pointed out issues with technology, while some user Jens Inhuman stated, “Sea of thieves can’t link my Account to another Microsoft E-mail so I’m not able to play.” All these account problems can really annoy the pros who are just longing to get back to the sea.
The suggestions from the players are very diverse and come from down-to-earth to wild. The craziest option was one mentioned by Gary Fritz who simply wrote ‘6 man Galleons’, while XXL Daddy Mike had more complex thoughts: ‘I would like to see a Cargo Ship and a Fishing Trawler added to the game. Besides the addition of gangplanks and small cranes for loots, an upgraded rowboat for the Cargo Ship would also be nice.’ Such detailed propositions show how much the players really want the game cool and alive.
In addition to this, the responses also included many requests for skins and customization, with McChickeney stating that it was ‘Day 768 of asking sea of thieves to add full fallen sea dog set.’ That’s loyalty of an amazing level. Another player named ItsBRADG expressed the wish for ‘outfit saves so we can quickly switch attire’ plus more single-piece sets, which shows how important fashion is to the pirate experience.
Furthermore, the debate regarding PvP and the less risky options is still open. Shayxis suggested adding ‘a PvE only server’ which led to a very passionate discussion. Lance Heric supported the notion saying it ‘would be of great help to those who don’t have a lot of friends playing the game and thus have to sail alone. Then you don’t have to be afraid of becoming the victim of a galleon or brig crew.’ However, the opponents of this idea argued that it goes against the original idea of the game, and one player even pointed out that forcing another player to drown ‘in a pirate game’s scenario is neither griefing nor toxic.’
The most extreme suggestion came from Psychobaker, who suggested that Rare should ‘Switch to Unreal Engine 5 and the next generation the previous generation is holding the game back. We want to see new biomes, telling new stories, and getting new mobs; the game must renew itself.’ That is quite a demand, revealing that some players want nothing less than a radical change, not just gradual ones.
Even the survey brought up doubts among the people who participated. Jumperovsky complained about the ‘second survey and I still have no idea where this approach is going; most questions are so vague and do not really provide any value.’ This question illustrates the dilemma that developers face when they want to obtain meaningful feedback as opposed to general opinions.
Still, the community’s enthusiasm is a fact that can hardly be questioned. Those who claim to have ’10k hours’ will not accept anything less than their survey email, and there are also very detailed discussions about contest formats like Style of Thieves versus SOT Shot, all of which show that everyone has a clear and strong opinion about the future of this game. The fact that RO players are debating the minor details of cosmetic competitions is a clear sign of how intense the engagement is.
What is certain is that Sea of Thieves means different things to different gamers. Some can’t get enough of the blood and guts of pirate fights and treasure stealing. Others rather enjoy peaceful fishing or the thrill of discovering hidden treasures. Rare’s challenge will be to find the right balance among these opposite views and, at the same time, keep the game’s charm.
The survey is a sign of the ongoing dialogue between the developers and the players that has been there since Sea of Thieves launched in 2018. Through their seasonal updates, introducing new features, and quality-of-life improvements, Rare has shown that they are very much aware of the players’ needs. They have now come back to ask for the players’ opinions again and this time the community is certainly not holding back. Whether it be about PlayStation or Xbox players, everyone has a voice.
