Rare has dumped an update into Sea of Thieves, The Smugglers’ League, and well, let’s just say the hats have not been tossed in the air. The official Sea of Thieves account threw out a very minimal tweet-level announcement, “The Smugglers’ League has arrived…,” but the responses? Man, the responses are a whole mood. Some gamers seem eager, others trash it, and some sit there confused. Truly Classic Sea of Thieves community.
Now, what exactly does The Smugglers’ League consist of? For what little we have gathered, it supposedly introduces new smuggling mechanics for black powder barrels and other contraband for players to ferry for profit. The catch? These items are illegally more dangerous to carry but they pay well. At least, that’s how it’s supposed to work. However, Captain Crooked and Tvee___ are unconvinced, saying kegs are not really any more dangerous than existing Athena kegs. “It’s not really a new gameplay loop,” said one player. Or, in other words, ouch.
Now comes the reputation bit. Or, to be more exact – it’s the “not”. Vega puts it perfectly: “Could’ve been cool asf but not giving them an emissary/reputation is a fumble ngl.” That cannot be denied; reputation is everything in Sea of Thieves. To do away with it here feels like killing a chance. Even those who usually come out in defense of the game, such as LameGamer, are giving side-eyes wondering if this is just filler content until bigger things drop. “If there’s another Pirate’s Life-type expansion, they might not have anybody left to pull back,” they tweeted. Yikes.
Of course, that is not all doom and gloom. Players do cherish the atmosphere even if the gameplay changes are like wastage. “I like the vibe, but gameplay-wise there’s hardly any difference,” confessed Tvee___. Which brings us back to the 80s endless argument of gold versus reputation. “I have enough gold, I just want reputation,” grumbled fellow gaming partner, Volkrym. Same here, buddy; same here.
Of course, how could a Sea of Thieves update go out without chaos?! Fondofpepsi has been encountering strange antics, such as rapid pistol shots: “Man, I’ve been looking everywhere to see about this,” they tweeted. Others were just left… lost. “Hu what?” replied AceMcClutch, along with a gif of a dude scratching his head. Mood.
Oh, let’s not forget about the Phantom Menace reference from Captainbat37. “And the Phantom Menace arrived too,” they quipped. Because why not? At this point, Sea of Thieves updates are as unpredictable as the high seas themselves.
So where does that leave us? The Smugglers’ League is here, and it’s… fine? Maybe? It really does have a few cool ideas, but the execution really left a little to be desired. More? Less? More of something else? I really can’t tell anymore. But what I’m pretty sure of is that the Sea of Thieves community will never shy away from expressing their opinion. Whether Rare ever listens remains to be seen. For now, saddle up with your kegs, watch your back, and try not to get blown up unless you like that kind of thing.
