Sea of Thieves: Reaper Fortresses, Performance Updates, and Player Reinstatement

Even in the free-wheeling world of Sea of Thieves, there are limits to pirate behavior. However, Rare Ltd. is extending a second chance to some previously banned players with the launch of Act 3 of Season 17. This update, arriving alongside Reaper Fortresses, marks a shift in policy for certain types of offenses.

The specific offenses being forgiven are described as “inappropriate ship or pet naming, stream sniping, or using inappropriate language”. Those banned for cheating, violating Microsoft TOS, datamining, or using pirated copies will not be reinstated. Players receiving a second chance will start with nine enforcement points, decreasing by one each month they maintain good behavior. Essentially, even in a pirate game, there’s a redemption arc available.

Beyond the ban amnesty, Season 17 Act 3 brings plenty of new content. According to the patch notes, players can expect the challenging Reaper Fortresses, brimming with enemies and valuable loot, alongside performance improvements and bug fixes. Some of these fixes, including addressing water desync issues on console, ship name visibility, and patching weapon exploits, were discussed in a video by production director Drew Stevens.

Stevens’ video further details the delay of spatial audio to address bugs, hints at future improvements to the hourglass PvP system, and reinforces the commitment to combating cheating. Specific cheats targeted include on-demand server crashes and exploits that allowed players to hurl water at distant ships. He also highlights the significantly increased rewards found within Reaper Fortresses, particularly the potential for a “mega stash,” hoping to incite conflict and “carnage” around these newly added locations.