Sea of Thieves has revealed that it will add paid custom servers in 2026. Sea of Thieves is a multiplayer game that allows players to explore the seas with friends. However, as it is a PvP game, Sea of Thieves players can also encounter opponents on their adventures.
Rare launched Season 16 on May 22, the first since Sea of Thieves arrived on Battle.net. This season introduced new cosmetics and in-game currency for players to unlock as they level up the new Plunder Pass. Another notable addition is the Reaper's Bones Crew voyage "Search for Ancient Secrets," which brings together crews and the Order of Bone and Blade Skeletons to unearth an ancient sarcophagus. Sea of Thieves continues to get support through regular updates, and in the coming months, players can expect the addition of a highly anticipated feature.
Related I think Sea of Thieves has quietly become one of the best multiplayer games out there
Sea of Thieves is probably one of the quieter games out there. You don't hear about it often, but often enough to know that it's a pretty large game with a vast player base. And it's really cool to see where it started from; what used to be a very bare-bones pirate game reached far into being an expanding world of enthralling lore and chaotic multiplayer combat. Its balance of role-play, discovery, and socializing makes it not only enjoyable but characteristically memorable in a way few multiplayer games achieve.
PostsSea of Thieves has revealed that it will add paid custom servers in 2026. Named Custom Seas, the announcement was made during the Sea of Thieves Community Direct, the first in the game's history. The developers explained that on these servers, players will be able to use switches, toggles, and commands to create a personalized experience. Some possibilities include using commands to spawn items and enemies, disabling storms, enemies' AI, and even the Kraken. On paid custom servers, players will be able to run Sea of Thieves' Safer Seas mode, earning rewards alongside their friends. There is still no exact date for the addition of the custom paid servers or how much they will cost.
Sea of Thieves Announces Paid Custom Servers and Outlines Changes to Seasonal Updates
Despite the wave of layoffs announced by Microsoft in early July, the Sea of Thieves developers revealed that they remain focused on improving core gameplay, stability, and introducing new experiences. As a result, Sea of Thieves seasons will change, and instead of delivering content at the beginning of the month, it will be added in stages. With this, the plan is to keep the community engaged throughout all stages of a season. Rare also teased the expansion of Devil's Roar, a region characterized by its volcanic environment, for Season 18.
CloseIn addition to confirming the arrival of custom servers and mentioning future seasons of the game, Rare lifted the NDA on the Insider Program to “inspire more conversation” about Sea of Thieves. With this, the studio shows that despite the wave of uncertainty left by Microsoft's layoffs, there is active work to keep Sea of Thieves an entertaining multiplayer game.
