[p]Welcome to another edition of This Month in Sea of Thieves, and August’s turn to take a star turn in the spotlight. It’s a big month for us here at Rare as the studio’s 40th anniversary swings into focus, and we’ve got a ton of seafaring fun to put the wind in your sails and add spice to your sailing sessions![/p][p]It’s a packed few weeks, with not just the anniversary celebrations but a new Season and a couple of exciting events too – so let’s not waste any time getting down to details…[/p][p]Rare’s 40th Anniversary – from Monday, August 4th[/p][p]The studio turns 40 years old imminently – so to celebrate, we’ve got a boatload of things to share with fans and players. Starting from August 4th, we’ve organised a suite of Ruby-themed gifts and tie-ins![/p][p]For Xbox Game Pass Ultimate players, the sparkling Rare Ruby Emote will be available as an XGPU Perk all the way through to October 4th. The roguish Rare Ruby Hat will also be earnable via Microsoft Rewards, and from August 6th there’ll be huge Pirate Emporium discounts on Sea of Thieves sets inspired by classic Rare titles (see full sale info below).[/p][p]The free Rare Ruby Eyepatch will be on offer as a celebratory Sea of Thieves login bonus starting from the launch of Season 17 on August 14th and running right through to the September update – and a grab bag of new ruby-tinted Outpost stock will be available to pick up with your in-game gold from the same date.
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Rare-inspired cosmetics will also be purchasable in a mega-bundle from August 14th, while the glorious Ruby Reaper’s Mark Sails will be made available as a time-limited Pirate Emporium offering. Meanwhile, the optional Season 17 Plunder Pass will allow players to unlock the classically themed Rare Regalia ship set and clothing as they power through those levels of Seasonal Renown![/p][p]There’s also more on offer in Season 17’s Rare-themed Community Weekend – but more on that later…[/p][p]Pirate Emporium Rare Anniversary Sale – Wednesday, August 6th – Monday, August 11th[/p][p]A major milestone deserves a major sale, so you can expect a huge range of deals to explore in the Pirate Emporium while this one is live! The Emporium has no shortage of ship sets, costumes, weapons and Trinkets inspired by Rare’s games and characters from the last 40 years, and most if not all of them are part of this special sale. From Bear & Bird to Paradise Garden, Night Wulf to Huntress and everything in between, there’s a look here for everyone to enjoy![/p][p]‘Smugglers’ Tide’ Release – Friday, August 8th[/p][p]The official Sea of Thieves soundtrack that’s streamable and downloadable from your choice of music provider gets another of its regular additions, this time the moody signature music from the upcoming Smuggler-driven Season. Check it out from August 8th, ahead of the Season’s launch a little under a week later…
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Gold & Glory Weekend – Friday, August 8th – Monday, August 11th[/p][p]Our boosted rewards Event beckons players in over the second weekend of the month, giving persistent pirates a perfect opportunity to hit level 100 Renown in Season 16 before it ends! Gold, reputation, Allegiance and Renown will all be boosted for the duration of the Event, so make sure you’re heading out on the waves to make the most of these gains.[/p][p]Season 17 Launch – Thursday, August 14th[/p][p]Announced at the Xbox Games Showcase back in June, Smugglers’ Tide finally comes to Sea of Thieves’ shores later this month. With explosive Black Powder Barrels, fresh faces to meet and interact with, Smugglers’ Route Runs and new Deeds, Commendations, rewards and treasures, our smuggling-themed Season is all set to offer pirates new ways to make their fortune.[/p][p]Stay tuned to Sea of Thieves social channels for more information on what’s to come as part of Season 17’s package.[/p][p]Pirate Profiles Launch – Thursday, August 14th[/p][p]Also launching alongside Season 17 are Pirate Profiles, which players will be able to pick up from the Pirate Emporium! For those of you who like the idea of having multiple pirate personas to roleplay with – or if you just fancy taking on new challenges with a fresh-faced pirate (and no worries about overwriting your old one) – you’ll find this feature just the thing to help you scratch that itch.
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Season 17 Community Weekend – Saturday, August 30th – Monday, September 1st[/p][p]Remember a few paragraphs ago, when we mentioned the next Community Weekend? Well, that’s all set to happen nice and early in the Season 17 calendar, with rewards and Pop-Up Plunder both themed to our 40th anniversary milestone. As usual, the Community Emissary Grade will be powered by hours of Sea of Thieves watched on Twitch – with a suite of Twitch Drops on offer for folks tuning in. Picture Walls will return to Outposts with a special ruby-red flavour, with one at The Reaper’s Hideout also back in action for the 48 hours of this Event.[/p][p]Pirates who pop in during the Weekend will receive two glorious login bonuses: the Season 17 Community Weekend Flag and the Paper Cutout Emote. And, if 100,000 World Events are completed during Community Weekend, a special Ruby Legend Figurehead will be unlocked for all participants. It’s set to be a stunning celebration of all things Rare, so make sure to mark the dates in your diary now to avoid disappointment.[/p][p]And that’s all for August! We hope to see you on the seas in honour of our studio’s milestone anniversary, and our thanks, as always, to those of you who have set sail with us at any stage of this unforgettable journey.[/p]