Upgraded Faction Battles
[p]Act 1 of Season 19 focuses on refreshing these on-demand PvP sea battles, and the ways in which players can use their Hourglass of Fate to seek out clashes with other crews. The first change to get acquainted with is the introduction of Battle Bounds, as the battlefield constricts over time to force warring crews closer together and push the fight towards a nail-biting conclusion.[/p][p]Further, the downtime between battles is set to be drastically reduced with three new mechanics: a Faction Storage Crate delivered to your deck that saves crews from having to manually resupply; the automatic raising of an Emissary Flag, removing the need to return to an Outpost before getting back to the action; and the option to vote on diving straight back into battle following a defeat without needing to surface. All together, these changes should ensure that players never have to wait long between encounters and can spend more time doing what they love: fighting to the death.[/p][p][dynamiclink href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K3_fjcBuELY"][/dynamiclink][/p]
Fight Nights Return
[p]As an extra bonus for PvP-minded pirates, the highly anticipated Fight Nights Event will return more than once throughout Season 19. During these windows, any crews engaging in Faction battles will find themselves earning twice as much Allegiance as usual, as well as double the standard amount of gold when cashing in their Hourglass.[/p][p]The first of these returning Events will be live from March 20th until March 23rd, so don’t miss out! If the increased rewards weren’t enough of an incentive, winning three battles during the Event – for either Faction – will reward players with the enviable Fallen Sea Dog Jacket to wear with pride.[/p][p][/p]Changes to Doubloons
[p]As has been previously announced, some sweeping changes are coming to Doubloons during Season 19. Firstly, players have the opportunity to pick up the commemorative Doubloon Hoarder Title, Eyepatch, Belt and Sails from Larinna, before the Doubloon count of all pirates is reset on April 16th. Any player who amassed more than 50,000 Doubloons during their time with the game will also be awarded the Doubloon Hoarder Cutlass as a testament to their dedication, to be delivered at a later date.[/p][p]Following the reset, Doubloons will only be earnable from specific sources such as the Seasonal Renown track and a special recurring live Event – more on that shortly – and can be spent in two distinct new markets: Larinna’s Bilge Rats Black Market featuring returning Seasonal items, and Duke’s Smugglers’ Market that mixes new, exclusive goods with some sought-after specials. These Doubloon changes are intended not only to ensure that the currency feels valuable again, but to more effectively reward players’ time in earning it.[/p][p][dynamiclink href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6SwSbbCPSu4"][/dynamiclink][/p]
More to Come
[p]The first Bilge Rats Weekender will arrive in Act 2 of the Season, tasking players with completing themed challenges and taking on high-risk Voyages in return for a bounty of those newly refreshed Doubloons. The debut Event will take place in April with a focus on fishing, but don’t worry, there’s no risk of missing out: Bilge Rats Weekenders will be a recurring Event and feel fresh each time, so players will always have the opportunity to earn more Doubloons throughout the Season.[/p][p]Later in Season 19, Faction Battles will receive further attention with the addition of Last Ship Standing. This time-limited mode introduces Sloop-only battles that pit six crews against one another in a battlefield within the Sea of the Damned! Contending crews will have to best all others to take victory and sail away with a hefty Allegiance bonus. This new mode will be available for all Sloop crews to try out in Act 3, and is set to return as a future live Event beyond Season 19.[/p][p][/p]Anniversary Activity
[p]As if all that wasn’t enough to be getting on with, Sea of Thieves marks its eighth anniversary this March! We’ve lined up a host of freebies and rewards for the occasion and, as always, we want to send our huge and heartfelt thanks to players for sailing with us all these years.[/p][p]First up, an Xbox Free Play Weekend will open the floodgates for new pirates to set sail between March 19th and March 24th, whether they own the game or not, while anyone taking to the seas between March 19th and March 30th will unlock the exclusive Golden Sailor Figurehead as a special anniversary gift. Further Lustrous Legend items will be on offer through Microsoft Rewards and Xbox Game Pass In-Game Benefits, before Season 19 Community Weekend kicks off on March 27th with its own set of gifts and boosts to really get the celebrations going![/p][p][dynamiclink href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VPcjqnPnuSM"][/dynamiclink][/p]
New Challenges
[p]Alongside all this, Season 19 will of course include a host of new rewards and challenges for players to explore. New Deeds in each Act will test pirates’ mettle in a range of ways, while a fresh Seasonal Renown track promises another 100 levels of rewards to be earned by simply playing and progressing through the game.[/p][p]At the same time, players who pick up a Season 19 Plunder Pass will be able to unlock the Kraken’s Ruin collection, including a ship set with Collector’s items and the Kraken’s Ruin Mask, Jacket and Hook. The Pass also includes, as always, 750 Ancient Coins on top of the 250 available via the Seasonal Renown track, ready to be deployed in a Pirate Emporium shopping session.[/p][p]There’s much more to be said about Season 19, especially with regard to what players can expect in Acts 2 and 3, all of which will be detailed nearer the time. If you want a more in-depth look at what’s new and improved in-game with March’s update, take a look at our dedicated Season 19 page or browse the latest release notes. For the rest of the upcoming excitement, be sure to follow along with our social channels so that you don’t miss a thing. For now, enjoy exploring Act 1’s improved Faction Battles, and may the fiercest fighters win![/p]
