A long-requested feature is finally sailing to Sea of Thieves, but players will have to shell out some cash to take advantage of it. Custom servers, along with other unannounced “benefits,” are included in a subscription service coming to Rare’s live-service pirate game in early 2026. Developers from Rare made the announcement during a Community Direct video on Wednesday.
Sea of Thieves is dependent on emergent encounters with both computer-controlled enemies and real players, both of whom can engage in hostilities with players. With custom servers, players can create their own “private customisable sandbox” with adjustable options for loot and enemy spawns. Private servers can also run “Safer Seas Fleets,” allowing players to invite their friends, free of beligerent randos. Rare has not stated how much this subscription model will cost.
Rare was one of the many studios hit by massive layoffs at Microsoft, which also resulted in the cancellation of the studio’s project Everwild. Gregg Mayles, a veteran of the company who served as the creative director for both Sea of Thieves and Everwild, reportedly departed Rare following the latter’s cancellation.
