Game Mode

Game modes are the different methods players may experience Sea of Thieves. There is the full shared world experience offered in "High Seas", the private world experience in "Safer Seas", and the tutorial mode offered by the "Maiden Voyage".

When beginning a play session from the main menu, players are first offered three "Experience" choices. "Adventure" and "The Legend of Monkey Island" both lead into either "High Seas" or "Safer Seas" game mode servers, with "The Legend of Monkey Island" option spawning players right at the Capsize Charters tent to quickly begin these Tall Tales, while the "Adventure" choice will normally spawn players inside a Tavern at one of the main Outposts.

The third experience option, "Maiden Voyage" is the tutorial game mode that teaches the very basic game mechanics to ready players for their adventures.

Play tab layout displaying the three current "Experience" choices.

Menu showing the choice between High Seas and Safer Seas.

Safer Seas

Safer Seas mode offers the option for a single crew of players to have a PvE (player versus environment) experience without the risk of encountering other player crews on the server. To balance out the loss of risk, some features are disabled while gold and Reputation earned are reduced by 30% of what can be earned in the High Seas mode.

Features in Safer Seas

• Single ship server
• Progress up to level 40 in most Trading Companies except Athena's Fortune and the Reaper's Bones
• Earn gold and Reputation at a reduced value/rate of 30%
• Earn Doubloons at the full value (Some methods of earning Doubloons are unavailable)
• Earn Ancient Coins at the full value/rate
• Earn Seasonal Renown and Rewards at the full value/rate
• Play Tall Tales
• Earn progress in applicable commendations and achievements
• Purchase cosmetics from Outpost and Seapost shops
• Take maps from Quest Board (Cannot post maps)
• Access Faction Hideouts and perform rituals (If first unlocked in High Seas)

High Seas

High Seas mode offers a shared world experience with multiple crews of players on one server with the chance of both PvP and PvE encounters.

Features in High Seas

• Shared world with other player crews to encounter
• Become a Pirate Legend
• Earn Reputation for all Trading Companies including Athena's Fortune and the Reaper's Bones
• Letters of Recommendation
• Full Quest Board access
• Hourglass Faction battles
• Captaincy
• Guilds
• Trading Company Emissary
• Live events (such as Gold & Glory)
• Skull of Siren Song Voyage
• Gilded Voyages

Legacy modes

Play tab prior to Season Ten, showcasing The Arena and A Pirate's Life options.

The Arena was a competitive PvP focused game mode that was introduced on April 30, 2019 as part of Sea of Thieves' first Anniversary Update. It ran for three years, before closing on March 10, 2022.

Trivia

• Prior to the introduction of the "The Legend of Monkey Island" Tall Tales, there was the experience option of "A Pirate's Life", spawning Pirates outside the Castaway's Camp, to allow them to quickly start the Tall Tales.

Patch history

• 2.9.2 (December 7, 2023)
  • Added Safer Seas.

• 2.5.0 (March 10, 2022)
  • Removed The Arena.

• 2.0 (April 30, 2019)
  • Added The Arena.