Summary

  • Sea of Thieves leads PlayStation preorders, showing potential for Microsoft's expansion.
  • Fans have high hopes for Rare's game on PlayStation.
  • Xbox exclusives like Sea of Thieves are heading to other systems, but some titles will remain only on Xbox.

Sea of Thieves is off to a strong start on PlayStation, taking the lead in preorders. In February, Xbox announced that some of its games would no longer be exclusive to its platforms, and that roster included Sea of Thieves. Several games were rumored for a while, and their official announcement during Xbox's Business Update podcast only confirmed what many had already suspected.

Sea of Thieves is a Rare-developed action-adventure game focused on becoming a legendary voyaging pirate, making one's livelihood through trading and overseas warfare. The game aims to offer immersive and complex systems. Sea of Thieves players will need to manage their money, fend off other pirates, and keep track of the way weather impacts travel in order to fare well in the long run. The game was released in early access in 2018 and then came to Steam in 2020. April 30 is the expected PlayStation release date for Sea of Thieves.

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Sea of Thieves on PS5 Has a Catch

Sea of Thieves' PS5 version comes with a catch once users download it following its release for Sony's newest console.

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Over this weekend, Sea of Thieves has become one of the most preordered games on PlayStation Network's store. A tweet from Benji-Sales shows the game holding the top spot on the preorder page, beating sales of MLB The Show 24 and the Elden Ring expansion Shadow of The Erdtree. Although Sea of Thieves has received a fair share of criticism from gamers, it looks like plenty are just as willing to try it out for themselves before fully forming an opinion. These preorders suggest Microsoft's expansion into other gaming marketplaces may be a success.

Sea of Thieves Leads Playstation Preorder Sales

Considering the legacy that Banjo-Kazooie developer Rare has in the industry and how long it has been since its last big release, fans have had high hopes. Despite high expectations, some critics seemed to have mixed feelings about Sea of Thieves, believing the overall experience to be shallow, and not having much trust in the live service aspect of the game, looking towards similar releases like Skull and Bones. Alternatively, some believe the game is plenty of fun as-is, praising the resource management and combat systems.

Some think this may be further evidence of Xbox losing the console wars, and Sea of Thieves is not the only Microsoft game arriving on other systems. Previous Xbox exclusives will make their way to PlayStation and the Nintendo Switch. Although some fans are concerned about what this means for the future, Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer assures Xbox fans that the Microsoft console marketplace is healthy. Games like Halo Infinite remain inaccessible to PlayStation and Nintendo players, and Spencer insists that these multi-platform releases are isolated, not to be considered the beginning of a new standard.

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Sea of Thieves
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Released
March 20, 2018
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WHERE TO PLAY

SUBSCRIPTION
DIGITAL
PHYSICAL
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Sea of Thieves offers the essential pirate experience, from sailing and fighting to exploring and looting – everything you need to live the pirate life and become a legend in your own right. With no set roles, you have complete freedom to approach the world, and other players, however you choose. Whether you’re voyaging as a group or sailing solo, you’re bound to encounter other crews in this shared world adventure – but will they be friends or foes, and how will you respond?

A Vast Open World:  Explore a vast open world filled with unspoiled islands and underwater kingdoms. Take on quests to hunt for lost loot, forge a reputation with the Trading Companies and battle foes from Phantoms and Ocean Crawlers to Megalodons and the mighty Kraken. Try your hand at fishing, make maps to your own buried treasure or choose from hundreds of other optional goals and side-quests!

Become Legend:  On your journey to become a Pirate Legend you’ll amass loot, build a reputation and define a unique personal style with your hard-earned rewards. Adventurer. Explorer. Conqueror. What will your legend be?
 

Developer(s)
Rare
Publisher(s)
Microsoft Game Studios
Metascore
69
Genre(s)
Adventure