On the heels of Sea of Thieves' captaincy update comes the sixth adventure, A Hunter's Cry, since Rare began this monthly format of storytelling. It goes live on August 18 and will run through September 1, continuing Merrick's interrogation at the hands of the Dark Brethren. However, the official synopsis teases that Merrick won't be able to keep his secrets forever, with players rallying allies, taking the fight to the Dark Brethren, and helping the Hunter.
With the inclusion of the Dark Brethren, the current storyline has existed in loose connection with A Pirate's Life. Many fans will remember this journey into the Sea of the Damned, with the appearances of Jack Sparrow, Davy Jones, and other Pirates of the Caribbean-inspired elements. However, with that content wrapped, players haven't really returned to this area since, making it over a year since the Sea of the Damned was really relevant. While it's been heavily implied to tie to this adventure and noticed by those following the story lately, Sea of Thieves creative director Mike Chapman spoke to this location's relevancy here in a recent interview with The Best War Games.
The story has been building to a rescue mission of Merrick, especially after the events of the Forsaken Hunter, and A Hunter's Cry will delve into that in full. The latest Sea of Thieves adventure cinematic trailer teasing these events doesn't give away the full story, but its ending heavily implies players will return to the Sea of Damned. Chapman confirmed this, stating
"Players will be going back to the Sea of the Damned for the first time since A Pirate's Life."
While this is no doubt exciting for Sea of Thieves fans, Pirates of the Caribbean fans, and fans of this adventure/narrative structure, that confirmation is surely just the tip of the iceberg. While we know fans will be returning to the Sea of the Damned, what exactly happens there remains to be seen.
The Sea of Thieves adventure format has been incredibly successful, according to Rare, with the company working to see what connects best with the player base. This is why the various Sea of Thieves adventures have been so distinct, with them becoming more and more ambitious. One even sees players shape the future of Golden Sands outpost, which will continue to change based on this decision for some time. But returning to the Sea of the Damned is perhaps even more ambitious than that, especially with the potential implications for the players, the Dark Brethren, and Merrick.
Sea of Thieves is available now on PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.