Start with the Maiden Voyage and the Pirate Academy, then learn the basic ship jobs before taking on more ambitious adventures. For a quieter first session, Safer Seas lets you practise without other player crews; High Seas is the shared-world option when you want the full experience.
Start with the Maiden Voyage and Pirate Academy
The Maiden Voyage is Sea of Thieves’ introductory tutorial. It gives new pirates a place to practise navigation, combat, and ship repair before heading out into the wider game. You can revisit it later, and descriptive prompts explain individual mechanics as you learn them. Follow it with lessons in the official Pirate Academy.
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If you have played before but feel rusty, returning to the tutorial is a useful way to refresh the basics rather than trying to learn every system at once.
Learn the essential ship jobs
In your first session, focus on keeping the ship moving and afloat. Practise these jobs before worrying about advanced strategies:
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#1 Best Overall
- A shared-world adventure game by acclaimed UK developer Rare Ltd. Xbox Live Gold required to play (sold separately)
- Live the essential pirate life in a world rich with Rare’s irreverent charm. Sail and fight together, hunt treasure and create your own legends
- A fantastical world of unspoiled islands, mythical monsters and mouth-watering loot. Total freedom to decide how you approach the world and its players
- Xbox One Console exclusive
- Battery: no battery used;Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) Content Description: Crude humor, use of alcohol, violence
- Steer: Take the wheel and learn how your ship responds as you turn.
- Navigate: Check the map and communicate with your crew about where you are heading.
- Manage the sails: Raise, lower, and angle them to control your movement.
- Repair damage: Patch holes in the hull when the ship takes damage.
- Bail water: Use a bucket to remove water before it overwhelms the ship.
- Stay battle-ready: Pay attention to the ship and surroundings so you can respond when trouble starts.
These tasks are easier when crew members communicate and share responsibilities. Try different jobs during a voyage so everyone gets a feel for how the ship works.
Choose a ship that fits your crew
Pick your ship based on how many people are sailing together. Larger ships give a crew more capacity, but they also require coordination.
Rank #2
- A shared-world adventure game by acclaimed UK developer Rare Ltd. Xbox Live Gold required to play (sold separately)
- Live the essential pirate life in a world rich with Rare's irreverent charm. Sail and fight together, hunt treasure and create your own legends!
- A fantastical world of unspoiled islands, mythical monsters and mouth-watering loot
- Total freedom to decide how you approach the world and its players
- Available on the Xbox One family of devices and Windows 10 PCs. Supports Xbox Play Anywhere and cross-platform play** (**Play on one device at a time. PC hardware requirements may vary for games on Windows 10).The Hungering Deep, the first major Sea of Thieves content update landing May 2018, brings with it an exciting new threat to the Sea of Thieves world. Work together with other crews on a completely new adventure with gameplay enhancements and unique rewards.The May kick-off of the Sea of Thieves weekly events programme also introduces fun new ways to play with weekly events and rewards.
| Ship | Recommended crew | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| Sloop | One or two players | A suitable choice for solo sailing or a duo. |
| Brigantine | Three players | Designed for a three-person crew. |
| Galleon | Four players | Works best when the crew communicates and divides ship jobs. |
Decide between Safer Seas and High Seas
The main difference is whether other player crews can enter your session. Safer Seas is a private option for practising and exploring without encounters with other crews. High Seas is the shared-world experience, where you may cross paths with other players and can access features unavailable in Safer Seas.
| Consideration | Safer Seas | High Seas |
|---|---|---|
| Other player crews | Other player crews are removed, making it useful for learning or exploring at your own pace. | Other player crews share the world, so encounters are possible. |
| Emissary play and Captained Ships | Unavailable. | Available. |
| Gold and reputation | Since the December 2024 content update, Safer Seas pays 100% of the gold and reputation available in High Seas. | The comparison rate referenced in the official Safer Seas update. |
| Progression limits | The update describes a rank-25 Trading Company progression cap. The FAQ specifies rank 40 for core reputation with Gold Hoarders, Order of Souls, Merchant Alliance, and Hunter’s Call; Athena’s Fortune and Reaper’s Bones reputation cannot be earned in Safer Seas. | The Safer Seas restrictions listed here do not apply. |
The official Safer Seas update reports the gold and reputation rate and rank-25 progression limit. Rare’s Safer Seas FAQ gives the named-company reputation details. The update’s rank-25 wording and the FAQ’s rank-40 limits refer to distinct descriptions of progression, so do not treat either figure as a universal cap across every progression system.
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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.
- 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?
Choose Safer Seas if your immediate goal is learning the ship, exploring, or getting comfortable with the game without other crews. Move to High Seas when you want the shared-world experience and access to features such as Emissary play and Captained Ships.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Continue learning with official beginner resources
Once you are comfortable sailing, the official New Players hub and Pirate Academy offer guidance on Voyages, Tall Tales, Seasons, Emissaries, and Safer Seas. Take these systems one at a time; the ship basics give you a foundation for trying them.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- A shared-world adventure game by acclaimed UK developer Rare Ltd. Xbox Live Gold required to play (sold separately)
- Live the essential pirate life in a world rich with Rare's irreverent charm. Sail and fight together, hunt treasure and create your own legends!
- A fantastical world of unspoiled islands, mythical monsters and mouth-watering loot
- Total freedom to decide how you approach the world and its players
- Available on the Xbox One family of devices and Windows 10 PCs. Supports Xbox Play Anywhere and cross-platform play** (**Play on one device at a time. PC hardware requirements may vary for games on Windows 10).The Hungering Deep, the first major Sea of Thieves content update landing May 2018, brings with it an exciting new threat to the Sea of Thieves world. Work together with other crews on a completely new adventure with gameplay enhancements and unique rewards.The May kick-off of the Sea of Thieves weekly events programme also introduces fun new ways to play with weekly events and rewards.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
