Sea of Thieves’ Smugglers’ League Update Adds Risky Pirate Voyages
▼ Summary
– Season 17 of *Sea of Thieves* introduces The Smugglers’ League, a new faction with secret hideouts offering high-value quests and rewards.
– Smugglers’ Route Runs are risky delivery voyages that mark players’ routes on the map, making them vulnerable to pirate attacks.
– Players can find hidden Smuggler’s Runs via messages in bottles outside The Devil’s Roar, providing safer treasure opportunities.
– New activities include diving for rare Smuggler’s shipwrecks and raiding skeleton ships, with black powder barrels offering cash bonuses or explosive uses.
– The update raises the Renown cap, improves gameplay features, and rebalances The Devil’s Roar for more predictable volcanic eruptions.
The latest Sea of Thieves update brings dangerous new smuggling operations and high-stakes pirate adventures to the high seas. Season 17 introduces The Smugglers’ League, a shadowy faction operating from hidden bases across the map, offering players fresh ways to earn valuable loot through risky deliveries and covert missions.
One of the standout additions is Smugglers’ Route Runs, perilous delivery voyages that appear on the quest map. These routes promise high rewards but come with a catch, every pirate who accepts the job follows the same path, marked clearly for rival crews to ambush. For those who prefer stealth, messages in bottles now reveal secret smuggling routes outside The Devil’s Roar, giving savvy pirates a safer way to haul contraband without drawing unwanted attention.
Treasure hunters can also seek out rare Smuggler’s shipwrecks, packed with more valuable loot than standard wrecks, or raid skeleton ships hoarding stolen League goods. Among the spoils, players might discover black powder barrels, which can either be cashed in for extra gold or used as devastating weapons against enemy crews.
Beyond smuggling operations, Season 17 expands the Renown level cap by 100, along with quality-of-life upgrades like improved controller keybinds and cross-region matchmaking. The volatile Devil’s Roar region has also been tweaked, volcanoes now give clearer warning signs before erupting, making it easier to avoid a fiery demise.
While Sea of Thieves continues to grow, the update arrives amid mixed news for developer Rare. Microsoft recently canceled their long-awaited project, Everwild, as part of broader layoffs affecting thousands of employees, despite the company reporting $27.2 billion in revenue last quarter. For now, pirates can still set sail with fresh dangers and rewards waiting beyond the horizon.
(Source: PC Gamer)
