Insider Update 3.6.2.1 is now live and returns to previewing features for upcoming releases. This build introduces Insider testing for Custom Seas’ first tools, updates Season 19’s Smugglers’ Route, brings back Dark Fortress Raids and Larinna’s Black Market for the Bilge Rats Weekender and improves Faction Battle locations for fairer open-water fights.
If you encounter any bugs while playing in Insiders, please head to the Sea of Thieves support site and report an issue with our Player Support team.
Custom Seas begins its journey into Insiders for testing! As Custom Seas is a large feature set, Insider testing will take place in phases to allow the team to focus testing and feedback on discreet elements of the experience, before unlocking the full experience in later phases.
Custom Seas - First Look
Players can create and host a Custom Seas lobby and invite up to 24 players and six crews, with full control over ship types and crew configurations, including expanded crew sizes.
Session Owners can invite players via platform or Join Code, promote Session Leaders with command access and launch directly onto the seas with their chosen setup.
Once in-game, creators have access to a Command Menu providing a suite of in-game commands. For this initial testing phase, creators have access to a limited toolset with the ability to Spawn Treasure, Spawn Enemies, Fast Travel and Edit Ships & Crew options.
Creators can also access a Quick Command Menu, providing fast access to useful commands like Fly, Quick Sail and Quick Spawn in this initial testing phase.
Smugglers’ Route Run
Larinna’s Black Market Technical Test
During this Technical Test, Insiders should assume that the first Bilge Rats Weekender has come and gone, and that they are testing the experience that will persist between active Events.
Once the Bilge Rats Weekender has ended, Larinna can be found in her usual spot outside the Tavern, featuring placeholder dialogue confirming the Event is no longer active.
Larinna’s Black Market contains a range of placeholder items for Insider testing purposes.
The Black Market inventory, pricing and the fireworks crate contents are considered placeholder to facilitate this Technical Test.
A Raid on a Dark Fortress Returns
Planned for a future Bilge Rats Weekender, the Raid on a Dark Fortress Event returns and can be started from the Quest Table in High Seas.
Ghost Fleets and Phantoms now defend treasure-filled Sea Fort Vaults, and completing the Voyage provides players a chance to earn Doubloons by finishing the Event Goals: complete the Raid and hand in a Chest of Ancient Tributes.
This Voyage can be started three times; however, the Doubloons rewarded can only be earned once when completing the Event objectives.
Faction Battle Locations
The locations of all Faction battles have now been updated to ensure that battles now take place in open waters, providing a fair encounter for both crews.
Crews pledging to a Faction and making a defensive stand on the High Seas against rivals will now find that if they are located nearby or purposefully hidden inside the bounds of an island, the shrinking Battle Bounds will consistently force them further out into open waters for the final battle area.
Performance Improvements
Performance improvements have been made across the Pirate Emporium, Outpost Stores and Commendation Menus to improve client framerates and provide a smoother experience when navigating menus.
Performance optimisations have been made to skeleton spawning, improving client framerate when multiple enemies are created.
Season 19 Overview
Custom Seas
Players may encounter various ‘beard’ errors when attempting to create Custom Seas sessions, or when joining via platform invites. Players should restart their game client and retry when encountering these issues.
Session Leaders may find they become unable to edit ships and crews from the front-end menu.
Players may find that they cannot use Fast Travel commands on their ship, if they previously changed it to a different ship type.
Once in game, if players move another player to their crew, they may not see the new player’s nameplate above their head.
Ships added with no active crew, while in the lobby, are removed when entering a session.
Gameplay
Server migrations now complete successfully when players have an active Molten Sands Quest and have defeated the Eternal Guard.
Enemies now spawn reliably at Traitor’s Fate Fortress.
The Maiden Voyage can now be completed after players have been prompted to eat the banana.
Total Provisions Sold to The Hunter’s Call Milestone now increases correctly when selling Banished items.
Order of Bone and Blade Skeletons on the Search for Ancient Secrets Voyage no longer become stuck repeatedly equipping their shovel when reaching the dig site via difficult terrain.
Order of Bone and Blade Skeletons that have been defeated can no longer move, dig up treasure or carry items.
Order of Bone and Blade Skeletons should now consistently appear downed when all crew members die and return from the Ferry of the Damned.
Ashen Garrisons
Skeletons at King’s Chalice and Servant’s Oath Garrisons no longer spawn inside environment textures.
Ramparts at both Garrisons now transition smoothly without visible graphical quality changes.
Approach music now transitions correctly during combat, even if a player dies after the main door has opened.
Crew scaling across different crew sizes and wave types is now consistent.
Ashen Keys now spawn in the correct quantities at King’s Chalice Garrison.
Fire traps no longer deal damage after their visual effects have ended.
The 'Quest Received' prompt no longer appears incorrectly when starting an Ashen Garrison Raid Voyage.
Ghost ship tornado lighting effects no longer appear across either Ashen Garrison.
Chat options for the Garrison Store Room Key now display the correct text.
The lever inside the Guardhouse now references the correct Garrison Entrance.
Ceiling elements throughout the Garrisons can no longer be walked through by players.
Water splash effects on Garrison gates now appear in the correct location.
Skeletons defeated at Ashen Garrisons now drop ammo pouches as intended.
Yellow crystals at King's Chalice garrison now have proper collision.
Rowboats at King’s Chalice Garrison no longer become stuck after undocking.
Hourglass Improvements
Environment
Players can no longer walk through broken ship decorations at Fetcher’s Rest.
Emergent Order of Bone and Blade Skeletons no longer become stuck on barrels while assisting with maps.
Fireplaces at Blind Man’s Lagoon Skeleton Camp now ignite and damage players correctly.
Visual and Audio
Calypso at Castaway Camp now displays correctly without graphical issues.
Ancient Spire Outpost no longer shows misplaced graphical elements at short distance.
Items placed inside the Forbidden Coral Chest now sit correctly without clipping.
Player arm animations while holding a fishing rod now appear natural during jumps.
Selected Pirate Emporium cosmetics now transition smoothly without noticeable graphical changes.
Text and Localisation
The trap lever prompt at Ruby’s Fall now displays correctly after activation.
Reaching Grade V as an Emissary now shows the correct pop-up notification.
Performance and Stability
