Rare's acclaimed pirate adventure Sea of Thieves has made waves with its latest announcement: paid custom servers are sailing into the game in 2026. This groundbreaking feature, revealed during the inaugural Sea of Thieves Community Direct, will empower players to craft their own unique maritime experiences through customizable settings and commands.

The upcoming "Custom Seas" servers will provide unprecedented control over gameplay elements. Players can toggle environmental hazards like storms, modify enemy AI behavior, or even disable legendary threats such as the Kraken. The system will also allow item spawning and support for Safer Seas mode, enabling crews to earn rewards in private sessions. While pricing details remain undisclosed, this addition addresses long-standing community requests for more tailored gameplay options.

Season 16, launched on May 22, introduced significant content including the Plunder Pass progression system and the collaborative "Search for Ancient Secrets" voyage. Rare has also outlined changes to their seasonal model, shifting from bulk content drops to staggered updates throughout each season. This approach aims to maintain consistent engagement while allowing for more polished releases.