Now that Sea of Thieves’ Gunpowder Skeletons event has wrapped up, Rare has moved straight into yet another limited-time event, this time challenging players to conquer their fears of the deep dark ocean in pursuit of unique cosmetic rewards.
The new event, which is titled The Sunken Curse, is part of Sea of Thieves’ new 1.1.6 update, the full patch notes for which you can read here. Between now and July 25 all players can venture into the waters surrounding the game’s various islands to locate and destroy a series of mysterious (and ominous-looking) Cursed Mermaid Statues. Similar to the game’s Skeleton Thrones, some Mermaid Statues can be destroyed by a single player, while others will need as many as four players working in unison to bring them down, so here’s hoping you’ve got a few trusted scallywags you can recruit.
For every Mermaid Statue they destroy, players will earn Bilge Rate Doubloons that can be used to purchase unique cosmetic items (including the new Wailing Barnacle item set) and other helpful rewards. Players will also be able to scour the sea floor for artifacts, skulls, and treasure chests that grant rewards of their own.
Aside from the Sunken Curse event, update 1.1.6 also includes a variety of other changes, additions, and bug fixes. All players can now fly a Bilge Rat flag from their ship in case they want to publicly make known their hunt for Bilge Rat Doubloons, and a ‘Legendary Skeleton Exploder’ title can be retroactively earned for players who complete the Gunpowder Skeletons Legendary Commendation. The title can still be earned even though the associated event is now over, and Rare promises that, based off of player feedback, all future Legendary Commendations will have an associated title reward.
Some fans have speculated that The Sunken Curse event will segue into Sea of Thieves’ next major expansion, Cursed Sails (they do both use the word “Curse” after all), but we’ll have to wait until July 25 to know for sure. In the meantime, get in there and earn some Bilge Rat Doubloons you landlubbers!