Sea of Thieves Festival of Giving December Update -

Sea of Thieves’ Festival of Giving December Update 2.0.20 is now live, its patch notes revealing the addition of new voyages, events and more.

The Festival of the Giving December Update introduces 12 daily challenges that Sea of Thieves players can complete in the lead-up to the holidays for a chance at Eastern Winds rewards and a new title.

Sea of Thieves’ Update 2.0.20 also refreshes the Pirate Emporium while fixing the missing floor textures at Plunder Valley alongside other issues.

Sea of Thieves Festival of Giving December Update 2.0.20 Patch Notes

On PC, players can expect a 4.49 GB download if using the Steam version of Sea of Thieves or a larger 6.78 GB download on the Windows Store.

Here are all the changes and additions introduced to Sea of Thieves in the Festival of Giving December Update 2.0.20, as detailed in the full patch notes:

Festival of Giving

As the end of another year approaches, the Outposts have been dressed in jolly decorations: it’s time once again for the Festival of Giving! Visit Larinna to collect a special gift and celebrate with the crews you meet on the seas this festive season.

Bilge Rat Voyages

As is customary at this time of year, Larinna is offering players a special gilded gift. Choose wisely as each player can only take one Gilded Voyage, whether it’s in the name of the Gold Hoarders, Order of Souls, Merchant Alliance or Athena’s Fortune.

Along with Gilded Voyages, Larinna has discovered Voyages leading to armament stashes buried on nearby islands – why not celebrate with a bang?

Players who log in during the Festival of Giving will be given a special note from Larinna to collect a gift, reserved at the Pirate Emporium. Head over there to collect a free Frozen Horizon Tankard!

12 Deeds of Giving

A range of new live events will run throughout the festive season – just open the Events menu to kick off the 12 Deeds of Giving.

Challenges will unlock each day in the run-up to the holidays and provide players with an opportunity to earn gleaming Eastern Winds rewards upon completion. Finishing all 12 Challenges will award the Master of Festivities Title.

Players will have plenty of time to finish off any remaining Challenges as they all remain active into the New Year. When the Event ends, these rewards will be obtainable from Outpost stores after completing certain Commendations.

Plundered Presents

Share seasonal goodwill across the seas with the Plundered Presents Event! Each day, players offering up to five treasure chests to another crew for them to cash in will earn 5000 gold per chest.

Check your progress in the Events menu and track your progress through three Challenges, each earning rewards from the Gold Hoarder set. Greet your next crew with the Gold Hoarder Speaking Trumpet, Spyglass and Tankard.

Failing to find that festive spirit? When the Event ends, these rewards will be obtainable from Outpost stores after completing certain Commendations.

Grogmanay

Kick off the year as you mean to go on – with explosions! The celebratory Grogmanay Event will take crews into January with explosive challenges that can be checked in the Events menu.

Wreaking havoc in these challenges will earn players the Order of Souls Bucket (perfect for putting out those fires you started), the Frostbite Cannons and the colourful Paradise Garden Cannon Flare.

When the Event ends, the Order of Souls Bucket and Frostbite Cannons will be obtainable from Outpost stores after completing certain Commendations, while the Paradise Garden Cannon Flare will head back to the Pirate Emporium.

Festive Events

Unlock even more cosmetics this holiday season with Twitch Drops. Tune in to Partnered streamers to earn pieces of the new Frozen Horizon clothing set along with new emotes.

Keep your eyes fixed on the horizon for double gold and rep opportunities, as two Gold & Glory Weekends are coming your way!

Getting your crew together for the holidays? Fort Nights will persist through the month, so head to an active Skeleton Fort or brave the dreaded Fort of the Damned and storm the Vaults for boosted Stronghold rewards.

Deck the Hulls!

Outposts, taverns and the front end title screen have been decked out with festive decorations ready for the holidays.

The Outpost taverns now have a refreshed shanty playlist, so kick back with your crewmates and keep an ear out for some new tunes!

Pirate Emporium

Close the door, it’s already freezing in the Emporium this month with the arrival of the Frozen Horizon Ship Collection and weapons, Glacial Curse Pets, Bonechiller Costume and more! And we’d be remiss not to mention the Festival of Giving Collection and brand new Cannon Flares…

Frozen Horizon Ship Collection

Deck your hulls with this incredibly icy new ship set, complete with a glacial Collector’s figurehead and cool Collector’s sails. Eagle-eyed pirates may notice another explosive addition…

A Frozen Horizon Ship Bundle is also on offer, including all the regular ship cosmetics with added Cannon Flare at a discount!

For Emporium customers with fewer Ancient Coins to spare who still want to feel the chill, an Essential Bundle option includes just the Figurehead, Hull, Sails and Flag.

Cannon Flares

Cannon Flare effects are now available for some of your favourite Pirate Emporium ship sets! Equipping these from the Shipwright’s Chest will add a Cannon Flare effect every time you fire.

The Cutthroat Cannon Flare emits a crimson blast to strike fear into your opponents.

The Bear & Bird Cannon Flare unleashes a feathery blast, reminding you to clean out your cannons once in a while.

Players who already own all items in the Cutthroat or Bear & Bird Ship Bundles will find the appropriate Cannon Flare added to their inventory – a little gift from the Emporium owners!

Bonechiller Costume

As a winter wind howls through the Outposts, pirates tell tavern tales of a mysterious figure seen visiting crews who’ve lost the festive spirit! Bring the fear to your foes with the terrifying Bonechiller Costume, which can be worn with or without the ‘jolly’ beard.

The Bonechiller Costume is time-limited for the duration of the Festival of Giving update.

Frozen Horizon Weapon Bundle

Take “Freeze!” to another level with these four bone-chilling Frozen Horizon weapons.

Glacial Curse Pets

Get your mitts on some ice-cold pets with the Glacial Inu and Ragamuffin, faithful companions despite their frosty exterior.

Festival of Giving Emote Bundle

Celebrate during December with these six festive emotes, letting the merriest pirates sing a song or pucker up under the mistletoe.

Frozen Horizon Freebie Tankard

Keep your grog chilled with this frosty tankard! For players logging in over the festive period, this time-limited item can be collected for free.

Generous Gift Freebie Emote

Get into the festive spirit with another surprise gift... wonder what it could be?

Festival of Giving Collection

For a limited time, this range of sensationally seasonal weapons and pet outfits returns! Pick up some festive armaments along with outfits for your plunder-loving pets.

To really express your love for the season, pick up the full Festival of Giving Weapon Bundle at a discount!

The Festival of Giving Collection is time-limited for the duration of the Festival of Giving update.

Heart of Ice Bundle (Store Only)

Available only from the Xbox, Microsoft and Steam Stores, this bundle contains the Frozen Horizon Weapon Bundle and a Glacial Curse Inu pet, along with 1000 Ancient Coins and a 25,000 gold bonus for use in the Outpost shops! Head to the Microsoft Store or Steam Item Store to find out more.

Stocking-Stuffer Bundle (Steam Only)

Available only from the Steam Store. This bundle contains the Frozen Horizon Ship Bundle plus Collector's Figurehead and Sails, Festival of Giving Weapon Bundle, Bonechiller Costume and Frozen Horizon Tankard, along with 4250 Ancient Coins and a free 25,000 gold bonus for use in the Outpost shops! Head to the Steam Item Store to find out more.

Updates

Cannon Flare

Head to the nearest Shipwright to discover an exciting new element of ship customisation: Cannon Flare. Equipping this from the Shipwright’s Chest will alter the effect of your cannon muzzle when you fire cannonballs, pets, yourself or any other ordnance you choose!

The Shipwrights now offer six vibrant new Cannon Flares in a range of colours, so pick your favourite flourish for the occasion. For Pirate Legends, head to the Athena’s Fortune Shipwright for an explosion fit for a Legend…

Figurehead of the First Crew

The Shipwrights now stock a strange-looking figurehead resembling a set of barrels. This figurehead is said to depict the voyages of the First Crew, who according to legend sailed the Sea of Thieves before the Pirate Lord himself!

Cursed Chests

Larinna informs pirates that more Cursed Chests than usual have been washing up on islands. Expect to find Chests of a Thousand Grogs, Chests of Sorrow and the explosive Chest of Rage more frequently.

Soulflame Cosmetics

Players can now find the Soulflame cosmetics within the Athena’s Fortune shop in the Pirate Legends Hideout for purchase.
For players affected by the ‘Daydreaming’ issue when purchasing the Soulflame Captain and Crew during Fate of the Damned, Larinna continues to offer the Costume set locked behind the original Challenge goals.

Fixed Issues

Gameplay

Throwing a bucket of water at another player should no longer push them back.

The Chest of Rage should now heat up again, even after being doused at just the right point when exploding.

Crews who migrate servers while a Voyage vote is in progress should no longer be prevented from completing that vote and starting future Voyages.

Ancient Treasure Vaults

Upon dying after progressing through a Treasure Vault Voyage, collecting all torn map fragments and completing the map should no longer cause the island to disappear from the map.

Maps discovered while progressing through the Treasure Vault Voyages should no longer appear empty after migration.

In The Devil’s Roar Treasure Vaults, the Sun Medallions can now be placed on the table to provide puzzle clues.

Environment

Players should no longer be able to swim under the island at Lost Gold Fort.

There should no longer be missing floor textures at Plunder Valley.

Visual and Audio

There should now be a visual indication that the Crate of Rum Bottles is being damaged by fire spreading across a ship.

Treasure Maps identifying Devil’s Roar islands should now be clearer and of a higher quality.

Fruit Crates are no longer referred to as Banana Crates or play chicken SFX when handed in to The Reaper’s Bones.

Players should now hear sound effects when using the Varied Weapon Pose Emote and the emotes given away in the Black Friday sale (Shovel Dance and So Excited).

Tall Tales

‘Shores of Gold’ – While progressing through this Tall Tale, skeletons spawning outside the Shores of Gold should no longer be affected by the Tale.

Custom Servers

Players should no longer be able to browse Larinna’s store while on a Custom Server.

Steam

Steam players selecting Latin American Spanish will now use the correct localisation.

Performance and Stability

Optimised a range of islands including the Shores of Gold and other uncharted islands to improve client performance.

Optimisations to client memory usage, reducing the potential for players to see low-quality textures on sails and equipment on lower-spec hardware while sailing.

Known Issues

Localisation Issues

Some loading screens are currently showing as not localised and will be displayed in English to all players, while minor text overlaps may be seen in Mysterious Notes when playing with Korean language selected.

Ranged and Melee Weapon Hit Detection

In areas of intense action, players may find themselves firing shots or landing strikes that do not cause damage to their targets. While improvements continue to be delivered during our content updates, this continues to be a key priority for the team.

Players Impacted Following Server Migration

We are currently tracking a number of player-impacting issues which can occur following a server migration. These include crews migrating near Outposts finding themselves moved to a location where another ship is already present, and issues with ship interaction points following a migration.

Stuck UI Menus

When interacting with a barrel and moving quickly through its inventory, players may find that the barrel’s state is not updated as items are removed. Players can also experience Game Options becoming stuck on screen when exiting a barrel in this state.

Sea of Thieves is out now on PC and Xbox One.

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