'Sea of Thieves' Closed Beta Dates Set To Kick Off This Month
Microsoft and developer Rare has finally announced the dates for the upcoming closed beta for "Sea of Thieves." The highly-anticipated pirate sim is set to launch for the Xbox One and PC this spring but players can get a chance to go hands-on with the title much sooner and here's how.
The closed beta begins at 4 AM PT / 7 AM ET / 12 PM GMT on January 24 and will run until 12 AM PT / 3 AM ET / 8 AM GMT on Jan. 29. It will be available for those who either joined the game's Insider Program prior to Dec. 1, 2017 as well as those who have already pre-ordered the title.
Those who pre-ordered "Sea of Thieves" digitally from the Xbox Store will receive the beta in their game library 24 hours before it begins. On the other hand, those who pre-ordered a physical copy from retailers first have to redeem the code they received for the Black Dog cosmetic pack before the beta can appear in their game library.
In both cases, players will have to download the beta to their console or PC before they can participate. Rare has already stated that the game will not be the "full" experience but rather a tailored experience "that offers a true taste of the pirate life." Furthermore, given that the game is not covered by a non-disclosure agreement, beta testers can also freely stream or take screenshots of the beta.
While obviously a more "wholesome" depiction of pirate life, the game provides an open-world, co-op adventure in which players can form pirate crews and plunder treasure. The main objective of the game is to become a "Pirate Legend" by increasing reputation with each of the game's trading companies. For those looking for more information, Rare recently shared more details on how the game progression works.
"Sea of Thieves" is set to be released on March 20, 2018.
