Sea of Thieves Season 20 Adds Custom Seas Creative Sandbox Mode

Rare has officially kicked off Sea of Thieves Season 20, and the update brings a massive shift for the pirate sandbox: Custom Seas. This new mode hands players the keys to the kingdom, offering a suite of creative tools that allow users to dictate the rules of their own pirate adventures.

In Custom Seas, you aren’t just playing the game; you’re directing it. The mode allows you to toggle which creatures appear, adjust the time of day, and define specific loadouts for players. If you have ever wanted to coordinate a massive session, you can now freely assign up to 24 players to crews, potentially fitting two dozen pirates onto a single sloop if you choose.

Creative Control and Cinematic Tools

The tools provided for Custom Seas go beyond simple rule-setting. Players can instantly summon enemies, treasures, and various items to their location. If you are looking to set up a specific scenario, you can teleport ships and players to any destination on the map. To help manage these sessions, you can grant permissions to selected pirates, allowing them to access the same director tools and commands.

For those interested in capture or content creation, the update includes a powerful Free Camera. This tool allows for cinematic angles, adjustable field-of-view settings, and access to legendary locations that are typically restricted in the standard game. Whether you are using these features to stage elaborate events or simply hanging out with friends via a unique Join Code, the mode is designed to facilitate player-driven chaos.

Scoreboards and Seasonal Rewards

While Custom Seas offers a sandbox experience, it also introduces a competitive layer through Silver. Silver is not a currency you spend; it acts as a scoring gauge for dedicated leaderboards. You define the rules—such as rewarding points for handing in treasure or deducting them for sinking ships—and set the time limits or score thresholds for victory.

Outside of the new creative tools, Season 20 continues the standard Sea of Thieves experience with a revamped Season Pass. Players can earn rewards, ranging from new cosmetics to valuable Voyages, by racking up Seasonal Renown. Rare has also confirmed that the season will feature a full calendar of events, including the return of Community Weekends and Bilge Rats Weekenders.

For those looking to dive into the core experience, Sea of Thieves: 2026 Edition is currently available for $31.99. The package includes the base game along with several digital bonuses, such as the 2026 Edition original soundtrack, the Athena’s Fortune audiobook, and The Rough Guide to Sea of Thieves eBook.