“Piracy’s more of an art than a science,” some grizzled old salt probably once said. There’s no way to be completely sure, but do please give us the benefit of the doubt, or this is going to be a very awkward opening paragraph.

One thing we do know for certain is that creating a pirate paradise takes an awful lot of science and art. So much so that in 2018 we were able to release The Art of Sea of Thieves: an entire volume of concept sketches and aesthetic explorations charting the evolution of the game’s distinctively ‘wonky’ graphic style and the creation of its pirates, ships and islands.

So what’s left to show? Plenty, as it happens, as Sea of Thieves has continued to change and expand since launch and many more artistic endeavours have been undertaken. The fundamentals may have been nailed down, providing a platform for more focused creativity, but the game’s ongoing transformation has provided us with a wealth of fresh material to feast your eyes on.

New characters, ship liveries, weapons, pets, threats and destinations… hundreds of unique art pieces have been created for the game’s various updates and Seasons, ranging from on-team concept work bringing ideas to life through to promotional renders that showcase the results. That’s more than enough to fill a second book and chronicle Sea of Thieves’ seven-year journey so far, and that’s where The Art of Piracy comes in.

Due for release on May 20th – and currently available to pre-order from all good retailers, so get that gold pouch ready – Sea of Thieves: The Art of Piracy goes year by year to provide a rich visual history of piratical pursuits, from the carnivorous peril of our first major update The Hungering Deep to the resurrection of Captain Flameheart and beyond.

Want to learn more? Set a course for Titan Books’ website[titanbooks.com]!

Welcome to May, pirates! There’s a ton of fun planned for you over the next few weeks, so as is now customary, please enjoy this handy rundown of events and dates to look forward to. Grab a pen and your calendar before proceeding, because there’s plenty you won’t want to miss – including the start of a whole new Season…

Battle.net® Closed Beta – Friday, May 2nd – Monday, May 5th

For pirates preparing to set sail on Battle.net, the Sea of Thieves team are running a Closed Beta to help identify and iron out any issues before the global launch date of May 22nd. Players who’ve opted for the Sea of Thieves Deluxe or Premium Edition on Battle.net will be able to set sail on this platform for a long weekend – and, conveniently, will also get to enjoy the Festival of Fishing (see below) if they opt to play on High Seas.

Battle.net players over this period will be setting sail with players on all other platforms, so it’s a great opportunity to learn the ropes with some more experienced pirate pals!

Festival of Fishing Event – Friday, May 2nd – Monday, May 12th

The Festival of Fishing returns, bringing a brand new flavour to an old-school event. Building on the recent expansion of The Hunter’s Call, this Event tasks pirates with hauling in a variety of finned friends to complete an array of Event Goals. Two new Limited Voyages will also be on offer, along with double gold and reputation for fish handed in to The Hunter’s Call during the Event.

Players who participate in everything on offer can expect to bag the fantastic fish-themed Courageous Catch Fishing Rod, and the cracking Connoisseur of Culinary Craft Title.

Season 15 Style of Thieves Contest – Monday, May 12th – Thursday, May 15th

The latest Style of Thieves competition kicks off on May 12th, so keep your eyes trained on our official social media channels for information on the upcoming themes. The opportunity for some of our most well-dressed pirates to win a pair of Fashionista’s Finery Gloves is only a couple of weeks away!

Pirate Emporium Hidden Gems Sale – Thursday, May 15th – Tuesday, May 20th

May’s discount sale will spotlight a suite of items that haven’t been on sale for a while from the Emporium shopkeepers’ stock! Save some Ancient Coins on a range of stunning sets, with healthy discounts on the Checkmate, King’s Ransom and Ancestral Ship Collections. There’ll also be some cut-price Collector’s Pets, clothing, weapons and emotes – so make sure you browse the aisles and see if you can bag yourself a bargain while the sale is live.

Battle.net Early Access Begins – Friday, May 16th

For Battle.net Premium Edition purchasers, the six-day Early Access period will begin on May 16th! These players will be able to enjoy the final few days of Season 15 and earn some of this Season’s cosmetics by simply playing the game and raising their Renown. It’s also another chance to get familiar with the world ahead of Season 16’s launch, all while pocketing some extra gold to spend at the Outposts.

‘Reaper’s Requiem’ Release – Friday, May 16th

Our monthly musical release for May is ‘Reaper’s Requiem’, an anthemic ode to Flameheart’s Trading Company. Stream it straight to your ears via Spotify (or other streaming service of your choice) on May 16th, to get you all fired up for the Reaper-focused Season 16 landing later in the month.

The Art of Piracy Release – Tuesday, May 20th

May also sees the release of the long-awaited second Sea of Thieves art book: The Art of Piracy. Following 2018’s The Art of Sea of Thieves, this new instalment organises the game’s art into year-by-year selections that provide a rich visual history of its seven-year journey so far – featuring artwork for characters, ships, weapons, threats, pets and much more!

Although it releases worldwide on May 20th, the book is available to pre-order now from a number of retailers. Head over to publisher Titan Books’ website[titanbooks.com] for more information.

Season 16 Launch – Thursday, May 22nd

As teased on Season 15’s recent podcast, Season 16 will be all about the Reapers, who are once more out to cause chaos on the Sea of Thieves. The majority of information on this upcoming Season is yet to be revealed, so expect more details in the weeks ahead regarding the Reapers’ aggressive ambitions.

Season 16 will begin on May 22nd, alongside Sea of Thieves’ full launch on Battle.net – so if you haven’t yet raised your Renown all the way to level 100 in Season 15 and earned all the unlockable rewards along the way, that’s your challenge before the big day…

Twitch Drops for Everyone – Friday, May 23rd – Monday, May 26th

With a new Season launch comes a fresh batch of Twitch Drops! Watch any participating channel between these dates to score an assortment of free items over Season 16’s first weekend. Our approach to Twitch Drops is evolving to offer a wider variety of goodies moving forward, so expect to hear more about the items included soon.

Twitch Drops are available by linking your accounts[www.seaofthieves.com] and watching any participating Sea of Thieves streamer on Twitch. Anyone can offer this set of Drops by streaming in the Sea of Thieves category and ensuring they have Drops enabled. If you’re just watching, go ahead and tune in to your favourite participating streamer or check our Partner Directory[www.seaofthieves.com] to see who’s online when these Drops go live!

While Season 15 will be saying its final farewells this month, there’s still plenty to keep you busy on the seas – so plot a course taking in everything that’s piqued your interest, and circle back here next month for a look at what June has in store.