Return of the Damned

Sea of Thieves is available on Steam, Xbox and is included in Xbox/PC Game Pass

  • Developer(s): Rare Ltd
  • Publisher: Xbox Game Studios
  • Role: Game Designer
  • Engine: Unreal Engine 4
  • Platform(s): Windows, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S
  • Release: 3rd – 17th November, 2022
  • Genre(s): Action-adventure
  • Mode(s): Multiplayer
Synopsis

Return of the Damned was the 9th Adventure released in Sea of Thieves. Adventures, alongside Mysteries and Seasons, were designed to expand the world of Sea of Thieves as they delivered compelling new content on a monthly basis. They were focused on building up an ongoing narrative that would shape the future of Sea of Thieves with each new story told.

As a closing act in a three-part arc, Return of the Damned continued after the events that took place in Herald of the Flame. With Flameheart’s remains and Stitcher Jim’s skull returned to the followers of the Flame, they had everything they needed to start a ritual to resurrect their previous leader. To stop them, Captain Pendragon sacrificed himself to start his own counter-ritual that would cast his or Flameheart’s soul into exile. By conquering Sea Forts and delivering Bewitching dolls back to one of the chosen ritual sites, players decided who they wanted to side with and thus became a part of Sea of Thieves history.

One of the most innovative features developed for Return of the Damned was a whole new system for capturing flags on Sea Forts and giving out points upon handing in crucial items based on the number of Sea Forts controlled on the server. That being said, the biggest impact this Adventure had was letting the community choose whose side they wanted to be on by partaking in one of the most unique dual quests ever delivered on the Seas. Based entirely on the players’ decision, Captain Flameheart, one of the most well-known characters in Sea of Thieves, was resurrected while his adversary, Captain Pendragon, was trapped in a painting. His confined form can be found in the Reaper’s Hideout today, as a reminder of the Flame’s victory in that battle.

To learn more, check out the official announcement on the Sea of Thieves website.