Sea of Thieves Season 8 is a full-blown war with Flameheart, with opt-in PvP at the center

The next season of Sea of Thieves is almost upon us, and Rare is finally able to give fans the full lowdown on what to expect. Coming hot off the results of the most recent Adventure, which saw a stunning victory for Captain Flameheart as pirates across the world fought hard for his resurrection, it appears that Season 8 will evolve into an all-out war between the Pirate Lord’s Guardians of Fortune and Flameheart’s Servants of the Flame.

In a live results stream with several of the game’s developers, the team behind Sea of Thieves revealed the outcome of the Return of the Damned Adventure, in which players competed to earn points for either the nefarious Flameheart or the storied Sir Arthur Pendragon. Just like in the Lost Sands Adventure, the results have had a significant effect on the world of Sea of Thieves. The revelation that Captain Flameheart has indeed been successfully resurrected will doubtless form the context for the heavily PvP-focused Season Eight of the game, which is set to launch soon. Players will be able to pick a side to fight for and opt into PvP battles against each other, effectively invading each other’s servers to try and sink an opponent.

For those who aren’t that into PvP, there’s not too much to worry about — these incursions only happen if both players opt-in, so you’ll only have to deal with the regular jerks in your server who keep sinking your ships and stealing your treasure. Still, there are plenty of rewards available if you do decide to check it out. Hideouts for both Pirate Legends and Reaper’s Bones will be expanded, and you can pick up a new Ghost or Skeleton curse by leveling up your reputation with each faction. New Milestones are also being added that will unlock new trinkets, crests, and other cosmetics as you do more work with the two factions.

There are more changes to come for more pacifistic players, too. Golden Sands, the outpost at the heart of the Lost Sands Adventure, Sea of Thieves’ last big decision point, is due for a big overhaul, becoming a “pirate port.” Players have noticed the construction in-game already, but at present details are scarce regarding exactly how it will change. The upgrade is likely to be important, but there’s always a chance it could simply retain its regular functionality as an outpost, albeit with a new coat of paint.