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Sea of Thieves Season 16 launched on 22 May 2025 with release version 3.4.0. It added the Reaper’s Bones Voyage Search for Ancient Secrets, deployable Cannon of Rage weapons, and island-bound skeleton allies. Season 16 is a past season, not the current one; the official season chronology lists seasons that followed it.
What was new in Sea of Thieves Season 16?
Season 16 centered on the Order of Bone and Blade and its Ancient Sarcophagi. Players could seek them through a Reaper’s Bones Voyage, recruit skeletons found on islands, and use the Cannon of Rage as a weapon they could place beyond their ship. The three features offered different kinds of risk: the Voyage exposed a crew’s location, the cannon could overheat and explode, and skeleton help did not travel with the crew.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
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| 1 |
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Sea of Thieves: Standard Edition – Xbox One | $38.87 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
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Sea of Thieves Xbox One (Renewed) | $30.14 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
![Sea of Thieves: Standard Edition – Xbox One [Digital Code]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41RiuntPiNL._SL160_.jpg)
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Sea of Thieves: Standard Edition – Xbox One [Digital Code] | $35.19 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
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Sea of Thieves - Xbox One/PC - Full Game - Key Card | $57.90 | Buy on Amazon |
| 5 |
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Sea of Thieves Xbox One | $76.41 | Buy on Amazon |
How did Search for Ancient Secrets work?
Crews could accept the Reaper’s Bones Voyage Search for Ancient Secrets from the Quest Table. The objective was to find the Order of Bone and Blade and Ancient Sarcophagi while fighting Ancient Phantoms.
Accepting the Voyage automatically raised a Reaper’s Mark Flag. That flag made the ship’s location visible to other crews on their Map Table, so this was not a private or low-profile quest: taking it meant accepting a PvP exposure tradeoff.
#1 Best Overall
- A shared-world adventure game by acclaimed UK developer Rare Ltd. Xbox Live Gold required to play (sold separately)
- Live the essential pirate life in a world rich with Rare’s irreverent charm. Sail and fight together, hunt treasure and create your own legends
- A fantastical world of unspoiled islands, mythical monsters and mouth-watering loot. Total freedom to decide how you approach the world and its players
- Xbox One Console exclusive
- Battery: no battery used;Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) Content Description: Crude humor, use of alcohol, violence
How does the portable Cannon of Rage work?
Unlike a ship-bound cannon, the Cannon of Rage could be carried, positioned, and redeployed. Rare’s 3.4.0 release notes described it as “a powerful portable cannon that can be positioned and redeployed for a wide range of tactical uses.” It loaded and fired like a regular cannon, but every shot raised its heat, and incoming damage could heat it as well.
- Manage its heat: Pause firing to let it cool or douse it with water.
- Use the blast carefully: At critical heat, it explodes and damages nearby targets. That can threaten enemies, but also puts anyone close to the cannon at risk.
At launch, the 3.4.0 notes said the Cannon of Rage was guaranteed in Vaults at emergent Skeleton Forts, the Fort of Fortune, and the Fort of the Damned. It could also be found in Sea Forts or washed up on beaches; Raid Voyages did not award it. These are launch-era loot details, not a guarantee about current loot tables.
Rank #2
- A shared-world adventure game by acclaimed UK developer Rare Ltd. Xbox Live Gold required to play (sold separately)
- Live the essential pirate life in a world rich with Rare's irreverent charm. Sail and fight together, hunt treasure and create your own legends!
- A fantastical world of unspoiled islands, mythical monsters and mouth-watering loot
- Total freedom to decide how you approach the world and its players
- Available on the Xbox One family of devices and Windows 10 PCs. Supports Xbox Play Anywhere and cross-platform play** (**Play on one device at a time. PC hardware requirements may vary for games on Windows 10).The Hungering Deep, the first major Sea of Thieves content update landing May 2018, brings with it an exciting new threat to the Sea of Thieves world. Work together with other crews on a completely new adventure with gameplay enhancements and unique rewards.The May kick-off of the Sea of Thieves weekly events programme also introduces fun new ways to play with weekly events and rewards.
How do you get skeleton mercenaries to help?
Order of Bone and Blade skeletons could be found partially buried on islands. Revive one and it would assist the crew that revived it. Crews might find multiple allies, including a more formidable Captain variant, and these skeletons could fall in battle and be revived again.
Their allegiance follows the reviver, not a permanent faction: a rival crew can revive the same skeleton and make it an ally instead. They are also tied to the island where they were found, so they do not join the crew’s onward voyage. Skeletons can help during an island encounter, but they are not traveling crew members.
Rank #3
- Sea of Thieves offers the essential pirate experience, from sailing and fighting to exploring and looting – everything you need to live the pirate life and become a legend in your own right.
- Whether you’re voyaging as a group or sailing solo, you’re bound to encounter other crews in this shared-world adventure – but will they be friends or foes, and how will you respond?
What rewards and platform options did Season 16 include?
Season 16 had 100 Renown levels. Its seasonal rewards included Boneward Blade clothing and other items. The optional Plunder Pass added Oyster’s Prize cosmetics, including a ship set. The 3.4.0 launch notes listed in-game and platform-store purchase routes for the pass. Because these cosmetics and pass offers were time-limited, their launch availability does not establish that they can still be unlocked or purchased.
The same launch notes identified cross-platform play across Xbox, Steam, PlayStation, and Battle.net. They also said owners of the digital Xbox or Microsoft Store version, as well as Game Pass subscribers, could install the Standard Edition on Battle.net at no extra cost. That is a statement from the 3.4.0 launch period, not confirmation of current Game Pass or store availability.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- A shared-world adventure game by acclaimed UK developer Rare Ltd. Xbox Live Gold required to play (sold separately)
- Live the essential pirate life in a world rich with Rare's irreverent charm. Sail and fight together, hunt treasure and create your own legends!
- A fantastical world of unspoiled islands, mythical monsters and mouth-watering loot
- Total freedom to decide how you approach the world and its players
- Available on the Xbox One family of devices and Windows 10 PCs. Supports Xbox Play Anywhere and cross-platform play** (**Play on one device at a time. PC hardware requirements may vary for games on Windows 10).The Hungering Deep, the first major Sea of Thieves content update landing May 2018, brings with it an exciting new threat to the Sea of Thieves world. Work together with other crews on a completely new adventure with gameplay enhancements and unique rewards.The May kick-off of the Sea of Thieves weekly events programme also introduces fun new ways to play with weekly events and rewards.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
