Game developer Rare has unveiled plans to introduce a brand-new anti-cheat system to Sea of Thieves in the upcoming period. This initiative signifies Rare's first significant action in combatting cheating incidents within the game.
Similar to many online multiplayer games, cheating has been a persistent issue in Sea of Thieves since its inception in 2018. This has led to considerable frustration among players who have been victims of these unfair practices, particularly given that Sea of Thieves is a player-versus-player-versus-environment (PvEvP) game that revolves around looting and survival. Notably, Rare has not previously implemented a comprehensive anti-cheat system during the game's four-year existence, until now.
Rare has officially confirmed in a video on the Sea of Thieves YouTube channel that it will be integrating Epic Games' Easy Anti-Cheat system later this month. The Easy Anti-Cheat (EAC) system is utilized in popular titles such as Fortnite and Apex Legends, representing a sophisticated 'kernel-level solution,' a common approach in contemporary anti-cheat mechanisms. Moreover, Rare emphasized that this introduction is just the initial phase in the battle against cheaters and hinted at exploring additional protective measures for players in the near future. Presently, Sea of Thieves players may encounter cheats like aimbots and speedhacks, but the deployment of the EAC system should significantly diminish such occurrences.
Sea of Thieves to Adopt Epic Games' Easy Anti-Cheat in March
Furthermore, Rare acknowledged in the same video that their endeavor to streamline future updates, making them more compact, will require more time than initially anticipated. Consequently, the forthcoming March update will still entail a substantial download for users on Xbox and the Windows Store. This delayed optimization process was initiated by a Sea of Thieves update in February, setting the stage for this enhancement. Fortunately, Rare reassured players that the upgrade should function as intended following the March patch.
An exciting development awaits Sea of Thieves next month with its launch on the PlayStation 5 scheduled for April 30. This impending release signifies a significant milestone for Rare, as it marks the first time in their 39-year history that they will debut a game on a PlayStation platform. Additionally, PlayStation 5 players will have access to other Xbox exclusives like Hi-Fi Rush on March 19, Grounded on April 16, and the already released Pentiment.
The cross-platform release of Sea of Thieves could potentially bolster the game's player community. Renowned for its engaging gameplay and unique cooperative multiplayer experience, Sea of Thieves has been lauded as one of the top online co-op games available on Game Pass. Phil Spencer from Microsoft Gaming has expressed optimism that the introduction of Xbox titles to the PS5 ecosystem will expand the reach of these franchises to a broader audience.