Sea of Thieves Insider Programme FAQ

Got some questions about our Sea of Thieves Insider Programme? Find some answers here!

Since we launched the Sea of Thieves Insider Programme we've been thrilled to see how many of our fellow mauraders are eagerly joining in this new adventure! While we're still trying to answer all the questions we've received on Facebook, Twitter and our Forums, we thought it'd be helpful if we tackled a few of the more commonly asked questions right here. So here it is, crew: our handy FAQ.

[Q]: What do I get by signing up to the Insider Programme?
[A]: By signing up to the Insider Programme, you'll receive a number of perks and bonuses. Regular email updates from our team will provide you with an inside look at the development of Sea of Thieves, including staff insights and sneak peeks at incoming game features! Additionally, Insiders can take part in Q&A sessions with Sea of Thieves developers, and will receive an Insider badge on the official Sea of Thieves Forums allowing them access to an exclusive Insider discussion space.

[Q]: How do I sign up?
[A]: You can sign up to the Insider Programme through our website. The sign-up process should only take about 10 minutes and requires an Xbox Live account, a contact email address and the completion of our Insider Survey. You'll also need to confirm your email address when you're done.

[Q]: Do I need an Xbox Account? What if I don't have one?
[A]: Yes, an Xbox Account is required. If you don't have one, don't despair! Creating an Xbox Account is free and takes less than five minutes. You can create one by visiting aka.ms/accountcreate. Once your account has been set up, you can use it to register for the Sea of Thieves Insider Programme.

[Q]: What's the difference between the Insider Programme and Technical Alpha?
[A]: The Insider Programme is available to everyone, and is designed to bring you closer to the making of Sea of Thieves with exclusive content brought to you by Rare's community and development teams. During the Technical Alpha phase of development that ran up to the end of November 2017, the Insider Programme also brought in players to help us test the game in Technical Alpha play sessions. Now that we're closer to launch, we want to keep the Insider Programme open to share exciting insights into upcoming game features and regular videos with our keenest players!

[Q]: Why do I need to be 18+ to sign up?
[A]: Insiders are required to sign an NDA (non-disclosure agreement) so that they don't publicly share any of the exclusive information we offer them through the Insider Programme. As an NDA is essentially a contract, there's a legal requirement for the person signing to be 18 years or over, and so this carries through to the Insider Programme as a whole.

[Q]: I've signed up but haven’t received my verification email, what gives?
[A]: If you've run into this issue then you can get a new verification email sent via your Sea of Thieves website account. Sign in, click the gamerpic icon at the top right and select Account. In there you should find an option to resend the verification email to your current address, or change your address and trigger a new verification email. This can take up to 24 hours to reach you. In the meantime, check your spam/junk folders just in case, and try to avoid hitting resend again as this can interrupt the process!

[Q]: I've signed up and verified my email. Why does my account page still say I'm not part of the Insider Programme?
[A]: We're aware that some people find that the website doesn't immediately show their correct Insider status. Refreshing the page is usually all it takes to remedy this! Still having issues? Check out this Forum thread.

[Q]: My Technical Alpha badge has become a Founder badge. What does that mean?
[A]: As we move into the next phase of development, we wanted to acknowledge all those players who've helped us build and polish Sea of Thieves by sailing in the Technical Alpha and sharing their feedback. So rather than just phasing out the Technical Alpha badge, we've changed it to the Founder badge to provide longer-lasting recognition of their contributions!