The instant opt-out for Xbox crossplay was implemented, the game became fun again. Sure, you might lose a battle or two, you might get killed a few times, but finally you had a chance again. No longer were the same ships with the same sail-set on the same course able to overtake you. No longer were other players able to one-shot kill you with a blunderbuss from across long distances. No longer were players 100% accurate with their cannon shots against you. The game was (as it was intended to be) "even" again.
But about two or three weeks after the opt-out took effect I began noticing those things starting to happen again. Rarely at first, but as time goes on I'm seeing them more often. Players not even facing me able to 1-shot me with a pistol. Players typing their chats in (which an Xbox player has an ability to do, but is cumbersome and time consuming) instead of using party- or game-chat. I even saw an opposing player get killed on my ship after his had sunk...and somehow respawn on my ship.
So I'm starting to think that there must be either a workaround that is allowing PC players to start playing on the Xbox but switch to the PC after loading in, or there is a new hack that is allowing PC players to appear as Xbox players. I also suspect that Xbox players are able to start the game with a controller and switch to keyboard/mouse after starting.
I've played the game long enough to know without checking when I am playing against an Xbox (with controller) player and someone who is not, and lately I have been noticing a lot of the latter - even though the message on the screen says "Sailing the seas with Xbox with controller only".
Either there are new hacks/workarounds, or that message is put there just to placate the Xbox users and crossplay is still in full effect. And I really don't think the latter is the case...
