Why Sea of Thieves is Dying:

@mslechtic15

This game has always been about who can claim loot and defend it. Just because some people want to play peacefully without risk doesn’t mean the game should cater to their vision. Sea of Thieves is NOT a single-player chill simulator for fishing and roleplay, no matter how badly some wish it were.

And it as well doesn't mean that this game (without a dedicated competitive scene) should cater to a vision of minority of people dedicated to PvP only.

The only "vision" that should be catered to is the one that contributes to the PvEvP sandbox. Which is exactly what they're doing.

NOT a single-player chill simulator for fishing and roleplay

Not your CoD simulator.

@fysics3037 said in Why Sea of Thieves is Dying::

@dlchief58 those literally are facts? I'm done talking with you. Clearly not interested in talking, just interested in denying the truth.

I brought receipts, what did you bring to the table besides a bunch of unsubstantiated bluster? And cutting communication when you get called out, that's a good way to be confident in your position. So who's afraid of the truth here, HMMMM?

@mslechtic15 it's not that we won't use it, it's that we can't without major drawbacks. Our "way to play" is getting a custom server and fighting each other. Blowpipe doesn't mesh with that. That's why I say it hasn't been an impactful change at the top level of PvP. That's why it's incorrect to say that there has been an equal focus or delivery of new mechanics across skill levels because so many of them don't work for what top players do.

@mslechtic15 said in Why Sea of Thieves is Dying::

@lem0n-curry Short-term players may be good for growing the player base, but they will never keep the game alive in the long term. Those who come for a brief period have no real investment in the community, and their activity is only superficial. They aren’t interested in maintaining the game at a high level because their involvement is temporary. On the other hand, long-term players who focus on PvP are the ones who truly create a stable foundation and push the game forward. Without them, Sea of Thieves would quickly lose its appeal.

Those who constantly seek PvP challenges are the engine of the community. Without these highly engaged players, the game would be much emptier and less dynamic. Whether we look at Arena, Hourglass, or any other aspect of the game, those who really hold the community together are the ones with a true interest in long-term improvement and building relationships within the game world. Short-term players will never have the same impact as those who invest hours, weeks, and months into the game.

TL:DR - So by your theory, long term players are only PvP players? That's the biggest cope I've read on this topic so far.

You should first realize, that vast majority of long term players in this game are PvEvP players, and not PvP. Life should be easier after that.

Also, those "engaging" PvP players at the same time could be blamed for all the same "nerfs" you keep complaining about. If people didn't treat this game as CoD and didn't have an urge to use every single exploit, for all we know Safer Seas wouldn't maybe even happen and "skill gap" wouldn't had to be constantly reduced for new player retention.

There is always two sides of a coin, that both PvP and PvE extremists fail to see.

@mslechtic15 said in Why Sea of Thieves is Dying::

If Rare keeps undermining PvP, the game will gradually lose its identity and end up as a boring PvE grindfest.

Already is becoming that. We're rallying for one more season of LoT which will prolly bring many of us back, but if they make more bad decisions people are just gonna quit.

@r3vanns your entire argument is just a big "what if" that is baselessly speculating on what the devs were thinking. And it doesn't even address any of their points. Hardly even an argument at all. Can we try to actually talk on the points? Rather than just insulting people or making stuff up?

@fysics3037 said in Why Sea of Thieves is Dying::

@r3vanns your entire argument is just a big "what if" that is baselessly speculating on what the devs were thinking. And it doesn't even address any of their points. Hardly even an argument at all. Can we try to actually talk on the points? Rather than just insulting people or making stuff up?

Luckily, we have your "what ifs" and arguments, and number of upvotes to these to back it up, right? :)

So tell me... where can I count all those big-numbered PvP people agreeing with you, without who the game will die? Can I count them on the upvotes of your comments? Oh wait...

Because I can def extrapolate a ratio of people disagreeing with your and OPs view on this topic.

I'll tell you a little secret - the score should be around XX : 0.

@mslechtic15 said in Why Sea of Thieves is Dying::

@realstyli This is classic casual cope. The game wasn’t always just a “silly goofy pirate game,” but Rare has slowly pushed it in that direction by constantly shrinking the skill gap and throwing obstacles at those who actually want to improve. PvP in Sea of Thieves used to have depth – players who mastered movement, shooting, and strategy had a chance to dominate. Now? Every casual who just mashes the sword spam button acts like PvP has no place in this game.

You talk like a player who wasn't there for the game launch. A lot of the marketing was goofy. Any of the PvP that was shown was always boisterous and focused on the fun, not the sweat. The game hasn't been "pushed" in that direction. It was always the main focus. PvP was a choice and meeting other players was supposed to be special (as Mike Chapman would say).

Arena was the anomaly. Rare saw some people liked the PvP and tried to appeal to them. It was a failed experiment ultimately because the game was never built to be an eSport at the foundation.

The shrinking skill gap I've already covered: no matchmaking and fairness for all levels.

Yeah, player numbers fluctuate, but just because the game is still running doesn’t mean it hasn’t declined. A lot of people who loved PvP quit because Rare decided to turn this into a “friendly experience” instead of a competitive sandbox. Arena? Rare killed it by ignoring it, not because “it wasn’t popular.” Hourglass? Casuals complain that it’s too “sweaty,” but the reality is that PvP in Sea of Thieves was always about life-or-death battles, not who can roleplay a Disneyland pirate better.

Yet, it was the Disneyland pirate that brought in the biggest numbers in the game's history. Season 8, meanwhile, was a blip. It was the players ignoring Arena that killed it. It was infested with "TDM says aye!" crowd co-opting it to try and make their own mode, at the expense and annoyance of those who actually wanted to play it as designed.

So no, people didn’t leave because “PvP is too tryhard.” They left because Rare is slowly killing everything that made PvP in this game interesting.

Now who is using cope?

@r3vanns up votes aren't a score? Dunno why you're making this like a game. And either way, there are 2000 people in the LoT discord. Dunno how many are active, but all of them were top PvP players at some point. Most of them would agree with the ideas I've been talking about here.

@mslechtic15 said in Why Sea of Thieves is Dying::

@r3vanns The answer isn’t just about the number of upvotes or who has more agreeing comments. The discussion about PvP and PvE isn’t about numbers, but about the direction the game is taking. Yes, I agree that not all players have to agree, but if a key part of the community, which has been part of the game from the start, starts to fade, it begins to have long-term consequences. The topic isn’t about one side winning, but about maintaining balance and satisfying a broad community with different preferences.

PvP part of the community isn't a key part of the community. PvPvE community is. Which is majority, which is balanced. Next!

@Fysics3037

up votes aren't a score? Dunno why you're making this like a game. And either way, there are 2000 people in the LoT discord. Dunno how many are active, but all of them were top PvP players at some point. Most of them would agree with the ideas I've been talking about here.

I'm not making a game at all. If you're about to mention arguments and facts, I thought I'd bring up a fact on my own. You being offended by it or not liking it doesn't make it invalid.

Dunno how many are active, but all of them were top PvP players at some point. Most of them would agree with the ideas I've been talking about here.

And here we are back to the beginning. Argument: I'd present a proof that my argument is valid, but sadly my argument stopped playing the game ~3y ago. How convenient. :)

@r3vanns I'm done talking to you. You're just making stuff up to seem smart. Not an interesting discussion.

@mslechtic15 said in Why Sea of Thieves is Dying::

@r3vanns Actually, even long-term players who have played a lot of both PvP and PvE totally agree with this. Rare is undermining PvP and primarily supporting PvE and new players.

Sadly, I still don't see all those players on this topic agreeing with you.

@mslechtic15 said in Why Sea of Thieves is Dying::

@r3vanns Maybe it’s because most of the players have left the game?

You know, people do play other games as well. And every game has its cycles. You still didn't present any factual evidence of the game dying, which is what this topic is more/less about.

People proving you otherwise, actually did.

@mslechtic15 Day 1 PvPvE player here with thousands of hours myself, and I do not agree with a single thing you've posted as it is definitely a one-sided view that does not cover all players, nor even the majority of players - shown by the consistent player count as a top 30 game since launch (which can be verified by 3rd party sources....unlike your "game is dying" screeching). So can the generalizations as they do nothing to further your point, no matter how much you think it reinforces it - just makes you look foolish for saying it in the first place.

@mslechtic15

And focusing on upvotes or what kind of opinion players have is completely misguided. The outcome of all this isn’t about numbers, but about the direction Rare is taking the game.

Steam numbers have dropped significantly since 2020

You gotta make up your mind mate. Is it about numbers or not? :) At this point (well, for quite some time now though tbh) I really can't take few of you seriously anymore.

So yea... it was fun, and fair winds to you all! :D

@mslechtic15 said in Why Sea of Thieves is Dying::

@r3vanns It’s funny how you try to downplay the opinion of those who have actually been playing the game long-term and have experience with both sides – PvP and PvE. The fact that most of these players, who have either quit or feel ignored, agree that Rare is undermining PvP in favor of PvE is probably something you’re not considering. And focusing on upvotes or what kind of opinion players have is completely misguided. The outcome of all this isn’t about numbers, but about the direction Rare is taking the game. If the long-term players who have kept the game alive leave, no one will have simple answers to that. And as I’ve said, it’s not about ‘PvP vs PvE,’ but about the right balance and supporting the community that keeps the game truly alive. Wake up.

Funny how you ignore other longtime, PvPvE players that are outside your little bubble that have differing views of the game, many of which have posted right here disputing your absurd claims. Facts show the game is not dying, but rather maintaining a fairly steady population within the top 30 most played games week after week....and peaked at # 11 with PotC content....PvE content at that. Steam is the lowest population and joined much later (thus smaller). Looking past Steam paints a completely different picture than the one you are trying to portray to artificially bolster your OPINION as if it is fact.

@mslechtic15 said in Why Sea of Thieves is Dying::

@r3vanns You’re still considering the numbers, so I wanted to prove it to you with this, but just confirm everything based on the comments under Sea of Thieves videos, which are all toxic, about returning old things, fixing the game, etc.

Stating that numbers of a live service game dropped in the last 5y. A shocker! xD

Now provide actual numbers, across any 8+y/o games (not just sea of thieves) that didn't gradually lose players due to players migrating to new stuff. Oh wait... you can't. :)

You know why? Because it's natural. And definitely doesn't prove the game is "dying" cause devs are not catering to a minority PvP crowd. Far from it.

If the game was dying due to PvP players being unhappy, SS would've never happened. Luckily, few of you here know better than Rare themselves with their stats at hand.