As reported earlier today, Sea of Thieves finally got a release date during The Game Awards 2017. Wannabe pirates will be able to start sailing the virtual Seven Seas on March 20th, 2018.

That said, Rare, knowing that so many fans are still wondering exactly what they'll be doing in Sea of Thieves, decided to drop a metric ton of information on the official website over several separate pages. We've compiled everything for easier reading below; while some information was already known, there's plenty of new tidbits and as a whole, it paints a much clearer picture than we've ever had before.

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Just brace for what will be a lengthy read.

A WORLD OF TEAMWORK Social play on the seas in a new kind of multiplayer game Co-operation is your watchword in Sea of Thieves. The events you experience and the memories you make become the stuff of legend with friends in tow. Bring a ready-made crew or discover new partners in plunder, bonding under the Pirates' Code. Prefer to sail solo as you earn your sea legs? You can do that too! A True Shared World Every ship that comes coasting over the horizon in Sea of Thieves, large or small, is crewed by real players on their own voyages, so it's up to you how you interact and what kind of crew you choose to be. Create allies or enemies, be benefactors or betrayers, exchange banter or broadsides – you make the call! Of course, what you can't know in advance is how other ships' crews might have reacted upon seeing you... Keeping in Contact Chatting and calling out bearings and tactics is the most efficient way to coordinate with crewmates. But if that's not for you, Sea of Thieves' non-verbal communication system has you covered with a spread of easily accessible phrases and gestures. Your opinions count in other ways too: when voting on which voyage to undertake next, and when deciding whether or not to punish troublemakers with a stint in the brig. Music and Merriment Being a pirate means you're bound to butt heads with a few rival crews, whether it's over treasure theft or any of the other whims of a seafaring scoundrel. But in the forgiving spirit of Sea of Thieves, try setting aside arguments over a grog or six when you meet again at the tavern. Being sick on your former foes can certainly break the ice. Or just bust out the concertinas and hurdy-gurdies to come together in hearty shanty harmony! Community Spirit Appropriately for an outing with an emphasis on playing together (supporting both cross play and Xbox Play Anywhere), Sea of Thieves is created in lockstep with the community. Channels have sprung up to help find the perfect crew while feature feedback floods in from the Insider Programme and beyond, so if there's something you're desperate to see or do on the Sea of Thieves, it may well be on the way! Launch day is just the beginning...

A WORLD OF LEGENDS Forge your own identity and set out to rack up renown You'll begin your journey across the Sea of Thieves as a ragtag wanderer ready to complete voyages, form bonds with other pirates and amass your very own hoard. Whether you prefer to sail solo or as part of an adventure-hungry crew, you'll soon find yourself on the way to becoming a stone cold pirate legend. Be Whoever You Like Before you dive headlong into Sea of Thieves' world, you can pick from a near-limitless supply of possible pirates, ensuring that whatever your preference may be, there's a way to define yourself in-game. The finer details – hairstyles and hooks, accessories and armaments – will fall into place as you play, with everything from the clothes you wear to the weapons you wield helping to express your personality and style. Reputation and Reward There's no talking your way to infamy in Sea of Thieves! The only way to build a reputation with the region's Trading Companies is to successfully complete the voyages they offer at outposts. Getting the job done will net you an immediate reward, and the more voyages you vanquish the more you'll rise up through the Company's ranks, taking on trickier tasks, gaining their trust and earning yourself prestigious titles and unique items. Becoming a Legend Every Trading Company is unique, as are the opportunities they offer. On one voyage you may be asked to acquire merchant cargo and safeguard it through perilous waters, while another will see you intent on hunting hostiles to claim a bounty. As their names become famed and their status ever more celebrated, well-practised pirates tend to set their sights on an even greater goal: tracking down the fabled Athena's Fortune! Making Your Mark Beyond what's on offer at outposts, the true joy of the pirate life is being able to live it as you see fit. Whether the world comes to know you as a mysterious vigilante, a shipwreck scavenger, a vengeful lone wolf or the life and soul of any tavern, the road to notoriety is yours to travel however you please. Pirates with the most memorable tales may even find their deeds immortalised somewhere out beyond the horizon…

A WORLD OF ENCOUNTERS The setting of Sea of Thieves is an untamed pirate frontier Fit to burst with far-flung destinations, inspiring vistas and stirring sunsets, this world is portrayed in a distinctive painterly art style that brings out the best in its roguish residents and most deplorable denizens – not to mention some seriously #GreatWater befitting all kinds of epic high seas adventures. Fragments of the past The Sea of Thieves' vast expanse is steeped in myth and legend, filled with curious ruins and outlandish encounters spoken of wherever crews meet to swap their stories. Whether you find yourself witnessing mouldering wrecks in the world's wildest regions or plundering painted shrines beneath sun-dappled jungles, there's a rich history here waiting to be awakened – and within that history, riches waiting to be taken! Here be monsters As you set out to carve a legacy you're sure to stumble across signs of those who came before you, but be warned: not all of Sea of Thieves' legends are content to linger in the past. Pirates who set sail in search of these deeper, darker secrets may find themselves forced into facing savage Skeleton Captains, the truth behind rumors of gargantuan sea beasts and myriad other dangers lurking beneath the surface of the world… Trading Companies Not everyone you'll encounter makes their living as a pirate. Alongside the shopkeepers and shipwrights who ply their trades at outposts, you'll find representatives of various Companies ranging from legitimate businesses to secret societies. These Companies have their own reasons for braving the Sea of Thieves and will be only too happy to reward crews willing to undertake dangerous work on their behalf. Ferry of the Damned Whether you've taken a close-up look at a shark's insides or toppled off a cliff after one grog too many, you'll find yourself awakening aboard this spectral ship. If the prospect of spending eternity with the recently deceased seems galling, don't worry – the ship's captain may look unsympathetic, but he'll soon return you to the land of the living. Why not pass the time by commiserating with your ghostly fellow passengers?