Cursed Sails is the second free DLC for Sea of Thieves. The DLC released on July 31st, 2018. The update features AI skeleton controlled ships, 3 player Brigantine ship, and an alliance system. New ship customizations and cosmetic items have been added to the stores. This includes the Hunter Set, and the Bone Crusher Set.

The event will lead players to discover what has happened to Wanda since her odd behavior was noticed in The Sunken Curse event. In that event Wanda was no longer able to speak and was highly interested in an injury to her arm that she kept checking, as seen through her shop window. Just before the launch of the DLC, Wanda’s arm has turn skeletal and she continued to hide it when players approached her. The mysterious man who used to appear next to her is gone, but not completely. It turned into a skeletal parrot and perched itself on the roof of the shop. Behind Wanda on the shelf were three purple and green cannonballs that had an odd glow to them.

The cursed cannonballs turned out to be rewards for completing one of the campaign events. They apply effects to enemy players’ ships and crew when the ship was hit with the cannonball. For example, there is a cannonball that makes the players drunk, one that locks the wheel, one that causes the ship to ride low in the water (causing un-repaired holes on the mid deck to let water into the ship), and possibly one that makes the enemy players dance. Three known named cannonballs include the Snooze Ball, the Wrecking Ball, and the Venom Ball.

In an attempt to leave the outpost but not lose everything during the skeleton event, the shop vendors offer players their items as a discounted price. (It is assumed that this is temporary until the event is over.) The shops are boarded up but the vendors can be visited at the large banner nearby.

The events last for three weeks from the start of the DLC and will no longer be available to players, but the skeleton-crew ships will remain in the world much like the Kraken.

Also featured, and now a permanent part of the game is the new 3 player Brigantine ship that has 2 decks, 2 masts and 4 cannons (2 on each side). There is no captain’s quarters on the new ship but voyages can be voted on downstairs.

Finally there is the new alliance system, that allows players to form an alliance with other crews (but will still be able to harm them). This is done by two ships raising the new alliance offer flag while in range. Thme pennant-shaped flag is located in the Flag Box in the Crow’s Nest. Crews that share an alliance can then dig up treasure together, propose voyages, and share the rewards.