The Sea of Thieves closed beta kicked off today for players who participated in the technical alpha, and everyone who preordered the game. If you didn't manage to get in, you can still join in the fun, albeit in a different way that doesn't involve playing the game, but will net you some sweet Sea of Thieves booty.
The "Design an Achievement" contest gives you the chance to do just that, and you can submit your ideas in the specially created forum for the duration of the closed beta.
To take part in the contest you'll need to come up with an achievement name (no more than 44 characters), along with a description of no more than 100 characters. As an optional extra, you can suggest an image to go alongside it.
The winner will have their submission become a bona-fide in-game achievement, and they'll receive an exclusive piece of signed artwork, as well as "a whole bunch of Sea of Thieves booty!" The exact nature of the booty is unknown, but we can only hope that it's ample.
The closed beta has been up and running for just a few hours, and as you might expect, there have been a few issues, but fear not! The official Twitter account knows all about them and is on the case.
We're still investigating ongoing issues with launching the Closed Beta. Until then, please check our resources for solutions:
Closed Beta FAQ: https://t.co/k3zeuFHgO3
Installation Support:https://t.co/xLQYO1zZpb
Thanks for your patience!
— Sea of Thieves (@SeaOfThieves) January 24, 2018
And just to remind you, there's no NDA, so feel free to stream and share gameplay, screenshots, and your thoughts via whichever medium you see fit.
Sea of Thieves is coming to PC and XBox One on March 20. If you want to find out more about how the title's progression system works before you get a hands-on with the beta, we've got you covered.
Shabana is a freelance writer who enjoys JRPGs, wine, and not finishing games. Follow her on Twitter.