SoTFest was an unofficial shanty-filled Sea of Thieves convention that raised thousands for charity
Feelgood Friday: Sea of Thieves Convention Proves There's Honour Among Thieves
Written by Ollie Bradley at 07/29/2022, 07:33 AM
Fans have hoisted the sails on an unofficial new Sea of Thieves convention with some hugely promising potential. And in a move that proves that pirates do, in fact, have a moral compass (in addition to their typical one) - they raised a decent sum of money for UK based charity SpecialEffect.
Sea of Thieves is a dream come true for pirate wannabes, providing a literal ocean of swashbuckling possibilities in a game designed to provide maximum freedom to its players. And as we all know, if there's one thing pirates love more than grog, it's freedom. Probably. And the sheer amount of love shown for the game by fans is evidence of a job well done by developers, Rare.
Sea of Thieves Fest (SoTFest) was a culmination of this. As reported by Windows Central, SoTFest was essentially a Sea of Thieves convention. The event took place in the small market town of Hinckley in the UK. Which those familiar with the UK might recognise as being one of the most landlocked towns in the country.
Despite the lack of nearby oceans, however, Sea of Thieves fans flocked from around the world. Guests included Rare devs and the seminal sea shanty band of "Wellerman" fame (remember that one?), The Longest Johns.
Events during SoTFest included games, panels and community showcases. And a whopping £6,357 was raised throughout the convention in aid of SpecialEffect, a UK charity that works to increase gaming accessibility to physically disabled gamers. SoTFest is still accepting donations now via their Just Giving page.
Speaking to Windows Central, Executive Producer Joe Neate said "For the folks that were there they will never forget [the first SoTFest], and I know the team are already working on the next one. They put so much effort into it, but it was such a pure, wholesome day full of the best energy. Just magic."
The success bodes well for the future of this noble endeavour, and we hold up hope that the next year's attempt will draw even more interest.