Brand: brands surround us, guide us, and define us. And in the spirit of such corporate support, Sea of Thieves' upcoming update, Ships of Fortune, will give players the opportunity to fly the flag of their favorite in-game trading company (Gold Hoarders, Merchant Alliance, Order of Souls, Athena' s Fortune), giving players the opportunity to fly the flag of their favorite in-game trading company.

As an authorized emissary, players can advance to five grades by accomplishing tasks associated with their chosen company: for example, Gold Hoarder emissaries hope to find and pass on treasure chests, while Order of Souls has an eye for skulls. The higher the grade, the higher the reward multiplier for submitting harvests. Company-specific cosmetics are also available, and new titles can be earned in the competitive emissary ledger.

But all of this gold and glory is not without risk. As an emissary, you are expected to advertise your affiliation, which also broadcasts the possibility of a large pile of treasure. The real problem, however, comes in the form of a new trading company, The Reaper's Bones. Their emissaries fulfill their mission by taking the emissary banner away from all other companies. The Reaper's Bones is headquartered at Reaper's Hideout, an unknown island where the Masked Stranger is up to no good.

The update will also bring changes to the PvP arena announced in March, including the removal of old treasure maps, a single cache-in location, and reduced combat times.

And perhaps most importantly, cats are coming: in addition to monkeys and parrots, three types of cats (furry wildcats, fluffy ragamuffins, and slinky maws) will be premium-priced pets in the Pirate Emporium. Each breed comes in a variety of colors and, of course, can be dressed in different outfits.

Sea of Thieves: Ships of Fortune will go live on April 22.