New ways to sail — and fight other pirates

Sea of Thieves launches on PlayStation 5 today, and the pirate game is getting a patch full of new tools. In Sea of Thieves, players take on the role of a pirate crew manning a sloop, brigantine or galleon to set off on adventures and battle nautical enemies such as krakens and skeleton ships. The game's new season introduces tons of new toys to try out on the high seas, and they're sure to cause some mayhem.

First of all, there are two new weapons: an extra-damaging double-barrelled gun and throwable throwing knives — but which must then be picked up or refilled. These join other pirate standards from the arsenal, such as a saber, a sniper rifle, a pistol and a blunderbuss.

The Bone Caller is a new exciting Christmas carol. When crushed – either by throwing it at your feet or launching it into an enemy ship via cannon – it summons some friendly skeletons to hack and slash on behalf of your crew. The Horn of Fair Winds is another orb that, when blown, sends out a gust of wind. Pirates can use it to slow their fall, blast away enemies, or fill their sails. The trick is that it applies to both allies and enemies, so be careful not to send your crew overboard with a wrong gust of wind.