You’re standing on the deck of a sloop. The sunset is hitting the waves just right, turning the water into liquid gold. It’s gorgeous. Then, out of nowhere, a cannonball rips through your hull because a ten-year-old on another ship decided your loot looked better in their hold. Welcome to the Caribbean, I guess?
If you're looking up the sea of thieves rating, you’re probably trying to figure out if it's safe for your kid or if the game is actually any good after all these years. The answer is kinda complicated. It’s not just a number on a box. It’s a mix of ESRB labels, "Safer Seas" updates, and the reality of dealing with a community that—honestly—can be a bit salty.
The Official Sea of Thieves Rating: Breaking Down the ESRB T and PEGI 12
Let's get the legal stuff out of the way first. In North America, the sea of thieves rating is T for Teen. Over in Europe, PEGI gives it a 12.
Why? It’s not because of blood or guts. There actually isn't any "gore" in this game. When you slash a skeleton, it just poofs into a cloud of dust. When a player "dies," they just sort of turn into a green ghost and float away to a waiting ship. It’s very cartoonish.
The real reasons for the T rating are:
- Alcohol Use: You can drink mugs of grog. Your character gets dizzy, the screen blurs, and if you drink too much, you’ll literally puke on the deck. You can even catch your vomit in a bucket and throw it at people. It’s crude humor, but it’s there.
- Violence: You’re using flintlocks, blunderbusses, and cutlasses. You’re aiming cannons at other ships. It’s "fantasy violence," but it’s constant.
- Crude Humor: Mostly centered around the aforementioned grog and some of the pirate-themed insults found in the world.
The most important part of the sea of thieves rating, however, is the little warning that says "Online Interactions Not Rated." That is the wild card. Rare (the developers) can control the skeletons, but they can’t control the 24-year-old with a headset who just lost a chest of legends.
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Is Sea of Thieves Actually Safe for Kids?
Parents ask me this all the time. On the surface, it looks like a Pixar movie. The water is arguably the best-looking water in any video game ever made. It’s bright, it’s colorful, and it’s whimsical.
But the "High Seas" (the standard multiplayer mode) can be brutal. You can spend two hours digging up treasure only to have a seasoned crew sink you in thirty seconds. For a younger kid, that’s not just a "game mechanic"—it’s a heartbreak. It can lead to some pretty intense frustration.
The Game Changer: Safer Seas
Back in late 2023, Rare finally listened to the pleas of casual players and parents. They introduced Safer Seas.
Basically, this is a private server for you and up to three friends. No other players. No getting "griefed." No listening to strangers. If you’re worried about the sea of thieves rating because of the online community, this mode is your best friend.
There are catches, though:
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- You earn way less gold (usually around 30% of the normal rate).
- You can’t progress past level 40 with most factions.
- Some high-level "endgame" content is locked.
Honestly? It’s a fair trade for a stress-free afternoon of sailing with your family.
What the Critics and Users Say in 2026
If we’re talking about the "quality" sea of thieves rating, it’s a tale of two cities. When the game launched years ago, it was... well, it was empty. Critics hammered it.
Fast forward to 2026, and the game is massive. We’ve had collaborations with Pirates of the Caribbean and Monkey Island. There are world events, massive sea monsters like the Kraken and Megalodon, and a constant stream of "Seasons."
On sites like Metacritic, the user score usually hovers around a 5.5 to 6.5 out of 10, while critics are often higher. Why the gap? Because the game is unapologetically difficult to master. New players often get stomped on the High Seas, and they head straight to the review section to vent.
But for those who "get" the game? It’s a 10/10 experience. There is no other game that captures the feeling of actually operating a ship—pulling the sails, checking the map table, and listening for the sound of the wind.
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Understanding the "Pirate Code" and Safety Tools
Rare has put a lot of work into making the game less of a "toxic" wasteland. They have a "Pirate Code" posted in every tavern. It’s basically: be a good sport, don't use slurs, and keep it fun.
They’ve also added a ton of safety features:
- Mute all other crews: You can literally turn off the ability to hear or see text from anyone not on your ship.
- Hide pet names: People get "creative" with pet names. You can block these.
- Closed Crews: Ensure no random strangers can join your ship.
If you’re a parent, I’d suggest setting these up before you let your kid set sail. It turns the game from a chaotic social experiment into a controlled adventure.
The Verdict on the Sea of Thieves Rating
So, what’s the reality? The sea of thieves rating of T for Teen is accurate for the "High Seas" where the social element is unpredictable. But if you stick to Safer Seas, it’s essentially an E10+ experience.
It’s a game about making your own fun. There is no vertical progression. A player who has played for 1,000 hours has the same health and does the same damage as a player who started ten minutes ago. The only difference is skill and cosmetics.
Actionable Steps for New Sailors
- Start in the Maiden Voyage: Don't skip the tutorial. It gives you a safe space to learn how to sail and a nice chunk of starting gold.
- Use Safer Seas First: If you’re playing with kids or you're easily frustrated, spend your first ten hours here. Learn how to fight skeletons and navigate without the fear of being sunk.
- Toggle the "Mute Other Crews" setting: If you decide to jump into the High Seas, go to the "Settings" > "Audio" and "Communication" menus. Turn off "Other Crews" voice and text chat until you’re ready for the social side of things.
- Join the Official Discord: If you want to find people to play with who actually follow the "Pirate Code," the official Discord is much better than the "Open Crew" matchmaking system, which is—frankly—a bit of a gamble.
- Don't get attached to loot: This is the most important lesson. You don't own the gold until you sell it at an Outpost. If you get sunk, it’s just part of the story.
The sea is a beautiful, dangerous place. Just make sure you're picking the right version of it for your crew.