If you've managed to buy an Xbox Series X, we have some good news: Sea of Thieves just received a performance mode update, and can now be played at 120 frames per second.
On Xbox Wire, Microsoft shed light on what to expect from the latest Sea of Thieves, and buried towards the bottom is how the game now supports 120fps at 1080p. That's welcome news for anyone with a high refresh monitor or TV.
- Here's the best Xbox Series X games right now
- Where to buy Xbox Series X
- Plus: PS5 and Xbox Series X owners getting big upgrade for The Division 2
The 120 fps mode can be accessed under the "Performance Mode" mode for Sea of Thieves. Just bear in mind you'll need a TV with support for a 120Hz refresh rate; these are getting mor e common but are far from prolific.
Unfortunately, for gamers wanting to play in a native 4K, the Sea of Thieves will be locked to 60 fps. Regardless, both options should make for smooth sailing.
It's also worth noting TVs might not support 120Hz and HDR simultaneously. If that's the case with your TV, you may need to manually go into your TV settings and disable HDR. But if you have a TV that can output quality HDR — with enough brightness and contrast — then we recommend sticking to 4K 60fps with HDR, as that will make for a more visually fulfilling experience.
Apart from the frame rate upgrade, fans can expect more swashbuckling with this year's season one update. There's a new trove of Lost Shipment voyages and 100 levels of rewards. Each time you earn an award, it'll unlock anything from gold and doubloons to cosmetics and ancient coins.
Microsoft goes on to detail other smaller upgrades and time-limited events. For Sea of Thieves fans, we recommend watching the video below.
Sign up to get the BEST of Tom's Guide direct to your inbox.
Here at Tom’s Guide our expert editors are committed to bringing you the best news, reviews and guides to help you stay informed and ahead of the curve!
Sea of Thieves isn't the only last-generation Xbox game to see a major performance boost on Xbox Series X. Games like The Division 2 and Yakuza: Like a Dragon have seen specific next-gen upgrades. We expect more games to receive similar upgrades throughout 2021.
Imad is currently Senior Google and Internet Culture reporter for CNET, but until recently was News Editor at Tom's Guide. Hailing from Texas, Imad started his journalism career in 2013 and has amassed bylines with the New York Times, the Washington Post, ESPN, Wired and Men's Health Magazine, among others. Outside of work, you can find him sitting blankly in front of a Word document trying desperately to write the first pages of a new book.