In that the mysterious underwater menace has been revealed to be a giant underwater shark that crews will need to team up in order to take down. To help in the quest players will get a couple of new items, a drum that doubles as a new musical instrument and a speaking trumpet that allows crews to chat from a distance and declare if they're friend or foe.

Not that a pirate would do such a thing. "Sure matey, I be a friend" he said before sinking my sloop. But, in order to complete the new quest crews have to team up - which is pretty cool. To start off players will need to speak to a new Bilge Rat resident housed at each of the taverns in the game, which begin the quest to find the pirate Merrick and then a journey to The Hungering Deep. The new Bilge Rat faction also marks the beginning of events that will most likely be weekly - offering crews additional challenges and ways to play that break from the current voyage setup. A number of new cosmetic options also arrive with the Hungering Deep.

Bilge Rats - To stay in the know as to what is changing in the Sea of Thieves, visit the Bilge Rat character in the taverns to discover what time-limited events are active. Whether it’s The Hungering Deep or future events, this is the place to go!

New Threat - Something old, vast and hungry is surfacing. Follow the trail of riddles and rumours. We hope you live to tell the tale.

Speaking Trumpet - Parley! Let other ships know if you are friend or foe with the new Speaking Trumpet, making yourself heard from longer distances. The first Speaking Trumpet is obtainable through The Hungering Deep campaign, but purchasable variants will be arriving in the shops in the near future.

Ship's Flags - Want to sink and plunder, or seek allies to adventure with? Let your intentions be known with new flags which can be raised high above your ship! Climb up to the crow's nest and decide which to raise.

Drum - BOOM! Pirate percussionists (inspired by Merrick himself) can now be heard all across the seas. The first drum is obtainable through The Hungering Deep campaign, but purchasable variants will be arriving in the shops in the near future.

Tattoos - Many pirates wanted them and now they are here! Check out the vanity chest for 16 sailor tattoo sets and visit the clothing shop on outposts for stocks of four purchasable tattoo sets.

Scars - What enemies have fallen to your pirate might? Scars earned through campaigns and events such as The Hungering Deep will allow you to tell a story of your pirate's history and adventures. These are not purchasable, they must be earned.

For the full Patch Notes, including performance updates and bug fixes - head here. Two additional content drops are expected in the coming months including one that will introduce a new location for pirates to get all pirate-y in.