Rare celebrates its 40 years with new free fund for Xbox, discounts and exclusive items in Sea of Thieves

The historic British developer kicks off its anniversary with exclusive content and nods to its entire trajectory.

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It’s hard to believe, but four decades have passed since Rare first set sail. Back in 1985, the Stamper brothers left behind the era of cassette games to found a studio that would go on to leave its mark on generations to come. This is where gems like Banjo-Kazooie, Perfect Dark, and Battletoads were born. And now, in 2025, they’re inviting us to celebrate their 40th anniversary in style, with free content, commemorative items, and plenty of surprises in Sea of Thieves.

The anniversary kicks off on August 4th with a special tribute in Ashby-de-la-Zouch, where it all began. But don’t worry, you don’t need to travel to the UK to join the party. You can already download a new dynamic background for Xbox and several gamerpics featuring the studio’s most iconic characters, from the latest to the classics.

Sea of Thieves is filled with commemorative items for Rare’s 40th anniversary

Rare wants the heart of the celebration to be in Sea of Thieves, their most beloved game in recent years. Starting August 6th, The Pirate Emporium will activate special discounts on cosmetics based on their classics, and from August 5th, Game Pass Ultimate subscribers will be able to redeem the Rare Ruby Emote for free.

But the best is yet to come on August 14th with the new season, Smugglers’ Tide, which will be packed with details for fans:

• Rare Ruby Hat included in packs of Ancient Coins (if you purchase them using Microsoft Rewards)

• Commemorative patch for all players in August

• Ruby Reaper’s Mark Sails and special cosmetics with that distinctive ruby red touch

• New commemorative items in the Outpost store and in the Plunder Pass

And that’s not all. To close out August with a bang, there will be a Community Weekend from August 30-31, with Twitch drops, community events, new emotes, and a global goal that will unlock the spectacular Ruby Legend figurehead.

If you’re a collector, get your wallet ready:

• There’s new vinyl with Rare music, courtesy of iam8bit

• Retro merchandise on Fangamer (varsity jacket, t-shirt, commemorative pin…)

• A special edition controller designed by 8bitdo, with the studio’s colors

• And a compilation cartridge for Evercade with 12 classic games from the house

Ah, and mark your calendars for August 15th: that’s when a new edition of the Rare All-Stars EP will arrive on Spotify, with tunes that will surely transport you back in time.

Rare is celebrating its 40th anniversary in the best way it knows how: by sharing with players, thanking them for their love, and making it clear that, although time passes, some studios never lose their spark. If any of their games have ever left a mark on you, this month is the perfect time to raise a glass to them.