Secret Crossover Unveiled: Monkey Island Creator Left in the Dark About Sea of Thieves Collaboration

The Xbox Games Showcase took fans by surprise with the announcement of a crossover between Rare's Sea of Thieves and the beloved Monkey Island adventure game series. While the news delighted viewers, it seems that Monkey Island creator Ron Gilbert was equally stunned, as he was reportedly unaware of the collaboration. The Monkey Island franchise, which began with the release of The Secret of Monkey Island in 1990, has garnered a dedicated following over the years thanks to its humorous and engaging point-and-click gameplay. Gilbert, who designed the original game and led the production of Return of Monkey Island in 2022, had not been involved in the franchise since leaving LucasArts three decades earlier. Despite the success of Return to Monkey Island, rumors suggest that fans may be in store for a sequel to the classic Lucasfilm adventure game Maniac Mansion.

A recent post on a game development Mastodon server has shed light on the upcoming Sea of Thieves and The Legend of Monkey Island crossover. However, according to Ron Gilbert, the creator of Monkey Island, he was not informed about the project and only learned about it through the Mastodon post. While Lucasfilm may not require Gilbert's consent due to his lack of ownership over the franchise, it is still surprising to see the creator left out of the loop regarding the existence of a crossover involving his iconic creation.

Mastodon users expressed a mix of surprise and disappointment in response to Gilbert not being informed about The Legend of Monkey Island's arrival in Sea of Thieves. One user commented, "Wow...so you found out today like the rest of us?" Another user shared their sadness but also noted that they weren't shocked, as the crossover campaign takes place in a different timeline than 2022's Return to Monkey Island. While there was no obligation for Lucasfilm to involve or seek approval from Ron Gilbert, it is disheartening to see such an iconic designer left out of the loop. With the next 5 years of Sea of Thieves content already in the works, hopefully, other creators won't face a similar surprise in the future.

Sea of Thieves is available now on PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.

Source: Time Extension