We on the sea of thieves seem to have everything we want or need, a variety of missions, a variety of world events, and even a variety of customizations for our ship that have expanded over the course of the last four years. The only two things missing I would say, are secondly and larger land expansion with more land-based exploration opportunity, but even more so, an update to the existing wildlife and island systems.
Islands are currently filled with skeletons, ocean crawlers, pigs, chickens, and snakes, with the shallows update, this is overhauled. Adding new animals, and ocean life to the reefs around the islands would brighten the game and allow for more time to be spent on islands playing with wildlife and having fun with friends!
Ground Based Animals: Currently Pigs, Chicken, Snakes. These animals albeit interesting for lower-level players who need to use them for missions or who just simply playing with their favorite pig, are not game mechanics that are used for much else other than to see running around while digging for your treasure. This could change, adding new animals is something many people would enjoy, and I would hope is an addition that could come in this update.
Wild Boars- We see constant reference to wild boars on rock paintings everywhere. They seem to have just disappeared, until now! Wild boars will drop a larger "Trophy Pork Chop" and can charge and knock back a player if that player gets too close to it. Their meat can be sold to hunters call and can be eaten as well for new food types! I would say triple the current pig health would be reasonable and would allow for hunting with a bit more challenge, as they run away from players who are shooting at them.
Monkeys- Pets are not the only place monkeys should exist, I realize how difficult it would be to implement which is why I don't know how realistic they are, but if possible, having monkeys that you can interact with via feeding and will swing from tree to tree would be amazing. These monkeys would be in different mood sets, angry meaning they will throw bananas at you and attempt to get you to leave the island, meaning you will have to scare them away with a gunshot, friendly meaning they will approach you and allow you to feed them, also potentially showing players where ground loot may be on the surface of islands, this would be an awesome addition to the game.
Jaguars- These are aggressive animals that will attempt to kill you, I would love to hear about these potential features that they could have. I think if you are alone, they could attempt to target you more than if you are in a group and would be less common than all other animal types meaning that their fur, when killed that will drop will be a specialty to sell to Merrick.
An update to the shorelines around islands would be included as well, adding reefs that are explorable and home to a plethora of new aquatic life. These reefs can vary in size between islands and allow players to level up hunters call via exploration instead of fishing and gemstones. They can be used to house new mission types and allow players to stay and interact with islands more often.
Sea Based Animals
Manta rays- These would be incredibly awesome! Rays are an addition that could potentially allow for a whole new shoreline lifeform. Rays come in different colors similar to fish and can be hunted and ridden to traverse the shoreline as fast as possible. Riding a ray means you climb on its back and can control in for a limited amount of time of 10 seconds before it flails around and kicks you off. These lifeforms also will eat fish and keep close to islands. In addition to this their meat is sellable to hunter's call.
Electric Eells- Eells are huntable and also can be used as food the same as manta rays. Electric Eells are killable albeit difficult and come in different colors as well, they can electrocute you when a sword is used and if close enough with a gun. Eells have a passive nature but become aggressive if you attempt to get close or fight it. Eells however, do also stay in their own island areas.
Sharks- In the current form there is only one variation, however, with these sharks' surrounding shorelines and are different colors and rarities it will enhance the experience with them in the seas.
Fish- Currently fish swimming around and being eaten by Rays, Eells, and Sharks would be awesome. Players can carry a jar with them and trap a fish in it, after this selling it to Merrick will result in a reputation and gold boost higher than that of cooked fish, this would be a way to integrate missions with Hunters Call, meaning you will claim a mission in order to gain the jars and then sell fish in the jars to Merrick to complete the mission the same as the merchant alliance animal deliveries.
IN ADDITION, HUNTERS CALL LEVEL IS RAISED TO 75 IN ORDER TO INCREASE AMOUNT NEED TO USE THIS UPDATE!