Community Spotlight – Div_And_Inc

We’ve always maintained that the seas are for everyone, and as Pride Month draws to a close, we wanted to sit down and talk to one of our brilliant Boatswains about their experience as a Diversity and Inclusion advocate out on the waves. So we took some time to catch up with Div_And_Inc to discuss everything Sea of Thieves, from in-game representation to the community with which they’ve surrounded themselves. Jump in and find out more!

[Q]: Can you tell us a little about what got you into gaming?

[A]: Gaming has always been a wonderful way to engage my brain. Puzzle games, adventure games and action games have all provided a great way to immerse myself in a new world and temporarily let go of the many life stresses we all face on a daily basis.

[Q]: Were you a Rare fan before Sea of Thieves? Do you have any favourite Rare games?

[A]: I have been a fan of Rare for some time. I fondly remember loving Donkey Kong Country for the SNES. But my most nostalgic game I lost so many hours to was GoldenEye 007 for the N64. As a teenager I spent so many nights with my friends strafing around the Facility as Oddjob, and trying to take out my friends with a karate chop only!

[Q]: What other games are you currently playing? Any favourites?

[A]: I’m loving survival games like Rust and playing battle royale games with a good group of friends, such as Fortnite or PUBG.

[Q]: What brought you over to Sea of Thieves and its community?

[A]: I’ve always been incredibly fond of pirate stories, lore and their portrayal in books and movies. I was introduced to Sea of Thieves during the pandemic in 2020. We had so much fun as a group just trying to keep a boat afloat!

As I started to explore the game more, I was really eager to learn how to improve (especially at the PvP aspect). I found some wonderful Twitch communities where Sea of Thieves was the main game. I never looked back at this point and continued to learn day after day what incredible experiences this game offers to its players and the community.

[Q]: Could you share any memorable experiences in Sea of Thieves where you felt your identity as a transgender and non-binary person was respected or represented positively?

[A]: My absolute highlight was the incredible moment I was so kindly honoured with both the ‘funny blue hat’ and the title of Boatswain. This was such a validating moment as it came with the recognition of me and my community’s efforts to normalise trans and non-binary inclusion, and to create a safe space for anybody regardless of who they are, where they come from or how they identify. As a trans/non-binary content creator, it made me so, so proud to keep being my authentic self and help others find care and safety amongst the community.

[Q]: What advice do you have for people who want to become better LGBTQIA+ allies in the Sea of Thieves community or gaming in general?

[A]: If I could emphasise one thing to anyone who aspires to be a better ally (and member of the LGBTQIA+ community) it is “don’t ever be afraid to make a mistake”. If someone corrects you, it is okay: apologise, learn and move on. We live in an unfortunate world (online and offline) where it can feel like making a mistake or saying the wrong thing could result in a lot of aggression and shame. It doesn’t need to be this way.

The truth is, nobody is perfect. We all make mistakes and we can ALL aspire to create a world where people are not judged by their mistakes, they are instead judged by how they behave when those mistakes are kindly and discreetly pointed out. This is how we learn, understand and grow as a person in the face of our mistakes and, as a result, allyship grows individually and as a society.

[Q]: How does Sea of Thieves support you in your celebration of pride and encouraging inclusivity for all?

[A]: Rare and the Sea of Thieves team do such a wonderful job in representing pride and the LGBTQIA+ community. We always see so many examples of pride being represented in-game, on socials and even in pictures from within Rare HQ.

What’s even more incredible is we also see representation of LGBTQIA+ characters in-game (Marley is the best!). We see website posts emphasising inclusivity for all. We also are presented with flags and cosmetics which represent and are so fondly adopted by the LGBTQIA+ community. This happens all year round and is a constant reminder that the seas are intended to be safe and for all pirates of all identities.

[Q]: Thinking back, are there any standout moments for you in Sea of Thieves since you started playing?

[A]: There are just so many! But my most wholesome highlight was encountering two Brigantine crews while sailing with a very good friend of mine, TheRealMuttley. While we were convinced an epic battle would ensue, what transpired was an eight-pirate Alliance. We searched out and found all of our Skeleton Thrones to sit in and finished with a group trip to complete Glitterbeard. It was my first ever Glitterbeard and the community nature of it and the beauty of the game experience genuinely brought tears to my eyes.

[Q]: What are your favourite recent additions to Sea of Thieves?

[A]: I absolutely LOVE the addition of throwing knives to the game. This has added such a different dynamic to how combat encounters work and has completely increased the variety of tactics during either PvE or PvP encounters. Similarly, the introduction of the Chest of Fortune to changing World Events has opened up the high seas to many more sandbox-based encounters with other players. The addition of the Hourglass of Fate to the seas was great, but it massively dried up the content for those of us who enjoyed the open-world sandbox nature of the game. This new treasure being event-specific created a whole new competitive angle, which has made some amazing adventures for us all.

[Q]: What are your greatest achievements in a game, Sea of Thieves or otherwise?

[A]: One of my personal favourites was obtaining my Ghostly Curse from Hourglass PvP battles. As someone who was so nervous with every PvP encounter, I used to shake and my heart would race at the first cannon shot. I was very proud of myself for battling those anxieties and learning to just enjoy the competitive experience, and this curse was indicative of facing one of many anxieties and learning to process them in a healthy and productive way!

[Q]: If you had to choose a pirate and ship name, what would they be?

[A]: My most famous ship is called ‘The Fish Finger Sammich’. I have a long-standing habit of naming all of my ships after the last thing I ate!

If I was to name my pirate, however, I would call them ‘Nova’. Nova is a given name of Latin origin which means ‘new’. Having publicly come out as a member of the trans and non-binary community in 2020, my pirate and my experiences of self-discovery as a result of this game (and its community) means that my pirate represents wonderful new beginnings and blossoming as my authentic self in my own personal life.

[Q]: What kind of other hobbies do you enjoy outside of gaming?

[A]: I’m a very keen cook. I’m so excited to try some new recipes from the Sea of Thieves cookbook! One of my favourite things to do outside of gaming is cook a wonderful meal for my friends and loved ones while discussing the ridiculousness of the world we live in and play board games. I’m also very fond of rock climbing and long walks with my incredible German Shepherd Yara.

[Q]: Share a fun fact about yourself. Anything is fair game!

[A]: During my twenties, I was a circus performer for a huge variety of clubs and events across the north of the UK. I used to juggle, diablo and (the most fun) fire breathe!

So ends another Community Spotlight! We had a great time talking to Div_And_Inc and we hope you enjoyed their answers too. The seas will always welcome those who wish to sail on them and champion the Community Code of Conduct, and there’ll always be space for those who need a place to call home. We wish you all a very happy Pride Month!

If you can’t wait to hear more from our community, you can check out our previous Community, Creator and Legend Spotlights. Or to see what else our players have been up to and some of the wonderful creations they’ve been making recently, head over to our Community Hub. Until next time!