Sea of Thieves: exodus of content creators after serious allegations

In May 2026, the popular multiplayer game Sea of Thieves was hit by a significant exodus of content creators following serious allegations of sexual misconduct. Nearly a dozen creators within the Sea of Thieves Partner Program decided to step away from their roles after allegations of child abuse were made against content creator Bruno, better known by the alias Heslashthem.

Allegations of abuse

The allegations against Bruno have been compiled in a document known as 'The Bruno Files'. This document includes screenshot evidence of alleged inappropriate conversations with underage players via Discord and during livestreams. The claims also include new allegations added to the document on 12 May, suggesting that Bruno attempted to obtain explicit photos from an alleged underage player.

Community reactions

Some content creators within the Sea of Thieves community have accused Rare, the game's developer, of lacking transparency and of downplaying the allegations. There are claims that Discord moderators aggressively moderated and removed messages about the situation. As a result, several prominent content creators, including HitboTC, Phuzzy, and Captain Falcore, have been forced to step back from their roles in the Partner Program.

Account removals

Bruno's accounts on both Sea of Thieves and Discord have since been removed or banned. This includes a screenshot showing Rare's senior community manager, j0toro, appearing in a game alongside Bruno, which has intensified community criticism over how Rare handled the situation.

It is clear that the recent events have had significant consequences for the Sea of Thieves community, with both content creators and players calling for a more effective response from Rare and Microsoft.