He actually bolted a real wheel to his PC setup
A tinkerer known as johnnyjack is trying to make Sea of Thieves feel less like a game and more like a dodgy naval simulator you’d buy from a seaside stall. Instead of the usual thumbstick twiddle, he’s hooked up an honest-to-goodness ship’s wheel to the game, using optical encoders to translate the rotation into in-game steering.
The project is still being polished — there are obvious questions like how you look around, aim cannons, or handle sails without swapping to a controller. But the plan looks promising: parts that track rotation, some clever input mapping, and the promise that the design could be 3D printed so other players can try the same stunt.
If you’ve seen this creator’s past work — custom controllers for Battlefield with wheels and joysticks, and a tabletop TV that mirrors an F1 race map in real time — it’s safe to say he’s not messing around. Expect more weird but wonderful solutions to the “how do I play like a real pirate?” problem.
Why this actually matters to players
Outside of being a great streamer prop, a physical wheel changes how Sea of Thieves feels. Steering with a big, cranky wheel ups immersion and makes solo voyages feel weightier. It won’t change the core game, but it will alter player experience — and that’s the point for people who love fiddly inputs and roleplay.
This kind of mod highlights the creative energy in the community even as Sea of Thieves sails past its commercial peak. Rare didn’t build this wheel, but a thriving playerbase on Xbox, PlayStation, and PC means there’s an audience for quirky peripherals that turn ordinary sessions into memorable streams and videos.
For anyone who likes to tinker, this is a nudge: you can make the controls your own, whether that’s to get extra immersion, put on a show for viewers, or just giggle at the idea of steering with a chunk of wood and metal. Keep an eye on johnnyjack’s updates — if he posts files, expect a handful of DIY pirates to follow.
