OSRS dev says Sailing update won't follow up on the "perfection" of Sea Shanty 2

Old School Runescape has more than its fair share of magical melodies. From the snazzy jazzy H.A.M Fisted and the salsa-dipped Flute Salad, to the nostalgia-triggering Harmony and my all-time favorite, Forever, Jagex's music team certainly knows how to capture a vibe. In terms of pure popularity, these all pale in comparison to the nautical monolith that is Sea Shanty 2. As OSRS' new Sailing skill nears its maiden voyage, it's the perfect time for Jagex to produce a sequel to the most iconic song to come from one of the best MMOs. So, I put the question to the team: "Sea Shanty 3 when?"

With its trill topline and cheesy charm, Sea Shanty 2 has cemented itself as the Old School Runescape tune. Earlier this year, OSRS exploded in popularity as World of Warcraft refugees, some of the biggest content creators included, took to Gielinor in droves. Upon reaching Port Sarim for the first time, new scapers were treated to peak, further elevating all 60kB of Sea Shanty 2 to new heights. Even EDM maestro Alan Walker couldn't help himself, serenading Tomorrowland festival with his own techno take as Old School mania reached fever pitch.

For years, we've been pondering when Sea Shanty would become a trilogy, and the upcoming release of Sailing presents the perfect opportunity to give it a more modern spin. Unfortunately, it's not looking good, despite the devs' own desires to see it materialize. "It was the first thing I requested from the audio team," senior game designer Elena Nordmark tells me, lamenting that "I don't think they took me too seriously." Jagex pls.

Now, while this is absolutely cause to take to the streets of Varrock and riot, Nordmark does tease that the team has "some other exciting news coming soon," but "can't spoil too much" for now. So, at the very least, know there's something special in the works to salve the pain. Honestly, I'm not surprised Sea Shanty 3 isn't in the works, and design director Kieran Charles vocalizes my thoughts perfectly:

"How do you do a sequel to perfection?"

I don't think it's possible. Expect to hear more from the Jagex team as we share the rest of our chat about all things Sailing over the coming days. In the meantime, we've collated more of the best free MMOs you should try out right now, as well as the new MMOs that are making waves within the genre.

If you disagree with Charles' assertion, then feel free to sail into our community Discord server and state your case as to why. Or, if you've got some hot takes on Sailing, we're all oars - I mean ears.