The Sea of Thieves social team has certainly gone above and beyond the call of duty by letting us know about the last promo of the week, and it will be nothing less than a Rare 40th Anniversary Vinyl Box Set, which has been exhibited in a very nice way in the promotional image. You can win this just by taking part in the contest and that too by doing something as simple as telling people which instrument in the game is your favorite.

Every day at 6 PM UTC a random winner from all the entries through their different channels is declared. That’s all! However, the biggest attraction is not the promotion but the huge, very funny, and highly animated reaction of the players regarding the choice of the virtual pirate-noisemaker that has taken up the first place in their hearts.

Not only on the first day, but also through the Sea of Thieves team, gamers were directly getting a chance to receive the super rare vinyl collection if they told us what their favorite instrument was. This is a real collector’s item that has been created to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the development of the famous game under the Rare label. But the question has opened up and the opinions about music have allowed the pirate community to share their very strong preferences regarding what can accompany their shanties.

The comments are, to say the least, entertaining, and they are akin to entering a loud tavern where a debate is going on. The battle has begun, and almost immediately a clear winner has emerged: the Hurdy Gurdy. No doubt, this unusual-looking medieval fiddle-like instrument has won a lot of adherents. Gradually they were shouting their love louder for the instrument. “100% the hurdy gurdy,” said Stephen Hancock, and he quickly added that if the prices weren’t so high for the real one, he would already own one thanks to the game.

Some players like procedural were impressed by its “amazing drone tones,” while princessC4T just said “i luuuurv da hurdygurdy.” Ryan Pratt pointed out the fact that it’s just nice to say and besides it, according to voidhuntermain, it “adds a majestic melody to any shanty.” So the love is there and the hurdy-gurdy advocates are indeed loud and proud.

But do not be so fast to dismiss the banjo folks. The banjo warriors made a big bang. “The banjo of course,” CoveredChart3 stated, “Has to be the banjo !!!” petite surprised ALittleFella. Surprisingly, some went so far as to even mention the Banjo of Banishment which implies a very good grasp of the game’s lore. Scaveets even posted a GIF with the saying “Guh-Huh!” accompanying it proudly next to the Banjo. Apparently, that is an iconic pirates’ sound and for many it is the only choice.

Next up are the members of the Concertina group. This small squeezebox has its share of loyal fans, with grugs friend and Shirogami citing it as their favorite. Donkey Kong even recognized the “Mad Monkey” variant mentioned, which means that the game’s cosmetic preferences run deep among the high seas. Also, the drummer gang is represented. BerzerkJester and Blair both supported the drum with a special mention to the “Drum of the Deep.” Perchance there is something basic in keeping the beat while sailing, I suppose.

However, some of the answers included not only funny but also deep cuts which clearly show how much the players love the game’s universe. One participant, drew, exclaimed, “davy jone’s organ on the tall tale,” which is a very specific and great choice. Another, DuMy2008, pretended to be clever saying the Sailor Shovel was his favorite then conceding it’s probably the Drum of the Deep. And Pe0plesRepublic? They went for the biggest meme and proposed “empty blow gun” as the best instrument. I mean, why not, right? The creativity is limitless.

Oh, and pirates needing a translator shouldn’t be forgotten: MarukoGema commented “Mon instrument préféré est le tambour (Drum),” which merely demonstrates that showing love for drums is indeed a worldwide phenomenon. The Sea of Thieves community is without limitations.

So, what is the moral of this whole musical uproar? These are not just items on the menu or mere emotes. They form the very backbone of the Sea of Thieves social network. You may be playing a melancholic “Becalmed” on the hurdy-gurdy as the sun dips below the horizon, or getting the entire crew to join on the banjos after a fort raid; these instruments will create moments. They are the background music of friendships, funny failures, and great wins. That so many people have a passionate favorite means that the game indeed fosters these shared experiences.

The giveaway itself can be regarded as a nice promo. Meanwhile, in other gaming news, a recent PlayStation tweet sparked discussion, and Xbox Game Pass had some fun with the Fallout show.