RuneScape
News, coverage and analysis tracking RuneScape across the outlets.
Latest coverage
Old School RuneScape began when a dev 'found the 2007 server in their desk drawer:' 13 years later, it's setting subscriber records for the long-lived MMO
Old School RuneScape, a 2013 fork of the original RuneScape, has achieved record subscriber numbers, surpassing even the original game's peak in 2007. Creative director Kieren Charles revealed that the 2007 server build was found in a desk drawer, and the game's development is now heavily community-driven through player votes. Jagex senior communications manager Danni Amos also contributed insights into the game's origins.
Massively Overthinking: How important is an auction house in MMORPGs?
MMORPG developers and players discuss the critical importance of auction houses and asynchronous trading systems. While some older MMORPGs succeeded without them, modern titles often rely on these features to facilitate player economies and trade, with their absence significantly impacting player experience and engagement.
RuneScape officially starts Leagues II Equilibrium today
RuneScape has officially launched its latest challenge mode, Leagues II: Equilibrium. This iteration introduces new progression mechanics, reworked relics, streamlined quests, and a region-locking feature based on player feedback from the previous Catalyst league. New rewards, including housing items, cosmetics, a pet, and trophies, are also available for participants.
RuneScape offers a closer look at API progress and several new plugins including a quest helper
Jagex has provided an update on RuneScape's API progress, showcasing several new in-game plugins that are under development. These include a highly requested quest helper, a house planner, a tile marker for route planning, an agility helper, and a farming timer. While no release dates have been announced, Jagex is working closely with plugin creators and improving submission guidelines.
After promising less invasive microtransactions, RuneScape dev Jagex rolls out one-time-use microtransactions then…
Jagex, the developer of RuneScape, faced player backlash after introducing one-time-use microtransaction cosmetics for player-owned houses. Following the negative reaction, the company quickly reversed the decision, announcing a 'buy once, unlock forever' model and refunding customers who made multiple purchases. This incident occurred shortly after a subscription price hike and Jagex's pledge to reduce invasive microtransactions.
RuneScape hypes plugins and upcoming league, OSRS tweaks Wyrmscraig and Sailing
Jagex is hyping the upcoming Equilibrium league for RuneScape, set to launch on August 10th and run until September 21st, with final reveals planned for an August 7th livestream. The company also announced plans to release official plugins and open its API dev environment to the public. Meanwhile, Old School RuneScape is receiving updates to the Wyrmscraig area and the Sailing skill, including fishing improvements and various fixes.
RuneScape Dragonwilds confirms launch date: ‘September 15th is not the end of Dragonwilds’
Jagex has announced that RuneScape Dragonwilds will officially launch its 1.0 version on September 15th, concluding the Kuldra Saga. This date marks a milestone but not the end of content, with plans for multi-year development including new skills, quests, regions, and bosses. Further information will be shared closer to launch and at the Runefest event in October.
MMO Week in Review: I want to believe
This week's MMO news roundup covers updates and announcements for numerous titles including Stars Reach, EverQuest Legends, Elder Scrolls Online, and Final Fantasy XIV. Key stories include Stars Reach's official early access date, Elder Scrolls Online's post-layoff roadmap, and Guild Wars 3 revealing its composers. The article also touches on game development, business practices, and player sentiment across various MMORPGs.
The Daily Grind: What are some weird objects in MMORPGs that we’ve normalized?
This article discusses normalized concepts within MMORPGs, using RuneScape's crafting stations as an example of a seemingly odd in-game object that players have come to accept. It prompts readers to share other unusual MMORPG elements that have become commonplace.
RuneScape: Dragonwilds revamps the agility skill and gives you Wipeout style courses to test your mettle on
RuneScape: Dragonwilds has released an update revamping the Agility skill with new mechanics like a horizontal dash, double jump, and a breakfall system to reduce fall damage. The update also introduces six Wipeout-style parkour courses with leaderboards and rewards for achieving gold medal times.
RuneScape begins reveals for its next league as Old School RuneScape introduces Wyrmscraig
Jagex has announced details for RuneScape's upcoming Equilibrium league, set to launch on August 10th, featuring new relics and alternative reality themes. Simultaneously, Old School RuneScape has released the player-designed Wyrmscraig island, introducing a new quest, boss, Slayer master, and crafting activities.
Guild Wars 2’s extended fam is basically responsible for making Jimothy a thing, so we’re getting minipets
ArenaNet is adding the internet-famous raccoon, Jimothy, as a minipet in Guild Wars 2 on August 11th. The developer acknowledged the meme's origin, which stemmed from a video filmed by the spouse of an ArenaNet developer. Jimothy will also appear in World of Warcraft, AdventureQuest 3D, and RuneScape.
Jagex’s current CEO dreams of RuneScape being the biggest MMORPG on the planet
Jagex CEO Jon Bellamy expressed his ambition for RuneScape to become the number one MMORPG globally, aiming for at least three large, growing RuneScape titles serving a combined audience of millions. He also discussed the impact of recent monetization changes, lessons learned from RuneScape: Dragonwilds, and strategies for better serving Asian and U.S. markets.
Massively Overthinking: Which MMOs are a lot more popular than most people realize?
This article discusses the phenomenon of Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games (MMORPGs) that are significantly more popular than mainstream perception suggests. Games like Elder Scrolls Online, Albion Online, RuneScape, and Guild Wars 2 are highlighted for their substantial revenue and player bases, despite often being overlooked by general gaming media. The discussion also touches upon the separate fanbases of Eastern MMORPGs and the tendency for some players to underestimate the continued success of established titles like World of Warcraft.
Jagex talks up RuneFest, OSRS tweaks gear and PvM, and RuneScape Monopoly opens preorders
Jagex is building excitement for RuneFest 2026, highlighting its planned reveals for RuneScape and Old School RuneScape, on-site quests, and fan atmosphere. The company also announced that pre-orders are live for Monopoly: RuneScape Edition and detailed recent summer updates for Old School RuneScape, including gear and PvM tweaks.
RuneScape Monopoly pre-orders are open, complete with Bob the Cat and cabbage tokens
Jagex has opened pre-orders for a special RuneScape edition of Monopoly, priced at £49.99 in the UK and $59.99 in the US, with shipping expected to begin in October 2026. The game features locations and tokens from the MMORPG, including Bob the Cat and cabbage tokens. This collaboration is part of Jagex's plans for RuneScape's 25th anniversary and coincides with the relaunch of the official RuneScape Merch Store.
Jimothy, a particularly round raccoon and the internet's latest sensation, has now broken into games
Jimothy, a round raccoon that has gone viral online, is now being featured in various video games. Titles like World of Warcraft, RuneScape, Dead by Daylight, Mouse: P.I. For Hire, The Sims, and Halo have created renders or in-game depictions of the popular animal. The article speculates that Fortnite might also feature Jimothy in the future.
Jagex wants classic British point-and-click MMO RuneScape to be bigger than World of Warcraft
Jagex CEO Jon Bellamy aims for RuneScape to become the world's biggest MMO within five years, surpassing World of Warcraft. This ambitious goal involves growing the RuneScape franchise to encompass at least three major titles, including Old School RuneScape, RuneScape, and the upcoming RuneScape: Dragonwilds, to attract a combined multi-million player audience.
RuneScape CEO is serious about taking World of Warcraft's MMO crown: "Why not swing for the top?"
Jagex CEO Jon Bellamy has stated the company's ambition for RuneScape to become the number one MMORPG brand globally, surpassing World of Warcraft. While acknowledging the significant gap, Bellamy believes Jagex can achieve this goal by executing their strategy correctly. The article also briefly mentions Final Fantasy 14 as another major player in the genre.
RuneScape rebalances the mid-game, Old School RuneScape adds the isle of Wyrmscraig July 29
Jagex has released a mid-game rebalance for RuneScape, streamlining skills like Fletching, Agility, and Divination, while also adjusting progression for God Wars dungeons and item drop rates. Concurrently, Old School RuneScape is launching the player-designed island of Wyrmscraig on July 29th, featuring new quests and activities. A beta version of the Jagex Launcher is also available for Linux users.
