RuneScape

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For the version of the game released in February 2013, see Old School RuneScape.

RuneScape

Runescape 3 Logo.png

Developer(s) Jagex

Publisher(s) Jagex

Designer(s)

Andrew Gower

Paul Gower

Composer(s)

Ian Taylor

James Hannigan

Platform(s)

Microsoft Windows

macOS

Linux

Android

iOS

Release 4 January 2001

Genre(s) MMORPG

Mode(s) Multiplayer

RuneScape, sometimes referred to as RuneScape 3,[1] is a fantasy massively multiplayer online role-
playing game (MMORPG) developed and published by Jagex, first released in January 2001. RuneScape
was originally a browser game built with the Java programming language, but was largely replaced by a
standalone C++-coded client in 2016. The game has had over 200 million accounts created and is
recognised by the Guinness World Records as the world's largest and most-updated free MMORPG.[2]
RuneScape takes place in the world of Gielinor, a medieval fantasy realm divided into different
kingdoms, regions, and cities.[3][4] Players can travel throughout Gielinor via a number of methods
including on foot, magical spells, or charter ships.[5] Each region offers different types of monsters,
resources, and quests to challenge players. The game's fictional universe has also been explored through
a tie-in video game on another of its maker's websites, FunOrb, Armies of Gielinor,[6] and the novels
Betrayal at Falador,[7] Return to Canifis,[8] and Legacy of Blood.[9]

Players are represented in the game with customisable avatars. RuneScape does not follow a linear
storyline; rather, players set their own goals and objectives. Players can choose to fight non-player
character (NPC) monsters, complete quests, or increase their experience in the available skills. Players
interact with each other through trading, chatting, or by participating in mini-games and activities, some
of which are competitive or combative in nature, while others require cooperative or collaborative play.

The first public version of RuneScape was released in January 2001 in beta form, with Jagex as its
copyright holder being formed later that year. As the game's popularity grew, the game engine was
rewritten and released as RuneScape 2,[10] with the original version of the game being renamed
RuneScape Classic. The third iteration of the game, known as RuneScape 3, was released in July 2013.
[11] Old School RuneScape, a separate, older version of the game dating from August 2007 was released
in February 2013, and is maintained alongside the original client. It was announced that mobile ports of
both versions of RuneScape would be released for Android and iOS devices in 2018.[12][13] RuneScape
was released on Steam on 14 October 2020.[14]

Contents

1 Gameplay

1.1 Skills

1.2 Combat

1.2.1 Player versus player combat

1.3 Non-player interaction

1.4 Player interaction

1.5 Quests

2 History and development

2.1 Graphics and audio

2.2 Servers
2.3 Old School RuneScape

2.4 DarkScape

3 Community

3.1 Rules and cheating

4 Reception

4.1 Player reception

4.2 Revenue

4.3 Accolades

5 References

6 External links

Gameplay

A screenshot of the game interface from RuneScape

Players begin in a secluded area, where they are taken through a tutorial, a set path where they learn
the most basic skills in RuneScape.[15] After the tutorial, players have access to tutors and advisors
located in the towns they explore, who can give players appropriate information about their respective
skills.[16]

Players set their own goals and objectives as they play the game. They can train their in-game skills,
engage non-player character (NPC) monsters and other players in combat and complete quests at their
discretion.[17] Players interact with each other through trading, chatting or by participating in mini-
games.

Skills

There are 28 skills in RuneScape, 17 skills available to free-to-play players and an additional 11 for
members, which enable players to perform various activities allowing for interaction with NPCs, the
environment and other players. Players gain experience points in a skill when they use it. For example,
mining an ore trains the mining skill, and when the player accumulates enough experience points in the
skill, their character will "level up".[18] As a skill level rises, the ability to retrieve better raw materials
and produce better products increases, as does the experience awarded if the player uses new abilities.
The total skill level of a player partly symbolises the player's status in the game and subscribers with a
high total level can appear on the high scores.[19] Upon reaching the highest available level in a skill,
members may buy a special cape to symbolise their achievement.[20]
Some skills, such as woodcutting and fishing, enable the player to collect raw materials that can be
processed into usable items for other skills, such as fletching and cooking respectively. The items
created can be used by the player or sold to shops and other players. Other skills allow players to kill
certain NPCs, build their own houses, move around the map with greater ease, steal from various NPCs,
market stalls and chests located in-game, light fires, cook their own food, create their own potions, craft
runestones and weapons, plant their own plants, hunt NPC animals, raid dungeons, and summon
familiars to assist in combat and training skills.[21]

Combat

RuneScape features a semi-real-time combat system. Combat is an important aspect of the game,
allowing players to defeat monsters to obtain dropped items or to complete quests. A combat level is an
indicator of how powerful a player or NPC is in combat. For players, it is determined by applying a
mathematical formula to their combat skills.[22] Players engage in combat by clicking on the enemy
they want their character to attack and will automatically continue fighting until they kill their opponent,
die, or retreat from the fight. Most of the game's weapons are medieval or fantastical in nature, and
feature different strengths and weaknesses. Players may also summon a familiar to assist with combat,
[23] use special attacks called "abilities" to deal additional damage,[24] and use potions and the Prayer
skill to boost their combat prowess.

Combat is subdivided into three main categories: melee, magic and ranged. Melee attacks are close
range,[25] magic attacks focus on using runestones to cast spells,[26] and ranged attacks use projectile
weapons like arrows, darts or throwing knives.[27] These combat types make up a "Combat Triangle",
which governs effectiveness of styles in a rock-paper-scissors fashion; melee beats ranged, ranged beats
magic, magic beats melee, and each style is neutral to itself.[28] The advantages and disadvantages of
the combat triangle apply to both NPCs and player opponents. Players are not required to choose a
character class nor are they bound to a specific category of combat. They may freely change between or
combine the three styles of combat by switching weapons and armour.

Combat is governed by a life points system. Every combatant has a maximum capacity of life points, and
dies when their health is depleted to 0. Lost life points can be recovered by consuming certain food or
drinks, or casting abilities. Players who die reappear at a respawn point of their choice with their life and
skill points restored; however, they drop all but three chosen items, as well as certain common items.
[22][29] Dying spawns a gravestone that will hold all of the player's items and will last for an allotted
time; however, there are situations in which all items will be lost upon death. If the player does not
return in time, the grave will collapse and their items will disappear.[22][29]

In June 2012 players were invited to beta-test a new combat system named "Evolution of Combat",[30]
which included fundamental changes such as re-balancing the Combat Triangle to avoid favouring melee
attacks,[31] and replacing special weapon attacks with abilities that produce a range of effects when
activated. The system was released on the live game on 20 November 2012.[24] Various polls were also
added for players to vote on in game that would determine the result of future content development,
[32] some of which would dictate the development of the improved combat system.[33][34] A beta for a
separate combat system dubbed "Legacy Mode" was opened to players on 16 June 2014,[35] before
being introduced to the live game on 14 July. Legacy Mode allows players to switch to the combat
system and interface from prior to June 2012 instead of the Evolution of Combat system.[36]

Player versus player combat

Player versus player combat (PvP) can be performed in specific controlled mini-games and in an area
known as the Wilderness. The Duel Arena allows players to stake money and items,[37] while other PvP
games offer their own rewards. In the Wilderness, players can engage in combat provided that their
combat levels fall within a certain range of each other, and if a player kills their opponent they will be
able to claim their opponent's items as a reward.[38]

Before December 2007, players went to the Wilderness to fight other players within a certain combat
level range, hoping to kill them and gain their items.[39] In December 2007, the Wilderness was altered
to prevent players from transferring in-game items for real-world currency.[40] PvP combat was
removed from the Wilderness and temporarily restricted to new mini-games named Bounty Hunter and
Clan Wars.[41] Bounty Hunter was replaced by special Bounty Worlds on 6 May 2009 in which players
were confined to the Wilderness and could be assigned specific targets to kill.[42] "PvP Worlds" were
introduced on 15 October 2008 where players could fight almost anywhere in Gielinor,[43] but these
and "Bounty Worlds" were removed when PvP combat in the Wilderness was restored on 1 February
2011.[44]

Non-player interaction

NPCs populate the realm of Gielinor. Some NPCs, such as shopkeepers and some characters in quests,
are unavailable for combat. However, most NPCs can be attacked and these are generally referred to as
monsters. Monsters range from common, low-level creatures, such as chickens and goblins, to unique
and often much more powerful monsters, such as the Queen Black Dragon, Telos, and Vorago.[45]

Most monsters have their own strengths and weaknesses, notable exceptions being certain bosses,
which have no specific weaknesses. Demons, for example, have a weak defence against ranged attacks,
while metal dragons have extremely high defence against ranged. The weakness of an individual
monster is displayed in an interface above its model, along with its combat level and lifepoints.

Monsters may either be aggressive or non-aggressive. Non-aggressive monsters ignore players unless
attacked, while aggressive monsters may attack all players or may only attack players with combat levels
below a specified level, depending on the circumstances or location. This can make certain areas
throughout Gielinor dangerous or inconvenient to players with lower combat levels.[45]

Player interaction

Players can interact with each other through trading, chatting, or by participating in mini-games and
activities, some of which are competitive or combative in nature, while others require cooperative or
collaborative play. Players can trade items and gold coins with each other, either through a face-to-face
trade,[46] or by using a large automated marketplace known as the Grand Exchange.[47]

The chat system enables players to communicate with each other. Public Chat broadcasts text to players
in the local area on one server, both by text appearing above the speaker's head and in the message
box. Friends Chat broadcasts text in the message box only to certain players tuned into a specific
channel, who can be available on any RuneScape world. Each Friends Chat channel has an owner, who
can assign different ranks to individual players; players' ranks dictate their ability to perform
administrative tasks within the channel. Clan Chat allows members of a clan to communicate with each
other through a separate channel.[48] Quick Chat allows players to choose from a list of predetermined
messages to send as Public Chat, Clan Chat, or Friends Chat.[49]

RuneScape also features independent mini-games, although most are only available to paying members.
Mini-games take place in certain areas and normally involve specific in-game skills, and usually require
players to cooperate or to compete with each other. Examples of these mini-games include Castle Wars,
which is similar to the real-life game Capture the Flag, Pest Control, a highly combat-focused mini-game,
and Fist of Guthix, where one player (the hunter) tries to stop another player (the hunted) from
collecting charges into a magical stone.[50]

Quests

Quests are series of tasks with a storyline that players can choose to complete. These often have
requirements including minimum levels in certain skills, combat levels, quest points and/or the
completion of other quests. Players receive various rewards for completion of quests, including money,
unique items, access to new areas, quest points and/or increases in skill experience. Some quests
require players to work together, and many require players to engage in challenging combat. Quests are
grouped into categories based on requirements and difficulty.[51] Once a player completes all quests in
the game, an achievement item known as the "Quest Point Cape" can be claimed.[20] New quests are
released periodically.

History and development

This section may be too long to read and navigate comfortably. Please consider condensing it, or adding
subheadings. Please discuss this issue on the article's talk page. (October 2020)

Andrew Gower developed RuneScape with the assistance of his brother Paul Gower.[52] It was originally
conceived as a text-based MUD, but graphics were incorporated early in development, adding it to the
ranks of what were then known as "graphical MUDs".[53][54] The first public version of the game used a
mixture of three-dimensional and two-dimensional sprites. It was released as a beta version on 4
January 2001, and originally operated out of their parents' house in Nottingham.[52] In December 2001,
the Gower brothers, along with Constant Tedder, formed Jagex to take over the business aspects of
running RuneScape.[55] Among its early innovations Jagex developed an interpreted domain-specific
scripting language called RuneScript, which is used by RuneScape's server for event handling.[56] In
February 2002, a monthly membership service was introduced, allowing access to additional features
including new areas, quests, and items not available to free users.[57]

Ranged combat in RuneScape Classic

As the game gained more users, Jagex began planning major changes.[58] The developers rewrote the
game engine, producing a new version of the game with entirely three-dimensional graphics called
RuneScape 2. A beta version of RuneScape 2 was released to paying members for a testing period
beginning on 1 December 2003, and ending in March 2004.[57] Upon its official release, RuneScape 2
was renamed simply RuneScape, while the older version of the game was kept online under the name
RuneScape Classic. On 12 January 2006, Jagex banned more than 5,000 Classic accounts for cheating. To
prevent further cheating, Classic was closed to new accounts and access was restricted to accounts who
had played it at least once between 3 August 2005 and 12 January 2006.[59] Additional reopenings took
place in November 2009, June 2010 and September 2011.[60][61][62]

To support RuneScape's free content, advertisements appear on a banner above the playing screen on
the free-to-play servers. Since computer users may use advertisement blockers, which may discourage
advertisers, Jagex introduced a rule that prohibits players from blocking these advertisements.[63] On
13 July 2006, Jagex signed an exclusive marketing and distribution contract with WildTangent Games,
[64] which granted WildTangent the right to handle advertising in and around RuneScape in the United
States, and to distribute RuneScape through the WildTangent Games Network,[64] reaching over 20
million consumer PCs.[65]

On 16 May 2006, Jagex upgraded RuneScape's game engine, improving the game's loading times and
reducing its memory requirements.[66] On 1 July 2008, Jagex released a beta of their "High Detail"
mode for members, which was extended to free players two weeks later.[67] Before the launch, Jagex
stated that it would be revealed at the 2008 E3 trade show.[68]
On 14 February 2007, a German translation of RuneScape was introduced,[69] followed by a French
translation on 11 December 2008,[70] Brazilian Portuguese on 24 July 2009,[71] and Latin American
Spanish on 25 April 2013.[72] In an interview in May 2008, former Jagex CEO Geoff Iddison stated that,
"We do plan to go East with it [RuneScape] to the Asian market and the Eastern European market too"
[...] "RuneScape is not for Japan, but it could work well in Malaysia for example. And where's India in all
this? I think RuneScape is a game that would be adopted in the English-speaking Indian world and the
local-speaking Indian world. We're looking at all those markets individually."[73] RuneScape later
launched in India through the gaming portal Zapak on 8 October 2009,[74] and in France and Germany
through Bigpoint Games on 27 May 2010.[75]

On 28 February 2012, an in-game feature was introduced called the "Squeal of Fortune" that allowed
players to win items on a daily basis by spinning the wheel.[76] On 2 April 2012, it became possible for
players to spend real-world currency in exchange for additional spins, introducing a form of
microtransaction to the game.[77] Jagex CEO Mark Gerhard had previously described microtransactions
as "a stealth tax", and the update provoked complaints from players who believed they had been
"betrayed" by the change.[78] In July 2012, Jagex released Solomon's General Store, making it possible
to spend real currency in exchange for "RuneCoins" that could be spent on cosmetic rewards in the
game.[79] On 29 August 2012, Gerhard released a response to this controversy, describing these
microtransactions as "[having] a significant role in ensuring that we can continue to support, develop
and grow the game for many more years to come." He states that while these decisions are "not
necessarily popular", they are made with the future of RuneScape in mind.[80] On 4 February 2014, the
Squeal of Fortune was replaced with Treasure Hunter. Rather than spinning a wheel for prizes, players
are given keys which are used to open a chest of their choosing.[81] On 26 March 2014, Gerhard
reiterated his stance on microtransactions and their importance in updating RuneScape, and announced
a partnership with Supersonic ads, allowing players to earn RuneCoins by watching advertisements or
sampling products.[82]

On 30 August 2012, Gerhard announced that an HTML5 version of RuneScape was in development that
would allow the game to be played on "your favourite tablets, platforms and even smart TVs."[83] A
video released on 22 March 2013 stated that the new version would be called RuneScape 3 and would
use WebGL, and would include a fully customisable user interface and improved audio.[84][85] A closed
beta of the HTML5 version went live on 17 April 2013, followed by a separate alpha version of the new
interface on 24 April.[86] RuneScape 3 was released on 22 July 2013.[11]

At RuneFest 2014 Jagex announced that they were developing a new client to replace the HTML5
version, which had never been released from beta due to performance issues. The new client, named
NXT, would include improvements to loading times, new graphical effects and better performance.[87]
Closed betas took place on 19–22 February[88] and 18–21 March 2016,[89] followed by a public release
on 18 April 2016.[90]
On 23 May 2018, it was announced that due to constantly accumulating bugs and a game engine that
has become incompatible with modern support tools of the company, RuneScape Classic servers would
be permanently closed on 6 August 2018.[91][92] RuneScape was released on Steam on 14 October
2020.[14]

Graphics and audio

RuneScape can be run with varying levels of graphical detail. High-detail graphics enhance texture and
design, while low-detail graphics provide a cleaner look and can reduce lag on less powerful computers.
RuneScape uses a graphics engine called "RuneTek 5", which provides support for multiple graphics
platforms such as DirectX, OpenGL and video game consoles, as well as graphical effects such as sky
boxes, bloom lighting[93][94] and Z-buffering.[95] The high-detail version incorporates hardware
acceleration and can be rendered using either Java OpenGL or DirectX.[96][97]

RuneScape features a character-customisation system. Player characters are human; however, players
may choose the gender, hairstyle, facial hair, skin colour, and clothing options.[15] Appearance is further
complemented by wearing or wielding items. Players can express emotions through the use of
specialised animations called emotes, some of which are standard and others earned through gameplay
or released during holiday events.[98] Standard weapons of the same class, such as swords, use the
same set of animations in combat, while special weapons have their own, distinctive animations.

RuneScape has original music and ambient soundscapes. The music was designed to define the
underlying cultures of the various locations accessible, and ambient sounds, such as the cry of seagulls
flying over the ocean, occur in logical places.[99] The game also incorporates voice acting in certain
areas and situations.[57] The RuneScape 3 update included orchestral music recorded in Bratislava,
Slovakia, and was scored by James Hannigan.[85]

Servers

As of November 2011, there were 139 English RuneScape servers located throughout the world, which
are numbered and referred to as "worlds" by players and by Jagex.[100] They are located in the United
Kingdom, the United States, Canada, the Netherlands, Australia, Sweden, Finland, Belgium, Ireland,
Norway, Denmark, New Zealand, Mexico, France, Lithuania, and India.[101][102] Servers are moved or
added as the need arises.[103]

Each RuneScape server allows up to 2,000 players to log in simultaneously,[104] allowing a maximum
capacity of more than 278,000 players. The servers are divided into free servers which are available for
all players, and servers which are reserved for paying members. Some servers are given activity labels,
allowing players performing tasks that require or desire group participation to group together.[105]
Old School RuneScape

Main article: Old School RuneScape

In February 2013, a poll was opened allowing players to decide whether Jagex should open a separate
incarnation of RuneScape from August 2007.[106] Old School RuneScape was opened to paying
subscribers on 22 February 2013 after the poll received 50,000 votes,[107] and a free-to-play version
was later released on 19 February 2015.[108] It was originally created as an exact copy of RuneScape
from August 2007 and receives regular content additions. Old School RuneScape is entirely community
based; for any proposed update or idea to pass into the game, it needs at least 75% of the community to
vote 'Yes' for it, and if it does not pass it will either be dropped or reconstructed and re-polled so that
the players may find the update more acceptable.[109] On 17 July 2017, Jagex announced a mobile port
of Old School Runescape, which was released in 2018.[110]

DarkScape

On 16 September 2015 Jagex released DarkScape, a separate version of RuneScape which featured
open-world player versus player combat. DarkScape was originally released with most of RuneScape's
content, but received separate content updates. DarkScape was completely free to play, with some
additional benefits reserved for paying subscribers.[111] On 29 February 2016 it was announced that
DarkScape would close on 28 March due to lack of interest.[112]

Community

A set of forums are provided by Jagex on the RuneScape website. On the forums, players are able to
participate in game discussions, arrange to buy or sell items, post suggestions for game improvements,
vote in polls, and otherwise interact with the community. A user can set an avatar, have a separate
display name[113][114] and set an automatic signature. User profiles display the recent posts a user has
made along with the option to disable smileys. The privilege of posting on the forums is limited to paying
members, as well as free players with a total level exceeding 350.[115]

Between 24 September 2002 and 9 December 2004, players could submit questions via e-mail to the
RuneScape gods, which were published in the form of letters.[116] On 26 September 2005, a new
feature known as Postbag from the Hedge was introduced, where players can submit questions via e-
mail to a non-player character in the game.[117] Players can also submit original RuneScape related
artwork (such as sculptures, comics, drawings and paintings), some of which is displayed in a gallery on
the RuneScape website.[118]

During various holidays, including Easter, Halloween and Christmas, Jagex hosts a holiday event in a
specific location in Gielinor. Players who successfully complete the required tasks during the event
receive a reward such as an item or an emote, allowing the player character to perform a gesture
conveying an emotion.[119] Holiday items released prior to 2002 are tradeable among players, and due
to their rarity are worth significant amounts of money on the player market.[120] Holiday items after
Christmas 2002 are untradeable and limited to one per player, and can also be retrieved if lost.[119]

Various RuneScape fansites have been established by players, which are a source of information about
the game.[121] For account security reasons, Jagex discourages the discussion of fansites within the
game or the forums – and a rule specifically prohibits sharing web addresses.[122] A major fansite has
criticised Jagex for not recognising fansites' contributions to the development of its game.[123]
However, as a result of announcements made in 2009, Jagex promised to increase communication with
fansites.[124]

On 28 July 2014, Twitch functionality was integrated into the game, allowing players to stream their
gameplay or view other streams from within the game.[125]

Rules and cheating

Jagex has employed rules for player conduct, such as rules against offensive language, scamming, and
bug abuse.[126] To enforce the rules, an in-game feature exists that allows a player to send a report to
Jagex if they notice another player breaking a rule.[127] RuneScape also uses four types of moderators:
Jagex Moderators, who are Jagex employees; Local Moderators, who are employees of Jagex's partners
in certain territories; Player Moderators, who are trusted players that enforce the rules within the game;
and Forum Moderators, who are trusted players who monitor the game forums.[128] Players who
repeatedly break the rules may be temporarily or permanently banned from playing the game.[127]

There are also rules prohibiting the use of third-party software to play the game, known as "macroing"
or "botting", and the sale of game items for real money through real-world trading. In an attempt to
stop cheating, Jagex made direct interaction with the client difficult, established rules against the
practice,[129] and introduced random events that required player input to complete.[130] In response
to continued gold farming, Jagex issued a statement condemning real-world trading, stating that they
were seizing billions of gold and banning thousands of accounts every week for cheating, and promising
to increase their efforts to prevent real-world trading in the game.[131]

From October 2007 to December 2007, Jagex began releasing a series of updates to restrict unbalanced
trades. The updates limited the value of items staked in duels, removed player-versus-player combat
from the Wilderness, made valuable player drops invisible to other players, introduced gravestones for
the items of dead players, instituted systems for assisting players with skills and sharing loot among
groups of players, and established the Grand Exchange, a sharemarket-like trade system for RuneScape
goods. Collectively, these changes were designed to make it extremely difficult for real-world traders to
distribute gold and items to players.[40] These features were restored on 1 February 2011 following a
referendum among players in December 2010 on whether or not to do so.[44][132]

On 25 October 2011, Jagex released an anti-bot system[133] code-named the 'ClusterFlutterer', as part
of a game update intended to permanently prevent "reflection" bots from working. The release of this
was nicknamed the "Bot Nuke", and was estimated to have banned 98% of the accounts that were using
bots, eventually resulting in 7.7 million account bans.[57] From 26 September 2012 until its removal on
20 August 2018,[134] accounts that were banned for using bots were sent to an isolated area named
"Botany Bay" to be given an ultimate punishment as decided by players.[135]

On 25 September 2013, Jagex introduced bonds to the game, in-game items that can be purchased using
real currency then traded with other players or exchanged for membership, RuneCoins or additional
spins on the game's Squeal of Fortune. Bonds were introduced to allow players to exchange real
currency for in-game benefits legitimately, a move described by CEO Mark Gerhard as "essential for the
future of RuneScape".[136] One week later, Jagex reported that the amount of in-game coins brought in
by gold farmers was down by 81%; real-world trading was down by 61% and the wealth of those trades
was down by 63%.[137]

Reception

PC Gamer UK stated in December 2003, that while the "traditional [role-playing game] values of
questing, slaying monsters and developing your character in a familiar medieval setting" will not "have
the big boys trembling in their +2 Boots of Subscriber Gathering," this is offset by the game's
accessibility through a web browser, "compounded by a version of the game that allows free
adventuring player the opportunity to upgrade to a members' account", describing the game as "an
unsurprising success".[138]

The Yahoo! 2006 Buzz Log stated that, "while it may not be as easy on the eyes as some other popular
[MMORPGs], like World of Warcraft, City of Heroes, or EverQuest, RuneScape is still a lot better way to
kill time than pushing around cells in a spreadsheet".[139] A 2007 JustRPG review summarised
RuneScape as "a fun, addictive game, and while the graphics may not be perfect, for a game written in
Java, they aren't bad. The skills are varied, the community is alright, and it'll eat up your time if you
aren't careful", giving it a score of 83%.[140]

In its 2008 intellectual property profile of the game, Developmag.com stated that whilst Jagex's changes
to curtail real world trading resulted in "a wave of user criticism... growth is understood to have
resumed since". Its analysis stated that "RuneScape's mass-market appeal lies in its simplicity and
accessibility (both financial and technical). It has tapped into the vast market of games players unwilling
or unable to spend premium prices on PCs capable of playing the latest, expensive, processor-intensive
games. Its core gameplay concepts are very similar to its retail-distributed RPG and MMORPG
analogues."[141] In August 2008, RuneScape was recognised by the Guinness World Records as the
world's most popular free MMORPG. Jagex was presented with a certificate to commemorate the
achievement at the 2008 Leipzig Games Convention.[142] A 2009 Eurogamer article criticised
RuneScape's in-game community for being unfriendly to newcomers, although they have stated that the
fan-forum community is more approachable.[143]

An April 2011 review by MMORPG.com was complimentary of RuneScape, stating that "For anyone
looking for that "old-school" experience but with also tons of progression, refinement, and unique ideas,
RuneScape is easily recommendable", but criticised the game's combat system and emphasis on
grinding. "...the genre feels slightly passed clicking an enemy and watching two swords clunk mercilessly
into opposing body forms...RuneScape has grind in abundance and while this is not entirely a bad thing,
it will put some players off looking for a slightly easier and more casual experience".[144]

Player reception

On 10 December 2007, updates by Jagex removed free player-versus-player combat and unbalanced
trading in order to rid the game of activities involving real currency being traded for virtual goods.[41]
[145] The updates also affected legitimate players, resulting in many of them actively complaining on
the forums.[146] Jagex issued a Customer Support News article admitting the updates may not have
been an ideal replacement for what was removed, requesting patience and promising to remedy
potential problems with updates in the future.[147] During the changes, subscription numbers fell by
60,000.[148] No figures were given as to how many of those subscriptions belonged to legitimate
players and how many to gold farmers. In an interview in February 2008, Jagex's head of content stated
that, "we were really afraid we were going to lose our members over this change, because other games
had in the past. But we are very, very pleased to say that we have lost practically none of our
members."[149]

In December 2010, a referendum was opened to decide whether to restore unbalanced trades and
player-versus-player combat in the Wilderness,[132] which closed with 1.2 million votes cast and 91% of
voters in favour of the proposal,[150] and these features were restored on 1 February 2011.[44] A
second referendum was announced in February 2013 to decide whether to run a separate version of the
game dating from 2007,[106] closing on 1 March 2013 with almost 450,000 votes.[151] Servers for the
2007 version were opened on 22 February 2013 once 50,000 votes were collected.[107]

Revenue

In 2018, it was reported that Runescape had generated over $1 billion in lifetime revenue since its
original launch.[152] Runescape annually generates over £100 million in revenue and over £50 million in
profit.[153]
Accolades

The game received the "Role-Playing Game" award at The Independent Game Developers' Association
Awards 2018.[154]

References

Sholtz, Matthew (8 October 2018). "RuneScape Mobile members-only beta starts today". Archived from
the original on 30 October 2018. Retrieved 29 October 2018.

Saltzman, Marc (29 July 2012). "Five things you didn't know about 'RuneScape'". USAToday. Archived
from the original on 21 May 2013. Retrieved 31 July 2012.

"God Letters: Issue 16 – Guthix Dispels Rumours". RuneScape Knowledge Base. Jagex. Archived from the
original on 29 July 2011. Retrieved 10 July 2008.

"RuneScape World Map". Jagex. 25 May 2012. Archived from the original (Image) on 7 April 2009.
Retrieved 27 June 2012.