In October, the MMORPG RuneScape will be released on Steam. The game was originally released in January 2001 and has been the entry point into the genre for many players. Even 19 years after its release, it remains very popular, partly due to the close bond of the community.
What is RuneScape? RuneScape is one of the oldest still-running MMORPGs. In it, you explore a large fantasy world where you can complete quests or explore dungeons. You are never alone, but always interact with other players.
As you adventure, you improve your hero, who becomes stronger through skills and obtains increasingly powerful equipment. Crafting also plays a significant role. However, the story and single-player content are considerably less extensive compared to many modern MMORPGs.
RuneScape is fundamentally Free2Play and can be played endlessly. However, you only have access to about 20% of the total content. Some areas and skills are missing, and existing skills can only be leveled up to level 99. To experience the full offering, you must subscribe monthly.
When will RuneScape be released on Steam? According to the Steam page, the release is planned for October 14 at 5:00 PM our time. Old School RuneScape is set to follow in 2021.
RuneScape has gained popularity in recent years
How has the game’s development progressed? Over the last 19 years, the MMORPG has undergone many changes:
- The original version was released for browsers and was revised in 2004. After a major engine update, it was referred to as “RuneScape 2”.
- There was later another update, RuneScape HD.
- This was in turn replaced by “RuneScape 3” in 2013. This is the current version that is also coming to Steam.
Together with RuneScape 3, Old School RuneScape was also released. This is a standalone game that is set around the version before RuneScape HD. This game is also constantly being developed.
Why is RuneScape so popular? 2019 was a very successful year for the RuneScape franchise. According to their own statements, numerous records were broken:
- That year saw more new players acquired than ever before in the franchise’s 19-year history.
- Old School RuneScape was downloaded over 8 million times as a mobile version.
- At peak times, 1.1 million players had an active subscription in RuneScape. This was the highest number since 2010.
- According to Jagex, there are 285,579,812 registered RuneScape accounts. That is a significant number.
A large part of the success is the strong collaboration with the community. For example, in Old School RuneScape, players decide which content is added to the game and which is not. New features are put to a vote, and only if a feature receives 75% approval from the community will it be implemented.
The RuneScape community is also very close to the game and is invited by the developers. There are regularly contests, events, and this strong exchange. We experienced this ourselves when we participated in the RuneFestival 2019 organized by MeinMMO.
RuneScape is its own world, complete with livelihoods and mafia clans
What makes RuneScape special? The old MMORPG has now become part of life for many players. However, this also leads to curious situations:
- Currently, there is a mafia within the game that demands protection money and has caused significant inflation. This is possible because there is PvP in the game.
- However, some are so attached to the game that they go into debt for over $50,000 due to microtransactions. RuneScape is one of the first games to implement loot boxes.
- Others try to earn real money through RuneScape. In Venezuela, there are even people who pay their bills through gold farming. This is due to the economic situation in the country, where regular work does not yield much income.
Jagex, the company behind RuneScape, has repeatedly tried to establish a new game over the years. Currently, they are working on a new next-gen MMORPG. However, the release seems to be a long way off.
