The MMORPG RuneScape is almost 20 years old but is currently experiencing great success. The launch on Steam plays an important role here.
What do the developers think about the state of RuneScape? In a letter to the community, the developers behind the free-to-play MMORPG RuneScape stated that the online role-playing game currently has as many active players as it has in over 5 years. Many players are expected to return, but also newcomers are trying out the MMORPG. This ensures a steady influx of players.
Furthermore, it is stated that these players provide a lot of positive feedback, which pleases the developers. And that from one of the oldest still active MMORPGs.
Steam Brings Great Success to RuneScape
What is the reason for this influx of players? RuneScape launched on Steam on October 14, 2020. Right at release, over 12,500 players played simultaneously at peak. Although the numbers have decreased slightly according to Steamcharts, the numbers with almost 8,200 concurrent players are still quite high – especially considering that RuneScape has been playable via its own launcher for almost 20 years. The actual numbers are likely to be much higher.
The reviews are also very good. The reviews from the past 30 days currently stand at 93%. The overall 10,158 reviews are at 89% (via Steam).
RuneScape is even more successful than expected: Jagex mentions in the letter to the community about RuneScape 3, the current version of the MMORPG, which has also launched on Steam.
In addition, there is another version, Old School RuneScape, which is based on an earlier version of the online game. This version is also celebrating great successes. In November, the developer studio announced that 157,445 players play the MMORPG Old School RuneScape at the same time.
Overall, RuneScape can currently celebrate great successes. The MMORPG offers a very classic gaming experience and its graphics are no longer current. However, that does not seem to bother the players. It resonates with MMORPG fans and continues to be fun after all these years.
What does this mean? The success of RuneScape shows that MMORPGs are still popular. If you look at the development of the genre in recent years, you could conclude that MMORPGs are dying.
Bless Online had to be discontinued just a year after its release. The player numbers of Revelation Online, launched in 2018, currently lie at 71 concurrent players at peak according to Steamcharts. The MMORPG Astellia, which launched at the end of 2019, had Steamcharts reports of 226 concurrent players at peak.
However, this does not mean that we are witnessing a dying genre, as exemplified by RuneScape. The player counts and success prove that there is still a demand for MMORPGs. This has also been shown by WoW Classic, which is celebrating great success. Final Fantasy 14 is also still extremely popular, and the MMORPG The Elder Scrolls Online also has many players.
What do you think about RuneScape? Do you also find the MMORPG good and can you understand its success?
Jagex has other exciting projects in the pipeline. The studio is also working on a new next-gen MMORPG.
