The developers of RuneScape sent a survey behind closed doors to selected members of the community. As the questions and topics come to light, a shitstorm breaks out, and players cancel their subscriptions. MeinMMO brings you up to date.
What was the survey about? The survey from developer Jagex did not remain secret for long. Videos, screenshots, and questions landed on Reddit, among other places. What results from this is: The operators of RuneScape are considering how to make the subscription of the MMORPG more attractive in the future and for which offers the players would still pay. Points mentioned are:
- A subscription that includes RuneScape and Old School RuneScape
- Additional subscription tier levels: a more expensive subscription with extra benefits, as well as a cheaper subscription that could include limited access to the game (such as only the mobile version)
- More benefits for subscribers (e.g., more account protection options, extended support, access to advanced statistics, reduced AFK timers for players who pay little)
- Introduction of in-game advertising, even for subscribers
- Sale of additional characters for the account via a monthly fee
RuneScape and Old School RuneScape can also be played via Steam:
Wasn’t there a subscription increase recently? Yes! Following a survey from last year, the developers announced the biggest price increase in the 23-year history of the MMORPG classic in August 2024.
Since September 27, 2024, the monthly subscription costs 12.49 euros instead of 10.99 euros. In US prices, the fee even rose from 10.99 US dollars to 13.99 US dollars – nearly a 30 percent increase. There was also significant criticism because, alongside the subscription increase, microtransactions were supposed to be reduced. However, that did not happen.
Shitstorm regulates, developers respond
How does the community respond to this? Many players criticize the developers’ plans. This can also be seen in many of the new user ratings for RuneScape on Steam and for Old School RuneScape on Steam, which are only rated positively at 47 percent and 16 percent, respectively. Normally, the average rating is significantly over 80 percent.
The website mmorpg.org.pl reports that players have shared screenshots of their subscription cancellations. The mood in the community is summed up succinctly by Bulletproof_Haas with his post on Reddit: “This is terrible.”
topsy_krett_guy (via Reddit) and many others are particularly disturbed by one point: “The fact that they are even considering advertisements as part of any of these pricing models is ridiculous.”
RsQp adds on Reddit: “After the last survey from Jagex, I had already lost all trust in the surveys they send out. They have made it clear that the offer to pay more for additional features means that they will raise prices without adhering to the other side of the agreement.”
Has there been a response from Jagex to the criticism? Just last week, Mod Pips, the studio’s CEO, addressed the community with a long statement on runescape.com. The very first sentence makes it clear: That was a mistake.
The conjoint membership survey has resulted in frustration, anger, and concern in the community – we made big mistakes in this regard and we are truly sorry. Your feedback is loud and clear.
That was, to put it mildly, clumsy and thoughtless. We failed to consider this from your perspective as players. […] It included ideas that, upon sober reflection, simply should not have been seriously considered. […]
Even the mere suggestion of ideas such as in-game advertising, shorter AFK timers, or charging additional fees for improved player support has undermined your trust in us.
According to the statement, many of these things were only theoretical thought experiments that might be applied to other games. Future surveys and proposals for, for example, the subscription will be drafted with much greater care. If there were concrete plans among the survey contents, they are likely on hold for the time being.
What do I need to know about RuneScape? The MMORPG released in 2001 is a genre evergreen, a multiple world record holder, and still very successful today, thanks in part to the classic “Old School” version released in 2013: 23-year-old MMORPG is played more because of a major event than New World, Throne and Liberty, and Lost Ark combined.
The MMORPG series relies on old genre virtues such as interaction with other players, crafting, and trading, is playable not only on PC but also on mobile, and has made a name for itself because many planned innovations have to be approved by the community before they can go live. And soon the offer is to be expanded: One of the most successful MMORPGs of all time gets a survival game in the same universe, built on Unreal Engine 5
