Earlier this week, I reported on the changes that Jagex is proposing for RuneScape’s paid membership model. In a series of images shared on social media, it was revealed that a survey had been conducted by Jagex, and in that survey, players were asked to rate a series of proposed membership packages, some of which were audacious.
In a new post published on the RuneScape platform, Jagex’s CEO, Mod Pips, has laid bare the reasons why these changes have to happen. It’s a transparent move from the firm that players have welcomed with open arms, but it’s still not perfect.
‘It Was a Major Misjudgement’
In the post on the RuneScape blog, Mod Pips opened by explaining:
This was clumsy and inconsiderate, to say the least. We failed to think this through from your perspective as players. We got caught up in research mode and rushing a project with a research partner.
The ‘exploratory survey’ set the community ablaze, with some of the proposed membership tiers paywalling elements like better account security and enhanced player support. In some cases, users could pay for a RuneScape membership and still have to see ads in the game.
Pips went deeper:
It was a major misjudgement to include features that suggested we would consider degrading the game experience or impacting gameplay. Even the mere suggestion of ideas like in-game ads, shorter AFK timers, or making improved player support an additional cost undermined your trust in us.
Going forward, the Jagex team has pledged:
- To not include in-game advertisements in any regular paid membership
- To ensure that any subscription ‘provides access to the full suite of core game content’
- To not make plugins or features on the official client ‘paid options’
- To not paywall player support
The blog post was ended with a final statement from Mod Pips:
This kind of transparency and collaboration is at the heart of what makes our games so special. The game is shaped by its community, and your voices remain central to every decision we make. While we recognise that mistakes were made here, the fact that we’ve received such strong and clear feedback reinforces how deeply you care about this game.
Old School RuneScape thrives because of its community, and working closely with you keeps us moving forward, even when the discussions are difficult.
While the post has satisfied the community somewhat, it’s clear the road ahead is yet to be fully traversed and that changes are coming, whether players like it or not.
Do you think the statement from Mod Pips is a good one or has Jagex forever ruined your interpretation of RuneScape? Let us know on the GPlayr forum.
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