It's Disappointing, And Telling, That Jagex Cancelled RuneScape Pride Month Year

RuneScape has celebrated Pride Month for years now with in-game events. Not this year though. Jagex, the developer behind the long-running MMORPG, canceled it. The decision reportedly came from higher up the chain. New CEO Jon Bellamy told PinkNews the team wanted to avoid potential backlash and instead focus on “what players really want.”

Now, I don’t play RuneScape myself, so I don’t have a horse in this race. But I get that for a lot of people — especially LGBTQ+ players — RuneScape is more than just a game. It’s a community. And events like the annual Pride celebration can make people feel seen, welcomed, and safe. Removing that sends a message, whether the company intended it or not.

From what I’ve read, most of this year’s Pride content was already finished and ready to go too. So the cancellation wasn’t due to time constraints or lack of resources. One anonymous employee told PinkNews the decision felt like “catering to American conservatism.” And honestly, it’s hard not to see it that way.

This idea that celebrating Pride is “too political” is frustrating — it’s not a debate. It’s about visibility, and basic respect. Last year’s Pride event even reportedly boosted revenue, and only a tiny number of players complained according to support tickets.

The silence this year feels loud. It’s disappointing, and it’s telling. The real test of a studio’s values isn’t when it’s easy to be inclusive. It’s when it’s hard. When there’s pressure, and even risk. But this year, Jagex backed down. I wonder what this means for the future of RuneScape.