Jagex Hasn't Changed Hands Yet, Sale Is "One Of Various Possible Outcomes"

Jagex may not be changing hands after all -- at least not yet. Despite reports from earlier this week that the RuneScape maker had been sold to an American company, Jagex is now denying the move, with Director of Communications Rich Eddy saying that a potential sale is "one of various possible outcomes and is an evolving situation."

According to Eddy, via GamesIndustry, "Jagex has never been in better shape," though he acknowledged that parent company Fukong Interactive is "looking to restructure its debt, which has resulted in recent announcements regarding a potential sale."

This turn of events strangely mirrors what happened the last time Jagex changed hands. In March of 2016, it was reported that Jagex was purchased by Chinese mining company Shangdong Hongda (of which Fukong is a subsidiary), only to have the news countered a few days later by Jagex, who said that they were only in "early stage discussions with the firm in question" and that the talks "may – or may not – materialise into anything." Four months later, the sale was finalized and confirmed.

So we might have a bit longer to wait before any solid news emerges on this front, but the old adage of "where there's smoke, there's fire" probably rings true. If history is any guide, we won't have too long to wait to determine exactly who, if anyone, will be taking the reins of the company.