UPDATE: Jagex "In Discussions" To Be Purchased By Chinese Mining Company For $300 Million

Jason Winter
By Jason Winter, News Editor Posted:
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UPDATE: Thanks to commentor Grimsbane for tipping us off to the message from Jagex that the sale to Shangdong Hongda is not yet finalized, but is "in early stage discussions." Here's the statement from Jagex:

As you may have seen through online news articles, Jagex is getting noticed. The company is getting attention from the east and the biggest market in the world, China, is knocking on our door. Jagex's shareholders have received offers of interest and have responded positively to an approach from a Chinese company.

Jagex is in early stage discussions with the firm in question, but we must stress that they may - or may not - materialise into anything. However, should they come to fruition, it would potentially allow us access to the Asian marketplace to a high level.

What does this mean for the plans we have for our games and our fantastic community? Put simply, our plans, including the launch of NXT, Zeah, Chronicle: RuneScape Legends, God Wars Dungeon 2, and RuneScape: Idle Adventures, remain on track. It is business as usual across Gielinor!

ORIGINAL: There are microtransactions, and then there are macrotransactions. $3 might buy you a cool hat in a game like RuneScape. Tack on eight more zeroes, and you can just buy RuneScape.

That's what Chinese Shangdong Hongda Mining Company did, purchasing RuneScape, along with the rest of UK-based Jagex, for a cool $300 million. Shangdong is described by The Financial Times as "at the mercy of forces beyond its control," along with many Chinese companies that "are weighed down by overcapacity and debts and turning to new areas" and looking for safer investments abroad.

Assuming Jagex is still turning a profit -- and there's no reason to suggest it isn't -- this might simply be a case of a company trying to get a little steady positive cash flow to offset debts. In all likelihood, business at Jagex will continue as usual. I don't think it's a reason for Jagex's fans to panic, though it's always a little scary when someone else at your favorite game company is suddenly calling the shots.

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About the Author

Jason Winter
Jason Winter, News Editor

Jason Winter is a veteran gaming journalist, he brings a wide range of experience to MMOBomb, including two years with Beckett Media where he served as the editor of the leading gaming magazine Massive Online Gamer. He has also written professionally for several gaming websites.

More Stories by Jason Winter

Discussion (11)

some random scottish guy 8 years ago
only 300M....pffff those cheap asians could have at least offered a Phat....

Avatar Primus 8 years ago
I hope for Jagex that they keep the people that listen to the comunity. I have seen what they did to transformers universe where there was no direction in the development of this basicly good game, because the senior management did not listen to the developers and sworn players testing the game.

grimsbane 8 years ago
"Hi folks,

As you may have seen through online news articles, Jagex is getting noticed. The company is getting attention from the east and the biggest market in the world, China, is knocking on our door. Jagex’s shareholders have received offers of interest and have responded positively to an approach from a Chinese company.

Jagex is in early stage discussions with the firm in question, but we must stress that they may – or may not – materialise into anything. However, should they come to fruition, it would potentially allow us access to the Asian marketplace to a high level.

What does this mean for the plans we have for our games and our fantastic community? Put simply, our plans, including the launch of NXT, Zeah, Chronicle: RuneScape Legends, God Wars Dungeon 2, and RuneScape: Idle Adventures, remain on track. It is business as usual across Gielinor!

Thanks"


A Moderator put that up on forums so not they have not sold to that company yet, there are still negotiations still going on and there not even sure that they will accept the deal.

DERPINA 8 years ago
HAHAHA I bet it went like this:
RING RING: HEROW?
Yes this is Jagex, we have a company to seel. It includes mass grind.
Gwind wike dwrill?"

Yeah...like a drill...sure...

"Ok, we bui loveulongtime

View 2 replies
Ghestly 8 years ago
I hope there wont be shutdowns

ryuzaky77 8 years ago
Runescape is shit anyway

View 1 reply
grimsbane 8 years ago
Well considering that if that company starts making shots, they know nothing of what runescape players and verterans like about the game and what they would like in the game. So this may very well kill a game that is currently purely based off of player feedback and polling.

View 1 reply

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