RuneScape Is Officially Turning A Quarter Of A Century Old

Can you believe it’s time to celebrate 25 years of RuneScape? I know that we have a few MMORPGs in their second decade at this point. But when you consider all the ones that didn’t last even a fraction of that time, it’s a pretty big accomplishment.

Today, Jagex, the developer of the long-running game, announced not just the typical celebrations you’d expect for an online game’s anniversary, but also plans to evolve the game and carry it into the future. The “transformative programme”, as they’re describing it, is intended to set things up for “the most ambitious evolution in RuneScape history, with a strategy focused on more integrity, more value, and more RuneScape”. (I feel like that last bit should be a given, but players will probably still be happy to hear it.)

Of course, achieving these goals requires a good bit of money, which is why Jagex also revealed that the project is “backed by the largest annual investment… to date”. They intend to use the money to focus on the things that players care about, such as upgrading support systems and modernizing the game’s infrastructure”. Some of the funding will also go to live events in the UK and the US.

In addition to the new strategy, Jagex also announced the return of RuneFest, which will take place October 3-4 at the Birmingham NEC. It will be twice as big as the last one, hosting 6,000 players. There will be two permanent stages for live reveals and developer sessions, as well as other activities.

Players can also look forward to a live Deadman Mode competition in the US. The Deadman All-Stars event will be hosted in Chicago on June 20 and is a collaborative project with content creator Solomission. A crator LAN event is in the works as well.

To celebrate the anniversary, Jagex announced the RS25 Anniversary Merch Collection. This includes a deluxe 5-disc vinyl box set, a Lumbridge Castle Miniature Brick Set from Youtooz, and an anniversary desk mat, among other things. The Merch store can be found via the RuneScape site.