RuneScape hasn't had the best month—but Jagex seems keen to start walking some of that bad PR back in a bombshell video, one that promises to completely overhaul RuneScape 3's microtransactions (MTX).
"Our MTX approach is harming RuneScape, and it's time we took action," announces Jagex CEO Jon Bellamy, who you might remember squirming after a deeply unpopular decision to cancel the game's new pride month events because they were "controversial in a way [they] didn’t used to be".
Anyway, Bellamy continues: "If we want to go from where we are today where—bluntly, our population isn't really growing—to decades of a booming community, then it's time we take some big swings, even when they aren't easy or simple … The era of a tainted RuneScape 3 is coming to an end.
"When our work is done, we want every single player to feel the same ownership that we fostered so well in our approach to OldSchool."
Bellamy admits that, while RuneScape 3's had issues with MTX, the company's been hesitant to change things because it's how the sausage gets made. "Today, MTX in RuneScape is a major part of how we fund the game.
"Despite the continual community feedback out there in the world—whether on Reddit, on a survey, or at RuneFest—we've been tentative to take action because of that reality. And that change now comes with real risk … But it's time to be brave, because frankly sticking to the path we're on also represents real risk to the game."
While Bellamy/Jagex's bravery in this instance, but not others, might sting for certain parts of its community—he is saying all the right words. Microtransactions have been a constant thorn in the rose of RuneScape 3, and I'm sure Bellamy's candidness is appreciated.
Mods Yuey, Ryan, and Mohawk then explain the actual sitch. RuneScape 3 will be running three "experiments" over the next few months, short-lived changes to the game's MTX to ply the community for feedback (though I'd wager it's also to see how it impacts the game's bottom line in short stints).
"Any ideas we try will be short-term tests," Mod Mohawk explains. "No more than a couple of weeks."
In July, Jagex'll be temporarily turning off Treasure Hunter—a controversial lootbox-style MTX roulette that held some majorly powerful items and sought-after cosmetics behind a roll of the dice. In August, there'll be a double XP event where you won't be able to use any premium-currency skilling items for the duration, as a trial run to potentially remove them entirely.
Finally, in September, Jagex will be releasing a bunch of previously Treasure Hunter-exclusive cosmetics to its in-game store so you can just straight-up buy them "for direct purchase all at once".
Outside of these experiments, Jagex'll also be making cosmetic-free words which, as this blog post reads, will help the company "gauge demand for a more grounded visual look and/or cosmetics free experiences."
Over on the game's subreddit, responses seem to be cautiously optimistic, with emphasis on cautiously. "We've seen statements like this before," writes one player to the tune of 1,200 upvotes: "Full of bold plans and ideas and boilerplate feel-good statements from Jagex's higher-ups. And what's come of it? Nothing. No change for the better—in some cases, it's even gotten worse."
"MTX could be removed in its entirety tomorrow," adds another, "but the stain of it will always loom over this game like a dark shadow. A corruption of what was, and the destruction of what could be."
As a long-time MMO player myself, I'll always be wishing for the best when it comes to playerbase happiness—but the cynic in me can't help but see the pattern here. Jagex's entire June has been a PR dumpster fire, kicking off with a wave of layoffs and comboing into a month-long dunking session by both players and staff over Bellamy's beliefs that pride is just too gosh darn risky.
I'm certain there are plenty of developers at Jagex who care a lot about the game, and are keen to see it improved—but this can't help but scan as damage control. I guess time will tell if Bellamy's putting his microtransactions where his mouth is.
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