Jagex has announced multiple ways in which the long-running Runescape will be celebrated in this, the 25th year it’s been running.
“It’s incredible to think a quarter century has passed since RuneScape’s beginnings as a Java-based browser game,” said Jon Bellamy, CEO of Jagex. “Today we’re speaking to the largest and most active RuneScape community in our history, and this milestone is as much theirs as it is ours.”
“RS25 is more than a celebration of where we’ve come from, it’s a statement of where we’re going”, added Bellamy: “We’re investing in our games, the player experience, our technology, and our teams to ensure RuneScape and its worlds continue to inspire and connect millions for decades to come. This is a year defined by investment, momentum, community obsession, and building the foundations of Jagex / RuneScape’s next great era.”
RuneFest is returning as well, with the publisher saying it’ll be at “record scale”, and will also have a first-ever major live US based event. There will be RS25 merch, a massive roadmap for Old School Runescape, a full year of expansions of RuneScape: Dragonwilds, and even a mentorship scheme designed to find the “next-generation of game creators and storytellers”.
Creative Industries Minister Ian Murray said: “Jagex have been at the forefront of the video game industry for a quarter of a century, demonstrating how British studios can produce iconic, international hits like RuneScape. “The government is committed to ensuring the continued success of our world-class video game sector and I am excited to see how Jagex continues to innovate, inspire, and build worlds alongside its global community”.
“RuneScape has always been about building worlds together,” commented CEO, Jon Bellamy. “Our Future Talent Pathway reflects that same belief, empowering aspiring local new creators and developers to push boundaries, learn from some of the best in the industry, and build the experiences that will define the future of online play. It’s our commitment to nurturing talent, elevating creativity, and ensuring Jagex continues to lead from the front for the next 25 years.”
Jagex says that “Following last year’s major service improvements, continued investment into enhanced live chat tools, faster response times, and strengthened anti-cheat systems will be introduced throughout the year”, and this is all part of a renewed identify, with the end line of “Jagex: The Runescape Company” being used. There’s a new logo for the company, too, which has a subtle dragon silhouette that’s inspired by the game.
Marc Allera, Chair of Jagex, commented, “This 25th anniversary marks not only a celebration of Jagex’s legacy, but the start of an exciting new chapter. We’re entering a period of growth and innovation, expanding how we build, play, and connect with our global community. Backed by the largest ever investment in the RuneScape franchise, we’re committing record levels of funding into new content for RuneScape, Old School RuneScape and RuneScape: Dragonwilds, and into tooling and technologies to make the experience of being a RuneScape player better and more seamless than ever before. These investments will shape the next chapter around the community, while rewarding the players that brought us here – for us, the best of Jagex is still to come.”