RuneScape is more popular today than it was 10 years ago

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The MMORPG RuneScape is now one of the classics among the MMORPGs. It originally came out in 2001 and is hugely popular today, 22 years later.

RuneScape is one of the oldest MMORPGs still online. Developer is the British company Jagex. Many associate the game with a strong nostalgia, others have never stopped playing.

There are 2 versions of the MMORPG:

  • RuneScape 3: This is the regular game version that receives regular updates.
  • Old School RuneScape: This version is modeled after the early days of the 22-year-old game. It features very outdated graphics and bulky mechanics.

    • Old School RuneScape has higher player counts today

    10 years ago started recording the number of players, which you can see on MisplacedItems. The graph shows the numbers for the current version of RuneScape, for old school RuneScape, and the total.

  • A lot more people are playing the Classic version today, which started in 2013 at the request of the players.
  • Since the beginning of 2016, more people seem to be interested in it, before that the traditional game version was higher.
  • It is also striking that the total figures for 2023 are higher than 10 years earlier.
  • The MMORPG currently has around 115,000 players, 90,000 of whom are active in the old-school version.
    • Old School RuneScape has grown in popularity over the years.

    RuneScape was originally played in the browser

    What is this game anyway? RuneScape takes place in a fantasy world called Glielinor. You experience adventures and fathom the ancient legends and sagas, while gods forge dark plans.

    In RuneScape you can traverse dungeons, face off against bosses and salvage treasure. PvP is also possible. Alternatively, you can craft or build your own farm.

    The MMORPG gives you a lot of freedom. So your character is not tied to a class, but you decide for yourself which skills you level up.

    It offers a classic MMORPG experience without being based on modern representatives of the genre. There is no solo content or a particularly compelling story. Exploration and group content are clearly in the foreground.

    In the video you can see the trailer for Old School RuneScape:

    Old School RuneScape – Trailer for the Steam release

    More videos

    RuneScape originally started in 2001 as a free browser game. At that time only in English, the German version followed in 2007.

    It has received regular updates over the years and even launched on Steam in 2020. Both Old School RuneScape and RuneScape 3 can be found there.

    A mobile version of the MMORPG followed in 2021. Since then, you can also play RuneScape on iOS and Android.

    RuneScape never seems to let players go

    It’s common to hear from MMORPG fans that they put hours of play into RuneScape. Some set themselves enormous challenges and just invest 20,000 hours, i.e. 2 years, of playing time in the MMORPG.

    People report that the MMORPG just won’t let them go. “This game ruined my life” is the comment next to a positive review on Steam. Another user writes: “I played the game as a kid. I played the game as a teenager. Now I play the game as an adult.”

    Old School RuneScape in particular keeps its players because of the familiarity, as Senior Product Manager Mathew Kemp explains in an interview. It’s kept simple, the mechanics aren’t simplified at all, and a lot of content takes a long time. But because of the nostalgia that players don’t feel for any other MMORPG, they stay.

    However, there are not only veterans in RuneScape. According to Mathew Kemp, young players are also finding their way into the game.

    We summarize some of the voices from the Steam reviews of both versions of the game for you:

  • kosmos after 2,700 hours: “You never really leave RuneScape. You tend to take breaks of different lengths.”
  • General Sith after 2,100 hours: “If you’re easily addicted to games: Run away…or don’t. I started playing in 2005 and ‘quit’ in 2012. I came back in 2014, ‘quit’ again in 2015, to start again in 2016. You’re not escaping, you’re just taking breaks.”
  • Nazeracoo after 1,100 hours: “I’ve been playing the game since I was 11 and I’ve never stopped.”
  • Blissfull Ignorance after 1,000 hours: “I lost my wife because of the game.”

    • Is RuneScape 2023 worth getting started with?

    Also in 2022 there are MMORPG fans who haven’t tried RuneScape yet. It never seems too late to get started in the MMORPG.

    In both versions of the game you will meet other players, so by no means are you in a “dead” MMORPG. According to the Steam reviews, they will probably stay or at least return after a break.

    Nostalgia ranks high for veterans, but new players who don’t care about great graphics can also enjoy RuneScape.

    Players agree that RuneScape, both old and modern, is extremely content rich. Even 22 years after the release, something new is always being added here.

    How much does RuneScape cost? The basic game is free, but it offers a premium membership that costs you 10.99 euros per month. This gives you more quests, 11 additional classes and you can own your own house.

    What do you think of RuneScape? Which version are you playing? Are you also one of those players who have never let go of the MMORPG? Write it to us in the comments here on MeinMMO!

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