Summary
- Jagex faces backlash for controversial membership survey in RuneScape community.
- CEO admits survey mistakes, promises no in-game ads in paid memberships.
- Players protest changes with Falador Park riots, demanding reversal of plans.
Developer Jagex has sent out a new membership survey for both RuneScape 3 and Old School RuneScape, which has caused mass outrage in the games' communities. The survey has united players across both RuneScape titles against proposed changes to the game's membership options.
Jagex is no stranger to controversial RuneScape updates. Over the years, the developer has made several high-profile blunders, leading to protests in the game's community. Many of these changes, such as the removal of free trade and PvP combat in the Wilderness, were eventually walked back. Some, however, such as the Evolution of Combat update and the implementation of heavy microtransactions, remain in the game to this day. Many of Jagex's most egregious errors in the eyes of the community have come in RuneScape 3, with Old School RuneScape mostly staying controversy-free.
Hilarious Old School RuneScape Video Puts Gordon Ramsay in Lumbridge Castle
A video online showcases Gordon Ramsay if he were to be placed in Old School RuneScape's Lumbridge Castle, complete with profanity-laden rants.
It was recently pointed out in a Reddit thread that Jagex had begun sending out membership surveys, asking players to choose which option they would continue to pay for if implemented in the future. This was fairly standard market research, and didn't seem to represent a concrete plan for RuneScape going forward. However, several included options were deemed unpalatable to the long-standing RuneScape community. Included in the survey were ads, a shorter AFK timer, and the choice between paying for one of RuneScape 3 or OSRS (currently, membership grants access to both games).
Jagex Membership Survey Causes RuneScape Player Outrage
To say the community backlash has been massive would be an understatement. Jagex swiftly followed up with two statements, one for each game, where the developer's CEO described its approach as "clumsy and inconsiderate," and stated that it "got caught up in research mode," resulting in a survey that "contained ideas for consideration that, in the cold light of day, just shouldn’t have been in there for serious consideration." The statements did address the main concerns of player feedback, going as far as to say, "We will not include in-game advertisements in any regular paid membership." For some, this still isn't enough, and they are already looking at alternative games for RuneScape fans going forward.
In response to the overall system, RuneScape players returned to the tried and tested method of protest - riots in Falador Park. There have been many such cases over the years, with a pretty good success rate of having Jagex reverse course on controversial plans. RuneScape is undoubtedly one of the MMOs that has changed most over the years, but Jagex's ability to annoy one of the most dedicated gaming communities out there is eternal.
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