RuneScape Owner Aims to Overtake World of Warcraft in MMO Market

Jagex CEO Jon Bellamy has declared the company's ambitious goal: to elevate the RuneScape game series to become the world's largest massively multiplayer online (MMO) game. This sets the stage for a direct competition with the long-standing market leader, World of Warcraft.

In an interview with The Game Business channel, Bellamy stated that while a significant gap remains, the company is now targeting the number one position in the MMO market. RuneScape, originally launched in 2001, has amassed over 260 million registered users and supports cross-platform play between PC and mobile devices.

To achieve this growth, Jagex plans to expand the RuneScape universe with at least three major games within the next five years. These include Old School RuneScape, the main RuneScape title, and a new survival/building game subtitled RuneScape: Dragonwilds. The company anticipates that the expansion will foster overall player base growth rather than internal competition.

Jagex is also refining the existing RuneScape experience by removing unpopular microtransaction features like "Treasure Hunter." These improvements aim to eliminate player frustrations and enhance the game's overall appeal, contributing to strong user engagement, with Old School RuneScape players averaging nearly five hours of gameplay daily.