Through its development of RuneScape over many years Jagex has upset the RuneScape community by announcing to raise subscription fees substantially. The company sent surveys to players asking about their opinion on possible new membership categories which included options up to $32.49 per month.
Players who pay more for certain membership levels will access new premium member worlds and extra player services. Whereas, the cheaper membership levels will result in less game access and new on-screen ads. This change has caused players to worry because main game elements may only become available through pricier subscriptions making it technically a pay-to-win game.
This is the second price rise in less than half a year that has made players even more upset and rightfully so. RuneScape Players have voiced their unhappiness online because they interpret the survey as leading toward changes they don't want. Jagex declared that the survey serves research objectives and cannot be considered as official future plans. They pointed out that any membership price changes will protect fair gameplay while keeping all content accessible.
The RuneScape player base does not trust the developer's statements about future subscription rates. Game developers need to carefully balance earning methods with keeping players happy when running online games for a long time.
FAQ
What adjustments did Jagex make through their survey analysis?
According to Jagex's survey members can choose new subscription options costing up to $32.49 per month that provide exclusive worlds and multiple character slots.
What is the response of the RuneScape player base to these survey ideas?
The player base shows strong opposition because they think important game functions could end up behind expensive paywalls which harms game fairness and player access.
Has Jagex confirmed these changes will be implemented?
Jagex confirmed through the survey that they only conduct research on these ideas because they have no plans to make these changes right now.
When did Jagex last raise the cost of RuneScape subscriptions?
Jagex raised subscription fees over six months ago before starting this survey research project.