Eyes here, retro gamers! We have some exciting news for you. Both Runescape as well as the Old School Runescape, which is the retro version of the MMORPG, are making its way to Steam.
Developer and publisher Jagex made the announcement on Twitter, confirming that both games will be released on the storefront. Runescape, otherwise known as Runescape 3 because it’s the most recent version of the title, is scheduled to release on Steam on October 14.
https://twitter.com/RuneScape/status/1309161168783589377?s=20
On the other hand, Old School Runescape, which makes use of the 2007 version as a base, will be arriving sometime in 2021.
Most players know Runescape from the initially-released version in 2001, which could be played using a browser. Later, Jagex utilized dedicated clients, and while Old School Runescape had a lot of third-party clients, neither version of the MMORPG has ever been on a storefront as mainstream and as popular as Steam.
At least, this only applies to the PC, as Runescape has actually been on mobile stores for quite some time now. With Runescape’s 20th anniversary fast approaching, no wonder they’re releasing both titles on Steam.
Jagex CEO Phil Mansell says that the studio aims to “bring the RuneScape universe to more players globally.” As for executive producer Mod Warden, he states that in some of the future changes, you’ll notice that there are improvements on the game’s “experience, onboarding and readability.”
Not only that, but they will be optimizing the user interface as well, from “refining text, content, interaction and hitbox sizes, to engine improvements and stability that support flexibility across the widest array of possible display sizes.”
If you’re new to Runescape, here’s what you can expect to find in the game if or when you decide to try it out:
The MMORPG is set in the Sixth Age of Gielinor, where you will find a fantastical world that’s brimming with both legend and lore. The citizens of Gielinor may appear to be flourishing, but the Elder Gods are still up to no good.
It’s completely up to you how you want to play the game and what path you want to take. Do you want to simply explore the world and all it has to offer with your friends, or do you wish to seek fortune and fame traveling as a solo adventurer instead?
There are tons of things to do in Runescape, such as farming, fighting a powerful boss, or going on quests. It depends on you what kind of hero you want to be. The title also has a wide roster of NPCs that you can either make friends with or make enemies of.
As you go on your journey, you’ll be able to meet friendly companions, vindictive gods, rogues, as well as villains. Runescape is an MMORPG that has been growing and developing for nearly 20 years now, yet it’s still full of surprises.
Technically, Runescape and Old School Runescape are free-to-play titles, but most of the avid players subscribe to membership programs that will give them access to most of the content.
This is why Jagex will be offering “membership packages” via Steam as well. Subscribing to this will unlock “8 additional skills, over 120 extra quests” and much more.