Jagex has taken a noticeable step away from the heavy microtransaction model that many live-service games still rely on. By removing Treasure Hunter and reducing certain monetization systems in RuneScape, the studio is making a clear bet that long-term player trust matters more than short-term revenue spikes. That decision has sparked fresh discussion about how RuneScape stacks up against World of Warcraft, the long-reigning leader in the MMO space.
For years, RuneScape’s Treasure Hunter system was a major point of contention. The chance-based rewards generated significant money for Jagex but also drew consistent criticism from parts of the player base who felt it undermined the game’s progression. When the company finally removed it, the impact was noticeable. Player numbers stabilized in a way they had not for several years, and Old School RuneScape continued showing healthy engagement, including growth on Steam.
Jagex CEO Jon Bellamy has been open about the studio’s ambitions. In recent comments, he stated that the goal is not to remain comfortably in second place. "The dream is that we’re not the number two biggest MMO brand in the world, we’re number one," Bellamy said. He acknowledged the gap between RuneScape and World of Warcraft remains large, but argued that focusing on what players actually want gives the game a path to close it over time.
World of Warcraft operates under a different philosophy. Blizzard’s MMO still runs on a subscription model combined with cosmetic shop items, the WoW Token, and regular expansion purchases. While it has avoided the most aggressive forms of randomized monetization in its main game, it continues to treat additional revenue streams as a normal part of the business. That approach has helped WoW remain the biggest Western MMO by a significant margin, even as the broader genre has grown more competitive.
The contrast between the two games is now sharper than it has been in years. RuneScape is publicly stepping back from systems many players dislike in hopes of building goodwill and more sustainable engagement. World of Warcraft continues to layer new systems and monetization on top of a much larger and more elaborate live-service structure. One is trying to win by subtracting friction. The other continues to win by offering sheer scale and production value.
It is still far too early to say whether Jagex’s strategy will meaningfully threaten WoW’s position. World of Warcraft benefits from deeper systems, bigger marketing, a more modern presentation, and a much larger existing audience. RuneScape’s strengths lie in its flexible progression, strong sense of player-driven economy, and a community that responds well when the developers show they are listening.
What makes the current moment interesting is that Jagex is willing to give up a proven revenue tool in service of a longer-term goal. In an industry where most publishers add more monetization over time, choosing to remove it stands out. Whether that choice helps RuneScape grow into a true rival to World of Warcraft will depend on the content that follows, especially the new systems and updates expected to be detailed at RuneFest later this year.
For now, the two games represent different answers to the same question: how much should an MMO ask of its players’ wallets in order to keep improving? RuneScape is betting that asking for less might eventually earn it more. Are they right and will it pay off and work? That remains to be seen in the future.