Since the release of RuneScape 3 in 2013, it has two variations of RuneScape which are simultaneously running: RuneScape 3 and Old School RuneScape. At an initial glance, it appears that two versions in the exact same game could cause a loss of players. But is this perception true? This is what we'll investigate this morning.

Not so Old School

Old School RuneScape a.k.a RuneScape07 or simply RS07 is a variant of the game that was played when it was released in the year 2007. This date was chosen randomly in reality. Jagex team just discovered a save file that they had booted up Buy OSRS Gold, and then - here it is! But, as the title implies, OSRS is not so OS anymore. It is actually an entirely new and updated game that preserves everything from the 07 era and further builds upon it. Continuous updates ensure that the game is kept up and is running at a high speed and remains fresh after many years of playing. The game's population fluctuates, of course however it is more to be related to general trends in gaming rather than OSRS itself.

Alienated Playerbase

RuneScape 3 brought in a number of new features that the player. One of the most noticeable was the visual update to the game. This update unlike previous updates to graphics it took the bold step to transform the appearance that the game has. The graphics in the game are not that important to most players, but this drastic shift made it difficult to imagine it was the same game that people fell in love with throughout the past.

Evolution of Combat is another update that had a major impact. EoC introduced major changes to the way that combat of the game is played and changed from a basic combat system that relies on clicking to one based on skill. This change is significant as it alters the way you play the game and graphics, in many cases are often overlooked.

Microtransactions are a different type of. The system was in place prior to RS3 but RS3 made it a reality. Microtransactions in games in where the majority of the content is under a paywall that is subscription-like seem to be a controversial issue. Although they aid in maintaining and enhance the game certain players were unable to get their heads around the fact that throwing money into the game isn't just reward with an assortment of vanity items, but can also speed up progress of characters faster. It tainted their achievements. Imagine investing hundreds or thousands of hours into a sport and then later, someone could achieve similar results in only less than a third of the time. Naturally, the mindset isn't universally shared but the number of players who feel the same way isn't small.

A Niche that can be (Re)Filled

Let's go back to the issue of the two games consuming their respective populations. The truth is that those who stayed away from RS3 due to any reason, weren't playing the game. It's the opposite also: players who were enjoying RS3 played. This means that RS3 and OSRS player bases didn't have a lot of overlap. This means that there was a possible player base that Jagex could draw from. This was evident when considering the popularity of private servers running older versions of the game as well as the regular requests by players. While they're F2P the servers typically sell in-game currency, items and additional services for players in exchange of real-world currency. As we're discussing this of OSRS, it's worth noting that you can buy OSRS gold to play Jagex's Version of the game, too. Jagex is able to claim that they were trying to satisfy the desire for players who wanted to try a previous version, and consequently created OSRS however it is true that the majority of the money that private servers were earning could be transferred to Jagex instead should be taken into consideration. Contrary to Blizzard, Jagex had the ability to recognize the potential of the earlier version of the game early and then capitalized on the potential. The latter did this after several years of requests and OSRS Fire Cape.

OSRS Mobile

OSRS Mobile made the game fully cross-platform. You can now play your game of choice anywhere, anytime. The release OSRS Mobile was a huge success and Jagex saw a record-breaking increase in player numbers. It is a common occurrence that the numbers have dwindled but they've stabilized with a greater player number than they were previously. OSRS Mobile did not only add new players but also increased existing players' activity. The greatest feature of OSRS Mobile is that it is not a watered-down version of the game it's the exact same game. You can play as your original characters in the same settings that you used to play on your computer. So, in short, it is true that OSRS remains popular. In addition but it's also more popular than it has ever been!