jagex posts

Jagex cancels MechScape in favor of new secret game

by John Callaham Oct 29th 2009 @ 1:00PM

UK-based Jagex, creators of the popular broswer-based fantasy MMO RuneScape, has decided to cancel their plans for MechScape, their next major browser-based MMO. According to Gamesindustry.biz the decision came in a late stage of the game's development with the company's CEO Mark Gerhard saying it will cost Jagex " . . . tens of millions of pounds. Maybe more." He admitted that the continued success of RuneScape helped make their move to cancel MechScape easier.

However the final product was not turning out as Jagex had hoped with Gerhard stating, "The previous game wasn't a game that we want to play." They are now working on a new secret game project that will use the game engine that was being developed for MechScape. It's current release date is sometime in 2010.

Filed under: Browser, MMO

Lawsuit filed against several MMO publishers

by John Callaham Sep 16th 2009 @ 1:00PM

It looks like a number of MMO game publishers are being hit with lawsuits from a company that claims they are all violating patent agreements. Boston.com reports that their local MMO company Turbine along with Sony, Activision Blizzard, NCsoft and Jagex have all been hit with such lawsuits by Paltalk Holdings.

Paltalk owns the rights to two patents that describe technology for sharing data with lots of connected computers. They have already settled a case with Microsoft who Paltalk accused of using their patents in the multiplayer potion of Microsoft's Halo series. So far there's been no reaction yet from any of the MMO publishers named in the lawsuit.

Filed under: MMO, World of Warcraft

GDC 2009: RuneScape creator to launch all new MMO game in 2009

by John Callaham Mar 26th 2009 @ 11:00AM

It's currently one of the most popular online PC MMO games but it doesn't get as much media attention as World of Warcraft. It's RuneScape, the browser based title from developer/publisher Jagex that has five million active players. In 2008 a graphically improved version of the game, RuneScape HD, was launched and Jagex states in a new press release today that the majority of RuneScape players have moved onto the updated version.

Today during GDC, Jagex has announced plans to launch an all new MMO title for release sometime later this year. The code name of the game is MechScape but other than that no other details of the game have been announced. Jagex claims the new title "will appeal to both existing RuneScape players and an entirely new audience of online gamers."

Filed under: Browser, MMO

Jagex, IGN confirm RuneScape: High Detail

by David Craddock Jun 24th 2008 @ 4:30PM

Jagex Software, developer of titles such as FunOrb and the popular RuneScape MMO, have confirmed the development of RuneScape: High Detail with IGN. Previously known as RuneScape III, RuneScape: HD will officially debut at this year's E3 and will boast a new look that has been in development for quite some time, according to Jagex.

Not much else is known as of this writing, though E3 will obviously bring more concrete details.

Filed under: MMO

Runescape developer joins E3 2008 exhibitors

by John Callaham Jun 12th 2008 @ 10:30AM

Much has been made on the companies that won't be attending E3 this year (most notably the upcoming Activision Blizzard and NCsoft) but there are a number of new publishers that will be attending the show for the first time. At the official (password protected) E3 web site a new exhibitor just showed up on the list. It's the UK based Jagex, best known for their hugely popular web-based fantasy MMO Runescape.

There's no word on what the company will be showing at the show but if Jagex is coming across the pond to show off something to the media attending E3 it might be pretty major. Another new addition to the E3 list is G4 Media which likely means that the cable TV network will once again be covering E3 for its viewers.

Filed under: Browser, Casual, MMO