by Jane SAndwood
Have you ever played Runescape? A relic of the browser-based game world, first released in 2001, Runescape is now a two-game franchise with over 100,000 dedicated players – and, according to Polygon, it’s been a massive force for good in Venezuela. By gold farming in the game, they have earned enough money to continue to live, and, crucially, found a daily escape from day-to-day life. Just as all geekdoms provide escapism from life, Runescape (or Old School Runescape, osrs), is providing fun and nostalgia to an entirely new generation.
Old tactics, new games
Runescape has been commemorated as one of the longest-lived MMORPGs, outliving World of Warcraft and Final Fantasy XIV with ease. As IGN outlines, that’s no mean feat, and the community has been kept alive by the hard work of enthusiasts even as Jagex have been unable to keep up in terms of documentation. Every encounter in the game has been fastidiously documented by the legion of fans of the game, and help is always around the corner, whether that be tackling the hydra osrs fans dreaded back in 2001 or finding the optimal way to grind coal certificates – certs – for gold and better armor. The focus on community and shared secret-finding has elevated players for years.
Teaching the internet
For many teenagers, Runescape was a formative internet experience. One writer in Mashable noted how her parents banned video games; however, Runescape, being browser-based, didn’t count. Like many other kids, the writer experienced her first parts of internet etiquette through Runescape. Guild mates and friends taught when to give information, and when to withhold, for privacy; when to block players, and how to communicate using modern internet parlance. Just as Runescape has provided escapism for many, it’s also taught the very real skills that many have relied on to navigate the internet and all of its risks.
Renewed interest
These impacts could soon land with a wider audience. Runescape is set to be released on major gaming platform Steam, and Android versions are planned for release in 2021. This will bring in an entirely new generation of curious gamers who will likely be intrigued by the retro graphics and simple playstyle which, while without the gloss of mass produced Clash titles, will serve as something different – something curious. Most importantly, it will act as a tie back to the early 00s, when everyone on the internet learned their trade and how to interact with the world around them. That can only be a good thing – a dip back to a somewhat simpler time, away from the always-on nature of today’s digital culture and the lack of immersion that fosters.
Runescape isn’t just a game – it’s a social animal, an early internet show of how people interact and play within the fantasy realm. As it’s once again released cross-platform, take time to appreciate the old world and what it did – and continues to do – for people across the world.
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