New RuneScape Monthly Subscription Rates Match World of Warcraft Prices

New RuneScape Monthly Subscription Rates Match World of Warcraft Prices

Welcome back to another fantastic edition of Morning Checkpoint. Ethan is still out engaging in activities at GDC. Sounds exciting. However, he’s having a hard time playing Marathon on the hotel’s wi-fi. What a bummer. Anyway, today we’ve got news about an upcoming price hike for Runescape, updates regarding the next Yoshi game, a surprising Lego Luigi release, and some PlayStation revelations. It’s the newest edition of Morning Checkpoint, Kotaku‘s daily summary of gaming news, rumors, and culture. And…oh my, is that George Lucas? Hurry, Tom Cruise, say something nice to him for all of us. Thanks!

Runescape faces another price hike, less than two years after the last

The enduring free-to-play fantasy MMORPG and favorite of school computer labs, Runescape, is set to see its prices rise again. As noted by PC Gamer, the monthly membership for the MMO, which grants access to an extensive array of features, locations, quests, bonus skills, and more, has now increased to $15 a month. It was $14 before. The annual fee has also seen an increase today, now costing $132 for a year of Runescape membership, up from $100. Currently, Runescape’s membership is as expensive as World of Warcraft‘s monthly fee of $15. In fact, in certain regions, Runescape‘s monthly cost is higher than WoW‘s.

A membership price hike would be frustrating on its own, but this marks the second increase within a span of less than two years. In September 2024, Runescape’s membership rose from $12.50 to $14, and the yearly subscription plan increased from $80 to $100. Indeed, this now signifies that the annual subscription for Runescape membership has surged over $50 in the past two years, transforming a previously great deal into a less appealing proposition.

Players who registered before September 2024 will still be allowed to keep the old rate for a monthly subscription, but all new customers must start paying the updated prices on their next billing date.

Regarding the reasoning behind Runescape raising its prices, the developers claim it’s necessary to better manage the “cost of infrastructure, updated systems, and new content.” Not mentioned in the announcement blog regarding the price rise: In early 2024, Runescape creators Jagex were acquired by a private equity firm.

Lego Unveils New Luigi-Themed Mario Kart Set

<figure id="attachment_200067