On May 4, the price of RuneScape memberships will increase. Previously, membership cost $10.99 USD, £6.99 GBP or €9.49 EUR a month, but it’s going up to $12.49 USD, £8.99 GBP, or €10.99 EUR a month. For US-based customers, that’s an increase of just over 13%.
The impact on price is similar for the long-term packages. Six months of membership will go up from $54.99 USD to $59.99 USD. Equally, purchasing a year of membership via Premier Club Gold will cost $79.99 USD, while it was previously $69.99 USD. These increases in price won’t affect existing members, though. Only new members and those who haven’t had an active membership for more than 14 days will have to pay more. Additionally, anyone who activates a membership before May 4 will still pay the current lower prices.
It isn’t just the increased price of membership that RuneScape players have to deal with either. Other services and items are getting more expensive, too. Both bonds and RuneMetrics will go up from $6.99 USD to $7.99 USD. Meanwhile, microtransactions like Treasure Hunter Keys and RuneCoins will also hit all-time high. One positive change, however, is that Jagex now prevents the sale of Treasure Hunter keys to anyone below the age of 18.
Jagex has justified the increase by citing rising development costs, inflation, and fluctuations between international currencies. It states that these changes are being implemented to reflect this.
The new prices of membership worldwide. (Source: RuneScape website)
The implications
This price hike is more relevant than it may first seem. One of the unique selling points of RuneScape has always been the sheer volume of content it provides for what was a relatively cheap price. After all, the game is 20 years old and has 20 years’ worth of updates.
However, the new monthly price for RuneScape membership will end up matching that of Final Fantasy XIV Online. Square Enix’s MMORPG may not have as much content, but it’s a more visually updated game with more up to date mechanics. By matching its membership cost, Jagex has made it far harder to sell its product.
