Jagex’s New CEO Talks RuneScape and OSRS Legacy, Developer Management, and Microtransaction Issues

Last week brought significant changes for RuneScape and Old School RuneScape fans when Jagex CEO Phil Mansell announced his departure, making way for the studio’s new CEO, Jon Bellamy, aka Mod North. This news sparked numerous reactions and questions from players, some of which were addressed in a follow-up Q&A video.

The video begins with light questions to help fans get to know Bellamy better, but he also emphasizes his understanding of the legacy of the MMORPGs he now leads. “I’m deeply aware of the responsibility to our players,” he stated. “This is very precious ground. This is hallowed earth.”

Bellamy doesn’t shy away from discussing his background in the gaming industry, noting his experience not only at Jagex but also as an investor in other studios and as an employee at HugeGames, a mobile games company he described as “very monetization oriented.” This point was later addressed as an “elephant in the room,” with Bellamy making it clear that his past won’t influence the monetization strategies of the RuneScape games.

“There will never be microtransactions in Old School RuneScape, and RuneScape 3 needs to be less aggressive on monetization to ensure sustainability for the next 25 years. It’s as clear as I can be. I’ve seen firsthand what hyper-monetizing games on mobile look like; that is not what our games are, and it’s not what they need. It’s totally incompatible.”

Microtransactions were a recurring topic during the Q&A. Bellamy acknowledged that the controversial survey about subscription benefits was a “misstep” and admitted that RuneScape currently lacks a sustainable monetization strategy. He explained that changes to MTX will be gradual, given the game’s 20-year history of MTX integration. “It won’t be a mic-drop moment where everything gets switched off and we move forward,” he said. “It’ll be turning the tanker. […] We know there’s a problem, and we’re addressing it.”

Other highlights from the Q&A include Bellamy’s hands-off management style, emphasizing support for Jagex’s development teams, confirmation that the survey wasn’t the reason for Mansell’s departure, and excitement about the survival game set in the RuneScape universe that’s been in development since 2022.

In other news, RuneScape fans are invited to share their thoughts on the updates revealed during RuneFest via a survey. If you have opinions on the upcoming features, now’s your chance to weigh in.