Mod Warden, RuneScape’s Executive Producer, has a few words to say about today’s hugely exciting launch of Archaeology.

Hello RuneScapers!

Earlier this month we spoke with you about the unprecedented and historic circumstances we are all experiencing. The team at Jagex quickly acted to keep our team safe and support our players, and now 100% of the studio is working from home. All of that in just a matter of days!

Now two weeks in, we have felt the breadth of these changes in a way and at a speed no one could have anticipated. I have a team that is globally distributed, mostly functional and bringing you this release today - all from our homes. We have forever changed the way we work and have so much more to learn from it.

To be honest, this launch is pretty surreal for me. I feel both extremely happy and sad – it’s weird to ponder the moral symmetry of all this. But were these better times, a message like this would be joyous and excited, so I’m choosing to be focus on those feelings today!

As a game developer and leader, I make it my mission to try and put a smile on players’ faces. There is no better feeling than bringing creations to life and getting them in front of you all to experience. These are the artistic, creative and technical expressions of our endeavours. Developing a new powerful skill like this (our 28th!) over the last 19 years is no small feat for us. Archaeology brings a new chapter of an epic story, intricate gameplay, big rewards and mastery. There are five new massive and magnificent locations to experience, forming an incredible expansion of Gielinor’s rich, mysterious and whimsical history.

I am very proud of the work the team put into this release. The extra delay was well spent on polish, quality and an exciting launch campaign to celebrate the game you all love. This also marks a new beginning for how we weave lore and story into our content. We have begun a tale that sets up our content for the coming year – and many of you are already discovering and talking about some of the narrative Easter eggs we’ve seeded!

Both myself and the team thank you for your loyalty! Enjoy this time with family and friends, and hopefully we’ve put a smile on your face with today’s release. Please do tell us how we’ve done! :blush:

And remember… dig deep, war is coming!

Mod Warden