Euorgamer Interview: Jagex on RuneScape, MechScape and FunOrb

Eurogamer:

You may never have heard of RuneScape, but the free-to-play MMO has over 10 million players and has made Jagex a lot of money. So much, in fact, that the company employs around 400 people across two Cambridge studios (and one London branch) and claims to be one of the biggest online publishers not only in the UK, but in the whole of Europe.

This Blizzard-like financial muscle will soon also be flexed by MechScape: a new, more adult-orientated MMO. Jagex expects a beta next year, but will not be rushed, and can afford not to be. With the technology already in place and the experience of RuneScape under its belt, the company is brimming with confidence - albeit in a refreshingly humble and typically English way. To find out more about the quiet giant, we had tea with CEO Mark Gerhard and MechScape designer Henrique Olifiers, who probably drive fast sports cars to work.

[Quadrix]

I'm hoping it's not going to be RuneScape with just a new coat of paint. I want to see all-around improvements in MechScape.

[Fragger2k8]

I'm really looking forward to their next game. It will be different from RuneScape, besides using the same engine if I remember right, and it should be slightly better visually.

Something I'm pretty interested in finding more about is how there isn't going to be an XP or skills system involved. I wonder what they're planning on doing instead..

Jagex is a great company and they know what they are doing. I'm sure MechScape will turn out to be awesome.