Summary of "The Update That (Almost) Killed RuneScape"

Concise summary

Old School RuneScape (OSRS) nearly implemented a corporate partnerships program that would have introduced partnership-tied cosmetics into the game. Community backlash and developer intervention prevented it: every proposed item was polled, all 23 questions failed (roughly 70% “no”; 75% “yes” was required), and Jagex accepted the result. Jagex has since shifted toward partnerships that do not alter core in‑game cosmetics or achievement signals.

Timeline / story outline

2011 — Jagex ran retail/browser promotions (e.g., Ornate Katana, Chrome Goggles), which later fed player distrust of corporate promos.
2015 — Bonds introduced: a controversial but player‑approved microtransaction letting players buy membership (or sell for in‑game gold).
April 2017 — First Twitch Prime (Prime Gaming) OSRS promotion: a free month of membership only (well received).
2018 — Twitch Prime promo with a temporary exclusive purple skin (Prime-only for six weeks, then released to everyone); alarmed some players who saw parallels to RuneScape 3’s microtransaction path.
July 2019 — Jagex published “Partnerships and Old School” and proposed 23 partnership-tied cosmetics/content items (skin colors, emotes, PoH decorations, teleport animations, etc.), stating they would be cosmetic, fit the art style, and be polled.
Community backlash and memes criticized perceived exclusivity and a slippery slope to microtransactions.
Poll: all 23 questions failed (about 70% “no”; 75% “yes” required). Jagex closed the poll early and accepted the result.
Behind the scenes: developers Mod Ash and Ma Kieran insisted on polling the content rather than adding it without a vote — their intervention was crucial.
Aftermath: Jagex pivoted to partnerships that don’t change the game (events for Prime users, physical merch, hardware, crossovers, Creator Crafted goods, plushies), leaving cosmetic/game-changing items out of the core game.

What was being proposed (high level)

The formalized partnerships program contained 23 proposed items/questions. Sample items included:

New skin colors (examples named: orange, gray, red, yellow; purple had been trialed previously)
New emotes
Home teleport animations themed to gods
Player‑owned house (PoH) decorations inspired by areas (Wilderness, Moritania, elven city Pryus)
Cosmetic reskins and other purely visual unlocks

Key context and arguments discussed

Why players objected

OSRS origins: the game was founded on a promise of “no microtransactions” beyond subscription; cosmetics tied to outside spending felt like a slippery slope.
Achievement signaling: cosmetics in OSRS often represent in‑game achievement (rare capes, pets, recolored equipment); giving similar items via promotions cheapened earned status.
Historical distrust: Runescape 3’s microtransactions and prior limited-time promo items created skepticism.
Exploitation concerns: botting and hacked/cheap Amazon accounts made partnership giveaways vulnerable to abuse.

Why some players accepted bonds

Bonds let players convert real money into in‑game gold legitimately, reducing demand for third‑party RWT while giving revenue to Jagex.
Bonds were polled and approved alongside other changes and were viewed as a necessary trade-off to support the game without empowering black‑market RWT.

Practical tips and takeaways for players

Participate in polls — voting matters and directly shapes OSRS policy.
Be cautious with cheap Amazon/Twitch Prime accounts sold online — they may be hacked or banned and can exploit promotions.
Use bonds if you need membership but want to avoid sketchy third‑party RWT sites.
Be specific and critical when responding to proposed changes: demand transparency and poll guarantees for anything that affects perceived earned status.
Support constructive dialogue with developers — the game responded positively when devs and community engaged.

All 23 partnership questions failed in the public poll, and Jagex accepted the result rather than imposing the proposed cosmetics.

Outcome and current approach

Jagex abandoned the plan to add partnership cosmetics without overwhelming player consent, accepted the poll results, and moved toward partnerships that promote the game without adding game-changing or achievement-cheapening cosmetics. Current partnerships focus on events, peripherals, merch, and non‑invasive collaborations.

Sources / people and organizations referenced

Mod Ash (Jagex developer)
Ma Kieran (Old School team member)
Jagex (company)
Twitch Prime / Prime Gaming (Amazon/Twitch)
Amazon (Prime bundle context)
Star Forge (hardware collab)
Makeshift (plushies)
Creator Crafted (merch/product designs)
chess.com (crossover event)
Various unnamed YouTubers / creators (collaborations and merch)
RuneScape 3 history (microtransaction examples such as the Squeal of Fortune and cosmetic items)
The video’s narrator/creator and their outreach to Mod Ash for clarification