Jagex originally announced that Old School Runescape would be coming to mobile last July, and as you can imagine MMORPG fans from around the world rejoiced. Since then people have been getting antsy thanks to the many high-profile classic MMOs that have also been announced for mobile that have yet to see a proper release. Well, it would appear that Jagex is one of the few devs that is going to deliver. Old School RuneScape is finally listed on the Play Store, though it's only available as a members-only beta. An $11 monthly subscription to the game is required.
Gameplay video courtesy of NimbleThor
From the above video, we can easily see that the controls are tap to move, and that performance appears to be pretty dang solid. Of course, we should all keep in mind that a limited mobile beta means the game has yet to experience the full load of a worldwide release. Hopefully, as testing progresses, things continue to stay this smooth.
On the negative side of things, the small UI will probably be an issue on any device with a small screen. Chromebooks and tablets would be more ideal for extended play sessions. Luckily the tap to move controls should lend themselves well to these bigger devices.
There was a limited amount of downloads available for the Play Store listing as of yesterday, but since those spots were filled within the first two hours, more have been opened today. So if you are a subscriber to Old School Runescape, you can once again install the beta from the Play Store and get into the game after you enter your credentials. Oh, and once this mobile beta transitions into a full release, you'll be able to play as a non-member for free, though some content will be restricted.
If you aren't able to install from the Play Store just yet, I have confirmed that taking matters into your own hands by tracking down the APK and sideloading it to your device works just fine. You'll still need to pay the subscription to play, but at least things aren't so locked down that sideloading isn't an option.
I have to say I'm pleasantly surprised to see that development of the mobile version of Old School Runescape is going smoothly. I know I can't wait to dive in, though the $11 monthly subscription may be a little pricey for some, especially when you consider that Jagex recently bumped up the fee two days ago for new members, most likely in anticipation of the upcoming mobile release. I suppose someone needs to pay for the development of the mobile version and its continued service. I'm just not sure people are ready to pay $11 a month for a mobile port of what is essentially a seventeen-year-old game. At the very least the subscription grants you access to Old School Runescape on PC and Mac as well, which should soften the blow a bit.
PRESS RELEASE
Old School RuneScape Mobile enters members’ beta and every RuneScape and Old School member is going to get access!
Every subscribed member of the MMORPG’s community will gain access to the cross-platform beta as a staggered rollout on Android gets underway.
Friday 6th July 2018, Cambridge, UK – Access to Old School RuneScape Mobile’s new members’ beta is being made available to every single Old School RuneScape or RuneScape subscriber, as part of a staggered rollout. Following a limited test rollout yesterday, with the cap reached in just two hours, the members’ beta is today being opened up to enable a further 250,000 subscribers gain access.
Over the coming weeks, access will be scaled up to give every subscribed player the opportunity to continue their Old School RuneScape journey on Android devices while sat at home on the sofa, during the commute, in the canteen, and even in flight, leaving no excuse for XP waste.
On launch later this year, Old School RuneScape Mobile will become the first mainstream Western online RPG to deliver the complete MMO experience across both mobile and PC platforms, enabling players to seamlessly jump between devices and continue their adventure on either platform.
Conor Crowley, Director of Game Development, Jagex said:
“Since announcing our plans to bring both RuneScape games to mobile, the community has been clamouring to get their hands on the titles. Old School RuneScape Mobile has been running 24/7 in invite-only closed beta for the past couple of months, and, with development progressing really well, we wanted to share this progress with the most important people: our members. That begins now and, soon, every Old School and RuneScape subscriber will have access to Old School mobile – the next stage of bringing two of the world’s most popular online RPGs to the world’s most popular gaming platforms”
Since it first launched in February 2013 with the backing of 450,000 members of the RuneScape community, Old School RuneScape’s success has continued to grow, delivering new lands and new adventures that take it far beyond a purely nostalgic vanilla experience. One of Jagex’s flagship living games, Old School features player-polled content including the recently released raid, Theatre of Blood, the Deadman Invitational competitive game mode, and continues to be at the vanguard of collaboration between developers and its community.
While Old School RuneScape Mobile is becoming accessible to all members over the next month, RuneScape Mobile’s closed beta is currently invite-only.
Old School RuneScape Mobile runs on Android devices running on Lollipop (5.0) or later
Recommended devices include:
A leader in creating deep and engaging live games, Jagex’s flagship MMORPG, RuneScape, has welcomed over 250 million player accounts to its world. Today the RuneScape franchise exists beyond running games in live operations; our titles are living games that connect and inspire millions of players, with content and experiences both inside and outside of inexhaustible game worlds. Both RuneScape and Old School RuneScape, on PC and coming to mobile, offer ever-evolving, highly-active worlds and our community-focussed development ethos empowers players to have a real say in how each game is shaped. Now we’re expanding and extending our portfolio with fresh franchise titles and new IP to bring life to the living games of the future. Jagex employs over 320 people at its Cambridge headquarters. In 2016 Jagex became part of Fukong Interactive Entertainment, a global games group publicly listed in China. Career information can be found at www.jagex.com
About Old School RuneScape
Launched in 2013, Old School RuneScape is the industry-leading collaboration between players and developers. Embracing its nostalgic heritage, hundreds of thousands of active players control the direction of the game with an in-game polling system. Featuring adventures for solo play through to 100-player strong raids, Old School RuneScape caters for every brave adventurer. Since 2016, Old School RuneScape has established itself as a competitive game with the seasonal free-for-all Deadman Tournaments, where winners receive huge cash prizes and membership. Play now at http://oldschool.runescape.com.
Source: Runescape