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Jagex

Develops living online games and MMORPGs

Overview

Jagex creates and maintains online games that continuously evolve with new content, with RuneScape as its flagship title. Its games are built as living experiences that grow through regular updates and player input. Players can access basic game features for free, then pay for premium memberships that unlock extra content, plus in-game purchases like items and currency. What sets Jagex apart is its long-running focus on living games and strong community engagement, combining subscription revenue with microtransactions to sustain growth. Its goal is to provide enduring, community-driven online experiences that keep players engaged over many years while supporting social initiatives such as mental health and wellbeing programs.

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About Jagex

Simplify's Rating
Why Jagex is rated
B-
Rated B on Competitive Edge
Rated B on Growth Potential
Rated C on Differentiation

Industries

Consumer SoftwareEntertainmentGaming

Company Size

501-1,000

Company Stage

Acquired

Total Funding

$2.6B

Headquarters

Cambridge, United Kingdom

Founded

2001

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What believers are saying

  • November 17, 2026, Melvor Idle 2 expands the RuneScape brand into fresh single-player demand.
  • October 20, 2026, The Fractured Archive proved Old School RuneScape still monetizes hardcore players.
  • December 2026 plugin launches and Hardcore Worlds deepen retention and creator-led engagement.

What critics are saying

  • October 15, 2026, Reignited cancellation showed Jagex’s roadmap can collapse under community backlash.
  • Old School RuneScape depends on veterans; losing trust breaks monetization and raid engagement quickly.
  • If Dragonwilds underperforms after 1.0, Jagex’s multi-genre expansion loses its growth engine.

What makes Jagex unique

  • RuneScape’s 25-year community and 300 million accounts create unmatched network effects.
  • Jagex ships cross-platform forever games, with RuneScape on PC, mobile, and consoles.
  • RuneScape: Dragonwilds extends the franchise beyond MMORPGs into survival-crafting and modding.

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Funding

Total Funding

$2.6B

Above

Industry Average

Funded Over

4 Rounds

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Benefits

  • Health Insurance
  • 401(k) Retirement Plan
  • Mental Health Support
  • Life Insurance
  • Performance Bonus
  • Parental Leave
  • Flexible Work Hours
  • Paid Vacation

Growth & Insights and Company News

6 month growth

1%

1 year growth

1%

2 year growth

0%
Inven Global
Oct 29th, 2026
Melvor Idle 2: A RuneScape Adventure launches in Steam Early Access on November 17th.

Melvor Idle 2: A RuneScape Adventure launches in Steam Early Access on November 17th. Oct 29, 2026 Jagex, the UK studio behind RuneScape, has announced a partnership with developer Games by Malcs to publish Melvor Idle 2: A RuneScape Adventure, an idle role-playing game (RPG) launching in Early Access on PC via Steam on November 17th. According to a release, the sequel builds on Melvor Idle, which the companies said has sold over 1m units. The partnership also brings the series closer to the RuneScape franchise, with the new game officially branded as 'a RuneScape Adventure'. Players can wishlist it on Steam ahead of launch. Idle games, also called incremental games, let characters keep gaining resources and experience with little direct input, often continuing to progress while the game is closed. Melvor Idle 2 pairs that loop with RPG systems inspired by RuneScape. How Melvor Idle 2 plays. Melvor Idle 2 is a single-player adventure in which players level up interconnected skills such as woodcutting, smithing, cooking, farming, combat and magic at their own pace. Building up ranged, melee and magic skills prepares them for dungeons, monsters and bosses, and offline progression keeps the adventure going between sessions. The release lists five new skills, bringing the total to 29, along with a reworked Mastery system covering every skill. A new Quest system adds fresh ways to test combat skills and explores the history of the world of Melvor. The game also introduces game modes for the first time in the series, alongside updated graphics, audio and animations. What the partners said. "Melvor Idle started as a small passion project inspired by RuneScape, so partnering with Jagex to make Melvor Idle 2 a true 'RuneScape Adventure' is a dream come true," said Brendan Malcom, Founder of Games by Malcs. Malcom added that Jagex's support lets the team go further with the new skills, Mastery and Quest systems and a new look. Anna Mostyn-Williams, Senior Director of Business Development & Partnerships at Jagex, said: "Games By Malcs has built a passionate community by capturing what makes RuneScape's skilling so satisfying, and Brendan has done that brilliantly. After Melvor Idle's incredible success, we're thrilled to build on it and publish Melvor Idle 2: A RuneScape Adventure." About Jagex. Jagex is headquartered in Cambridge, UK. According to the release, RuneScape has welcomed over 300 million player accounts and enters its 25th year in 2026. The company said it is expanding RuneScape into a broader set of games across more genres, including the launch of RuneScape: Dragonwilds in 2026.

Overpowered Media Group, LLC
Oct 29th, 2026
Melvor Idle 2: A RuneScape Adventure 'balances depth with accessibility,' coming next month.

Melvor Idle 2: A RuneScape Adventure 'balances depth with accessibility,' coming next month. October 29, 2026 9:30 AM If you've ever dipped into the RuneScape ecosystem, then you might be familiar with Melvor Idle, a RuneScape spinoff that was developed by an indie outfit who then got Jagex to publish it. The game proved to be a nice little success story in the 2020s, with at least two expansions to date, and now it's got a sequel on the way for next month. This week, Jagex announced Melvor Idle 2: A RuneScape Adventure, launching into early access on November 17th with five more skills, offline progression, quests, new game modes, and the ability to mod. While Melvor Idle 2 will be a solo game, it promises "basic social features" such as a friends list and the option to see other players engaging around the world. "Whether you're a veteran of idle games, a fan of the original Melvor or a maxed out RuneScape completionist, Melvor Idle 2 offers a fresh adventure that balances depth with accessibility," the studio said. "It's the ultimate idle RPG for both busy adventurers and those ready to immerse themselves in a constantly evolving world."

GamingHQ
Oct 27th, 2026
RuneScape: Dragonwilds confirms 3 new skills.

RuneScape: Dragonwilds confirms 3 new skills. * October 27, 2026 * by Noize * 0 Comments * 39 Views RuneScape: Dragonwilds is preparing to expand its character progression system, with Jagex confirming that three familiar skills will arrive through future updates. Prayer, Hunter, and Slayer are officially joining the survival-crafting adventure, giving players even more ways to develop their characters and explore the world of Ashenfall. The additions form part of the game's ambitious 2026-2027 roadmap, which promises new content, gameplay improvements, and additional adventures. While some skills already have planned release windows, others remain further down the development pipeline. RuneScape: Dragonwilds is bringing back three familiar skills. One of the biggest attractions of RuneScape: Dragonwilds is its approach to the traditional RuneScape skill system. Rather than following the MMORPG formula, Dragonwilds combines familiar progression mechanics with survival, crafting, exploration, and base building. Players can already develop abilities such as Mining, Woodcutting, and Magic. These skills play an important role in gathering resources, creating equipment, and surviving the dangers of Ashenfall. Now, Jagex wants to expand that experience by introducing Prayer, Hunter, and Slayer. All three have a long history within the RuneScape franchise, although their implementation in Dragonwilds could differ considerably from the original games. The developer has confirmed their arrival, but not every detail about their functionality has been revealed. Prayer arrives in December 2026. Prayer will be the first of the three skills to make its debut. Jagex plans to introduce it in December 2026 through the free Luminance update. In traditional RuneScape games, Prayer provides temporary combat advantages, defensive bonuses, and other useful effects. Players typically activate these abilities using Prayer points, which require replenishment. However, Jagex has not fully explained how Prayer will function in Dragonwilds. Considering the game's survival-focused mechanics, the skill could introduce interesting possibilities for combat and exploration. Whether it follows the familiar Prayer system or introduces something entirely different remains to be seen. The December update should provide players with a clearer understanding of how Jagex intends to adapt another iconic RuneScape mechanic. Hunter is planned for 2027. Hunter is scheduled to arrive in 2027 alongside the first chapter of the Blood Crystal Saga. The skill traditionally focuses on tracking and capturing creatures through various methods. Its introduction could complement Dragonwilds' existing survival mechanics, particularly resource gathering and crafting. However, the developer has not confirmed exactly how hunting activities will work. Dragonwilds already encourages players to explore different environments and collect valuable materials. Adding Hunter could provide another reason to venture beyond established settlements and discover new locations. The connection to the Blood Crystal Saga also suggests that the update will offer more than a simple skill expansion, although Jagex has yet to reveal the full scope of the upcoming content. Slayer is confirmed, but its release date remains unknown. Slayer is arguably one of the most recognizable combat-related skills in RuneScape, and its confirmation could be particularly exciting for players who enjoy challenging encounters. In the original games, Slayer revolves around defeating specific monsters assigned by Slayer Masters. As players progress, they gain access to increasingly dangerous creatures and valuable rewards. Dragonwilds already features hostile creatures and combat-focused exploration, making Slayer a potentially interesting addition. Nevertheless, Jagex has not confirmed whether the traditional Slayer assignment system will return. The developer has also avoided announcing a release window, meaning players may need to wait considerably longer before learning how the skill will function. For now, Slayer remains a confirmed future addition rather than an update with a fixed launch date. Jagex is building a bigger future for Dragonwilds. The confirmation of three additional skills demonstrates Jagex's intention to continue expanding RuneScape: Dragonwilds beyond its initial content. While the game takes a different approach from the traditional RuneScape experience, its recognizable progression systems remain an important part of its identity. Introducing more familiar skills could strengthen that connection while allowing the developers to experiment with mechanics better suited to survival gameplay. Prayer will lead the expansion in December 2026, followed by Hunter in 2027. Slayer will arrive at a later, currently undisclosed date. For players who enjoy the combination of RuneScape progression and open-world survival, the upcoming roadmap offers plenty of reasons to keep exploring Ashenfall. Want more RuneScape news, updates, and gaming coverage? Add GamingHQ as a preferred source on Google to stay informed about the latest developments.

Overpowered Media Group, LLC
Oct 26th, 2026
RuneScape elaborates on its plugin release timing, Old School RuneScape previews hardcore worlds.

RuneScape elaborates on its plugin release timing, Old School RuneScape previews hardcore worlds. October 26, 2026 11:30 AM Last week saw RuneScape release a beta version of its own in-game plugin hub, and while players have likely come to grips with how it works, there have also been enough questions asked about the feature and some of its surrounding systems that Jagex has assembled an FAQ. The post explains that it releases plugins in batches to "manage the initial influx of submissions and ensure each plugin receives the attention it needs during moderation." Incidentally, Jagex is plotting a two week moderation and release cycle, with its next set of plugins is currently slated to arrive on November 5th. As for plugins that are in the queue, over 250 plugins are in draft and over 200 await moderation. Some of these include a highlighter plugin, a perk calculator, a drop log, and an agility course helper. So if a plugin in the official list isn't the kind you're looking for, you probably won't have long to wait for it to appear. Meanwhile in Old School RuneScape, there's a preview of the hardcore worlds that are opening on Wednesday, November 4th. For those who are unfamiliar, these servers will ramp up the number of unsafe activities, while character deaths will have the option of resetting everything about the character wholesale if players want to remain in a hardcore world. There are otherwise no restrictions on player trading and no modifiers to things like XP or loot.

Jagex
Oct 20th, 2026
Old School RuneScape challenges the toughest players to overcome The Fractured Archive raid.

Old School RuneScape challenges the toughest players to overcome The Fractured Archive raid. Jagex launches the most challenging end-game raid in the award-winning MMORPG to date. Tuesday, 20th October 2026, Cambridge, UK - Jagex: The RuneScape Company has today unleashed The Fractured Archive, the fourth-ever raid developed for Old School RuneScape. Designed to be the most challenging raid released for the award-winning, beloved MMORPG, The Fractured Archive's combat-heavy gameplay demands only the toughest players team up and battle against a series of seven increasingly tougher bosses... before a final boss match-up for supremacy and rewards. Watch The Fractured Archive trailer here Launching four years after the release of the previous raid, The Tombs of Amascut, The Fractured Archive is set in an ancient vault where the god Guthix is sealed away with powerful artefacts and forbidden knowledge. As small teams of players (or brave solo raiders) venture through the Archive to prevent these secrets from being exploited, they'll encounter demanding bosses before one final, epic, boss battle. Successful players will be rewarded with a slew of items to arm themselves for their continued adventures across Gielinor, each polled and developed in tandem with the Old School RuneScape community. These include dual wielding, rapid-fire and heavy-ranged Ascension Crossbows; the enchanted Zorya's Tome that imbues players with a fast-paced burst damage Special Attack spell; the ancient Rondache, a shield magically enhanced to absorb and reflect enemy blows against them; and finally the Obligator, a hard hitting best-in-slot Crush megarare! To mark the launch of The Fractured Archive, Old School RuneScape developers will be hosting a launch watch party to see who can be the first to complete the raid from 12pm BST on the official Twitch channel. Old School RuneScape is available now on PC, Steam, iOS, and Android, complete with cross-platform progression and play on PC and mobile. About Jagex Headquartered in Cambridge, United Kingdom, Jagex: The RuneScape Company, is a leader in creating deep and engaging forever games that empower communities across PC and mobile. Our MMORPG franchise, RuneScape, is played around the world and has welcomed over 300 million player accounts. As RuneScape enters its 25th year in 2026, we are accelerating our strategy to expand RuneScape into a broader ecosystem of forever games and connected experiences, grounded in a renewed commitment to integrity and fair play. This includes the reduction of monetisation mechanics, as well as the launch of RuneScape: Dragonwilds in 2026, representing a major step in building a multi-genre future for the RuneScape universe. Jagex: The RuneScape Company remains focused on building enduring worlds, empowering player-led innovation, and laying the foundations for the boldest era in RuneScape's history. Jagex Communications Team

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