Many long term players have been around for when Runescape members was the low flat rate of $5. Many of our newer members now pay an extra $.99! But runescape is pushing those who don’t have members to join the party. Look at the latest update for example. You begin at a new log in screen separating the Members and Free players. They seem to be trying to market the product that members already pay for. The quests are silly to display on a log in page, how would you even have a slight idea of what it is when you are just joining? Doesn’t when you click to play on the home screen, ask if you are continuing your adventure or begin your own? Why register there when you can through the existing players button. There comes a point where it just get annoying. I think in every companys life span there will be a greed point. I think that Runescape sees a large amount of its free players logging in and wants them to pay the $6 per month. There is no problem trying to encourage others to play in the main portion of the game. There is just a point where it is a little much. JaGeX has also stated that the free version is the complete game and that members is simply an extension of that game. If that is the case then why is the free version 1/5th the total game play and so little offered to them? Free players haven’t been given a new quest since RSC which was years ago, while members get quest updates almost monthly. Members also have 9 more skills than free players making things easier to train together. Free players have 2 minigames while members have more than I can count on one hand. Runescape is really in my opinion trying to make f2p seem like its a large portion but what it truly is just a trial. Its all very interesting but you have to remember that JaGeX is a company and they are in the business of making money. Having ads, and promoting the full line of their game is what will bring in the cash even in tough times. I really don’t know what to say other that I hope that they don’t run the company into the ground as prior to Mod MMG Runescape was very different from what it is now. It may be for the better but we will have to ride the storm out to see a true result.
