Old School Runescape Turns Four

Jagex's giant MMO has turned ten years old this year. But as well as ten years of RuneScape, 2017 marks four years of Old School Runescape, an offshoot of the game designed to cater to players who don't like change.

Old School Runescape was launched in 2013, the give a vanilla experience for players. Four years on and the special version of the game has gone from strength to strength, with more players turning to the Old School version every day.

“This year is a double anniversary for Old School RuneScape; not only does the game celebrate its fourth birthday, but it’s also the 10th anniversary of the ‘snapshot’ server we used to bring Old School to life,” said Mathew Kemp, producer, Old School RuneScape."

"We certainly wouldn’t be here without the level of support and commitment from our community and, as that community is growing by the day, we’re opening 12 new servers to make room for everyone. Old School’s growing player base and its impact in the competitive sector is an impressive testament to the remarkable appeal of the game and shows it’s come a long way in the last decade. But however far Old School has come, it’ll always be rooted in 2007 for us.”

From today, Old School RuneScape is also hosting an in-game event that invites players to don their party hats and make merry with iconic game characters such as Party Pete and King Roald, and ultimately receive birthday-themed rewards.

In addition to the return of special characters, a new e-sports tournament has been announced. Deadman Invitational 5, the first of 2017’s tournaments, is now open for registration. This hardcore competitive gaming tournament will see players fight to the death, with a 2000:1 chance of survival, in a bid to secure a $10,000 prize. Players can now register their interest in Deadman Invitational 5, which will see the final take place at ESL studio 1 in Leicester, UK, on the 25th March.