Players Get Some Microtransactions Removed from MMO RuneScape: “This Is the Start of a New Era”

Starting in January 2026, the classic MMO RuneScape will remove the paid Treasure Hunter chests that let players quickly obtain new items. The decision followed a player-driven petition that gained support from the community.

It’s worth noting the initiative came from developer Jagex. The company described it as “the most important vote in the game’s history,” even though players were not given an option to vote against removing Treasure Hunter.

Nevertheless, the result matters. The chests will be removed on January 19, 2026, along with 225 premium items that granted experience boosts or new gear.

“These changes will permanently reshape RuneScape and mark the start of a new era where fairness underpins every design decision,” Jagex said.

The petition required 100,000 signatures and collected more than 120,000.

“Removing Treasure Hunter is just one element of wide-ranging reforms at Jagex. We are committed to delivering meaningful, fair content and long-term improvements across all the studio’s games,” added studio head John Bellamy.

RuneScape is experiencing a resurgence, partly thanks to the survival spin-off Dragonwilds. In July, developers reported that over 200,000 players were online simultaneously on Old School RuneScape servers.

Source: iXBT.games