RuneScape Servers Crashed Due to Success of RuneScape Mobile
When LAN parties were a new concept in the world of gaming, it gave birth to a new genre of games which is now known as Massive Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games or MMORPG, for short. The thought of being able to talk to people all over the world and embark on quests together back then was mind-blowing. It’s worth remembering that this was a time where the internet was still at its infancy and people were still coming to grips with the idea of using a computer for more than just menial tasks. For the first time, people could go “online” to communicate with others and even play video games. When it came to the games part, there were a plethora of MMORPGs that gamers could choose as their “drug of choice”, and among those was RuneScape.
RuneScape has adapted over the years and kept up with the ever-changing times. Whether it’s because of blinded nostalgia or their sheer love for the game, RuneScape has stood the test of time and even managed to outlive some of its competitors, so when RuneScape mobile was announced that was launching on June 17, the community went berserk.
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Jagex’s Decision to Port RuneScape to Mobile
Many gamers were a tad hesitant about the concept of mobile gaming at first, but once they’ve warmed up to the idea, the number of people playing mobile games has doubled since the past year. It’s now normal for people to solely play their video games on their phones and while it was seen negatively back then, games have become more accessible for the mobile market. There are even some companies that dedicated certain products for gaming purposes. It’s safe to say that mobile gaming, in general, has boomed and it’s partly because not all gamers have the time anymore. As people get older, they’ll no doubt have more on their plate than usual, which leads to them getting busier.
Being able to play games on their phone is not only convenient, but thanks to the number of games being released for it, they don’t necessarily feel left out. Online games are by far the most common games that people would find if they were to search their App Store. There are a couple of single-player games here and there, but let’s face it, online multiplayer games are where it is at for mobile. Some of the favorites are Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, Call of Duty Mobile, and Jagex’s very own Old School RuneScape mobile.
Needless to say, the decision to port RuneScape to mobile was an easy choice to make. Not only will Jagex have a firmer grasp on their already huge fanbase, but it will be easier for newcomers to try the game out as well. Convenience is key in mobile gaming. All it takes is a semi-decent internet connection or mobile data and they’re good to go.
The Crash and Burn
In terms of success, RuneScape is right on track for having a wonderful mobile launch. With over two million pre-registrations for it, the official launch of RuneScape mobile resulted in many gamers flocking to download the beloved game; however, things took a turn for a worse as it resulted in the servers ultimately crashing. Just as Jagex began to roll out the Android and iOS versions of RuneScape mobile, they immediately announced that the servers would be slower than usual due to the high volume of players that are entering within the game or downloading it.
The downtime wasn’t all that bad, but even the non-mobile players were impacted by the huge influx of mobile users trying to download the game. It’s worth noting that the PC and mobile versions of RuneScape share the same servers, hence affecting the PC gamers who sadly were either stuck on the game’s loading screen or not being able to load the game at all.
Jagex’s Band-Aid Solution
Fortunately, Jagex wasn’t exactly a company that would run around like headless chickens after an unexpected mishap. They currently have a simple workaround for the players that were affected by the slowdown–at least until they find a permanent solution to the problem, of course. There’s a cache that players can begin to fully download on the Lobby Screen that apparently can alleviate the issues that were causing players to not be able to log in. It’s understandable for players to feel frustrated about the problems that mushroomed during the launch period of RuneScape mobile, but at the very least, it’s a great sign that RuneScape is more than alive than ever despite its age.
Final Thoughts
To be up to date with all the news for RuneScape Mobile, it’s recommended that players constantly check out the official Twitter account for RuneScape for future updates and the like. Thanks to RuneScape having cross-play support, players from the mobile and desktop versions will be able to play together with no problems. With the two video games (RuneScape and OSRS) of Jagex now already part of the mobile gaming ecosystem, players can expect more newcomers to arrive and hopefully stay in the years to come.
