History of Monetization 2.0
Hi everyone. This is my second attempt at a monetization timeline for RS3. For those curious, I'm still canceled, unsubscribed, and haven't logged in since the 16th.
2011: Loyalty Programme was introduced, giving advantages to players who maintained continuous membership through loyalty points that reset for those who let their membership lapse, creating a system where more extended subscribers had clear advantages over those returning to the game.
February 2012: Squeal of Fortune was introduced. For the first month, it was a daily rewards wheel; players could hit the stop button twice to make it instantly stop on the prize they wanted; it was rapidly fixed. Soon afterward, players could purchase extra spins with real money, marking one of RS3's first significant steps into microtransactions. This was ten months before the Evolution of Combat (EoC) update, thus predating the often-cited reason for MTX's rise in the game. Shared credit: u/Narmoth
July 2012: Solomon's General Store launched, allowing players to purchase cosmetic items using RuneCoins, expanding the microtransaction model.
2012 Onwards: Premier Club began offering benefits for long-term subscribers but evolved to include more exclusive items and promotions, often at a higher cost.
March 2013: Bonds were introduced, allowing players to buy in-game currency with real-world money, effectively legalizing real-world trading by enabling players to exchange Bonds for membership or in-game gold, affecting the game's economy.
February 2014: Treasure Hunter replaced the Squeal of Fortune. This new system allowed players to open chests with keys, which could be purchased with real money, offering randomized rewards. Treasure Hunter has been one of the most criticized MTX systems for its gambling-like nature.
2014: Seasonal Events with Exclusive Items like Christmas and Halloween events where participants could gain exclusive items, often with elements of MTX. These events utilize FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) by offering items or rewards that are either time-limited or require additional spending on Treasure Hunter keys for the best results.
2014: Promotional MTX Events where special items or boosts are available for purchase, linked to specific dates or in-game events, further intensifying monetization efforts.
February 2016: RuneMetrics was released, offering gameplay analytics for a subscription fee, which was seen as another layer of monetization since it wasn't included in the basic membership.
April 2017: until March 2024 there was prime gaming that gave Runecoins and other stuff released via MTX. Credit: u/Narmoth
July 2018: Runepass was launched as a test for a battle pass model, offering rewards for gameplay but with exclusive items on a paid track. It was a precursor to later, more contentious systems.
November 2019: Yak Track was introduced as a more refined version of Runepass, which still features a premium track for exclusive rewards but was later discontinued.
September 2023: Hero Pass was implemented, offering gameplay buffs, cosmetics, and pets, but was met with significant backlash due to its pay-to-win elements, leading to its cancellation after the first season.
2025: Reinstating Free-to-Play Ads - After being removed in 2016, there's an indication via a survey of potential plans to bring back ads for free-to-play players, suggesting another revenue stream.
Various Dates: Bank Extra Space and other convenience items were available for purchase through Solomon's store or MTX, like bank boosters for additional storage.
Over Time: Membership Price Increase - RS3 membership costs have increased over the years, from $5/month to around $11/month in some regions, adding to the overall cost of playing the game. Here's a rough timeline of membership price increases:
Pre-2007: Membership was $5 per month.
2007: Prices increased to $7.50 per month in some regions.
2012: Jagex announced an increase to $8.25 per month for new members in the US, with existing members grandfathered at their previous rate for a period.
2016: Membership prices saw another adjustment, going up to $9.99 per month in some regions like the US.
2020: Prices were reported at around $10.99 per month in some regions, reflecting inflation and changes in service offerings.
Now: Monthly Membership: $13.99 USD per month for new subscriptions. Premier Membership (12 months): $99.48 USD annually, equating to approximately $8.29 monthly if paid in advance.