RuneScape Passes 1 Million Subscribers

An anonymous reader writes "The online Java-based fantasy MMOG Runescape has reportedly surpassed 1 Million paying subscribers. Gamasutra has a Q&A article with the Jagex co-founder and lead developer Andrew Gower about the UK-based firm's success. 'Counting roughly 4.6 million who play the free version of the game, RuneScape has more than 5.6 million players, says Constant Tedder, managing director of Jagex. As such, it represents credible competition to the big kahuna, World of Warcraft, which has topped 8 million paying subscribers. Part of the secret, Tedder said in an interview, is that the game doesn't take itself so seriously. In one recent event, players could transform themselves into penguins and infiltrate the penguin army to see what they were up to in the penguin underworld. The game has been growing largely by word of mouth.'"

*THE* grind

[Deltaspectre]

This game will never be competition to the World, mainly because it's very grind focused. Sure there are quests, but only 100 or so when I was still playing (and at that all but 20 or so were for members only). These quests might get you a few levels if you're lucky and low level, but the majority of leveling is from the grind unlike the World where you get some actual levels from quests and there are a ton of quests.