Jagex CEO Phil Mansell has reassured players of the developer and publisher’s massively multiplayer online role-playing games: Runescape And Old Fashioned RuneScape, that the acquired company will not have a negative impact on the games. Namely: “there are no intentions to change our business models (games).”
In case you missed it, on Friday, February 9, it was confirmed that Jagex was sold by investment company Carlyle to CVC Capital Partners and Haveli Investments. a press release described CVC as “a leading global private markets manager,” with “approximately €188 billion (approximately $202.5 billion or £160.5 billion) of assets under management.”
Meanwhile, Haveli is a private equity firm that has launched a ‘Gaming Fund’ in 2022. It has previously invested in Dead by daylight studio Behavior Interactive and Omeda Studios – the developer behind the early access multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) Predecessor.
On Twitter/X after the news was announced, Mansell shared a statement in which he reiterated Jagex’s “commitment” to its games and their communities.
“I assure you of our commitment to our games and you, our communities. We will not compromise the integrity of our games and there are no intentions to change our business models (the games),” Mansell wrote. “Players will remain at the heart of what we do, and we will continue to live the values that make these worlds iconic and unique.
“If anything, this drives us to want to do better for our players, to do more to grow the communities and strengthen the player universe. Runescape further,” he continued. “There are some fantastic adventures ahead and the community plays a big role in that journey.”
When the acquisition of Jagex was announced, managing partner and head of CVC’s sports, media and entertainment team, Nick Clarry, declared that the acquisition “will help realize Jagex’s full potential in the coming years.”
This will be done by “continuing to improve what already exists Runescape games, the accessibility of games across platforms and reinvesting in new IP content to create the exciting games of tomorrow,” he added. What this will look like in practice remains to be seen.
For more games like RuneScape, be sure to check out our lists of the best MMORPGsjust like the best MMOs.