News: Consoles Block Runescape Cross Online Play Page 1

Consoles Block Runescape Cross Online Play

The popular free MMORPG Runescape wants to go cross-platform, but is facing cross-platform issues from all three publishers.

Speaking to Develop Magazine last week, Mark Gerhard, CEO of developer Jagex, expressed a desire to bring Runescape to the three main platform holders Nintendo, Microsoft and Sony.

Whilst all three have shown interest, the problem lies with the free nature of the game - Microsoft and Nintendo are a bit iffy when it comes to offering up the game for free, but apparently only Sony are on the ball.

Some console owners wanted us to charge five Euros for Runescape. What? It would be crazy to charge for Runescape on consoles. People get this for free. You're shooting yourself in the foot. But Sony was ahead of the game, they said they get it. They understand free.

All three then said "okay, but, we won’t let our console play online with any other". Microsoft players wouldn't be able to interact with Sony folk and vice versa, leading to the prime issue with multiplatform online games today - the lack of cross community play.

Gerhard feels that the financial situation in the video game industry will force publishers and console owners to change their approaches.

I think they [Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo] will open up their platforms a bit more, liberate them a bit more. It’s just a matter of time.

Runescape is "well placed" to be on all platforms soon, so Nintendo players will likely hit the online MMORPG scene shortly.

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Darkflame 29.08.2011#1

This is a real shame.
Runescape would be great on the 3DS, for example.
It gets a bit of scoff for its in-browser 3D graphics, but its one of thge most well developed and frequently updated MMOs out there. (and significant upgrades too!)

Its also the only MMO I have ever subscribed too and paid money for precisely because they had such a generious amount of free content.

Lastly, the whole idea of seperate Nintendo/Sony/Microsoft servers are nuts and a testiment to just how backwards all 3 of them are.

The DREAMCAST could play games against PC players, after all.

-sigh-
I only hope eventualy console webbrowsers are forced to catch up enough for them to have no choice but to support it.

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Erc (guest) 29.08.2011#2

I think Sony is the only one of the big 3 that have taken this initiative---first with portal 2 cross platform with pc via Steam/Valve---as well as Valves update to Counterstrike---- but I am excited for the day I can play PS3 games vs my friends on Xbox360 or WiiU

I still don't understand what the big deal is--people are going to choose a platform of choice--and a company they like better--there's no reason that we can't co-exist and play together. And with so many games being cross-platform now the only reason to pick up one console vs the other is the exclusive games--and many of them don't warrant purchasing ANOTHER console.