RuneScape Adds A Battle Pass And Yep, Players Have Started Review Bombing

Today, RuneScape unveiled what it is calling the Hero Pass, which is more traditionally known as a battle pass. The Hero Pass replaces the Yak Track and Challenge systems in the MMORPG, featuring 120 levels of rewards. Each Hero Pass will last for three months. Per usual one track is free for all players, while the premium track is only available to 12-month Premier Membership subscribers.

As you might imagine, the community didn't take the initial announcement well and the release isn't being received much better. Players aren't buying into the pledges of "we're listening to feedback" coming from Jagex. 

Reddit is the first place I stopped by to check out the reaction, and comments like "It's honestly the last straw for me, after 2,800 hours I'm done. Their greed has gone too far," and "When updating my Steam review I started to list all of the monetization tactics used by Jagex in Runescape, if you list them all together it's overwhelming" seem to be the norm.

A review bombing seems to be underway over on Steam, with recent reviews already being mixed. Reviews following today's announcement include "big spenders only", and "Yo dawg I heard you like mtx so we put mtx in your mtx to mtx your mtx - Jagex September 2023".

Then finally there's the site formerly known as Twitter.

"We'll be listening to your feedback" is the biggest lie 🤣 if they did they wouldn't have even added this. They will be picking only 'positive' things to listen to that will only effect how they can make more money from the entire thing.

— Xyphien (@Xyphien) September 4, 2023

This was the last drop for me, game over. pic.twitter.com/GYEFfmnYEG

— M.Coenen (@Moiekerd) September 4, 2023

We'll see if Jagex is really listening. I'd bet my next paycheck that Hero Pass isn't going anywhere though.