Jagex revealed plans to make sweeping changes to many top-tier weapons in Old School RuneScape, citing a concern for the long-term health of the game. While it seems most of the community is on board – a recent survey indicated more than half its players support a change – there's a vocal minority who aren't happy with the plan.
Old School RuneScape's combat is much different than it was eight years ago, with new weapons, armor, enemies, and raids added on a regular basis. However, trying to balance all these additions isn't easy, and Jagex has mostly avoided "powercreep" by giving players unique rewards instead of adding powerful new weapons. Unfortunately, the team thinks it's time to step in and do some maintenance.
"A lot of existing item requirements don’t reflect their strength - a fact that the community has been discussing for some years now," reads the announcement from Jagex. " We want to give you the opportunity to have your say, so please take the time to read through all of the changes and provide feedback."
Jagex is being transparent about the coming changes and, while they'll certainly alter Old School RuneScape in a massive way, most of the community seems to accept the changes as a necessary evil.
However, not everyone feels that way.
A quick scroll through the popular Old School RuneScape subreddit shows plenty of unhappy – and vocal – players. The popular Toxic Blowpipe is receiving the brunt of the damage, with meme after meme of underpowered jokes.
As it is with any popular game, big changes will never be accepted by the entire community. And for a game with a fanbase as passionate as OSRS, there was bound to be some backlash. Jagex is still looking for feedback prior to making the changes to combat, but make no mistake – changes are on their way. Here's hoping the developers and community can settle on some common ground, and keep the game healthy for years to come.