Earlier today we spoke with Jagex CEO Geoff Iddison and developer Henrique Olifiers about the future of the company. We'll have more from that discussion later today, but as we talked we noticed something interesting about Mr. Olifiers' business card. His official title, according to the card, is "Head of Mechscape." So we asked, point blank, "what's Mechscape?" Mechscape, according to the company men, is the next MMO coming from the folks at Jagex. They're expecting that it will be released in the first Quarter of 2009. It's going to be the next step or two beyond Runescape HD in terms of technology, and a slightly more mature product. Their view is that, as players grow older with the fantasy product, they're going to want something a little more in-depth, deeper. That said, they don't feel that players will want to give up the jump-in jump-out portability of a browser-based game.
Mechscape will capitalize on that by providing a science fiction world and more complicated gameplay, all via your standard web browser. What's amazing is how passionate Jagex's fans are for this game already: the above logo was discovered by nosy fans searching out information about the game. There are already two fansitesfor the game, even though there are almost no details released about the game yet. They've even put together a video showing what assets and information they've unearthed. which is embedded below the cut. Stay tuned to Massively for more on Jagex's new game as we hear it.
I guess it proves that not only can Jagex "play" with the big names in gaming by being invited to E3, but it proves that they are, indeed, worthy of being considered worthy of being at E3.
Now if only they would get their act together and show up to a convention intended to demonstrate future games, with actual game previews instead of hype and word of mouth. Sorry but every other game developer is showcasing their future games! Being invited is great, showing up is not all that is expected. The media wants to see actual demonstrations to report on. The fans are practically frothing at the mouth wanting MORE. Yet not even a screenshot? Come on.
I think some of us are all forgetting who is really important in this new era of Jagex, and that is the players of Runescape. Yes it is all very nice that Jagex staff have been invited too posh meetings so they can announce our futures but what will happen too us, the players of Runescape who have stuck by it for god knows how long making Andrew the 73rd richest person in Britain last i heard. Now I know he wishes too move onto greater things and it is sad he doesn't care enough too keep Runescape going and not even let our progress and loyalty be let known in this new game by letting us put things from Runescape into "Mechscape" or giving us some advantages, but as it is i would like some kind of promise from Jagex Staff that Runescape will remain a priority, NOT just as the game but also that the updates will remain satasfactory and that this HD idea was not just a good way of finishing it off.
For runescape and mechscape, Jagex has 2 entirely separate teams.
They have already stated that Runescape will still be updating the same and won't be forgotten. Mechscape is run and developed by a whole group of different people.
This is amazing news, I can't understand why there isn't more hype over this. Jagex are the creators of the biggest free MMORPG of all time after all.
I plan on making a MechScape Clan called Mechstop at http://www.mechstop.com/ once MechScape is released. Please feel free to join if you are interested.
