RuneScape and developer Jagex are taking heat from both fans and employees over its decision to cancel the game’s Pride Month festivities for 2025, citing the “changing reality.” The massively popular MMORPG has been one of the most recognizable games in the online space for more than twenty years since its initial debut in 2001. RuneScape has undergone plenty of changes since its launch, rolling out three different main versions and even introducing Old School RuneScape to revive a beloved past iteration of the game. However, one recent shift has many fans upset at Jagex.
Since 2022, the “Tales of Pride” event has been a staple of RuneScape‘s annual calendar, celebrating the game’s expansive LGBTQ+ community with a variety of in-game perks. Each year’s event brought special cosmetics as part of the event, including the “Banner of Pride” and expanded last year to add multiple new designs for the Shirt of Pride and Flower Crown. The game has also featured community-run “Pride Parades” each year in June, featuring hundreds of players marching through the game’s world. Now, Jagex has revealed it is shelving its new Pride Month content this year.
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As reported by DualShockers, RuneScape has officially announced its decision to cancel the new content slated to release with 2025’s Pride Month event. The change was reportedly shared with internal staff members in April, which saw significant backlash with some employees claiming that much of the new content had already been finished. CEO Jon Bellamy cited a shift in society towards being “less moral” and the increased hostility towards “woke” content as a major factor behind the decision to cancel the Pride event. Jagex did confirm that 2024’s “Tales of Pride” event will return, but without any new content for this year’s version.
RuneScape Cancels New 2025 Pride Month Content
The decision to cancel new Pride Month content saw significant backlash both within Jagex and from fans. Jagex’s internal staff circulated an open letter to Jagex management petitioning to re-instate the Pride content, asking the developer to not “give into hate” and let the studio’s direction be swayed. Fans have also openly called out Jagex for the decision, citing the developer’s previous work to moderate the game’s Pride festivities and accusing the studio of “caving to the alt-right.”
Jagex’s decision to cancel its Pride Month festivities could see many LGBTQ+ players look to other games’ Pride celebrations. Overwatch 2 officially unveiled its Pride event for 2025 in late May, including both a multitude of in-game decorations for the Midtown map and a special new skin for Soldier: 76. Studios like Xbox and Blizzard have even revealed their own new merchandise for Pride Month, featuring both rainbow and specific Pride flag-themed designs. RuneScape‘s cancelled Pride Month event could be a particularly sour spot for many of the game’s passionate fans.