RuneScape’s Treasure Hunter Is On The Chopping Block — Jagex Puts Pay-to-Win To A Vote

Jagex is letting players kill Treasure Hunter – and that actually matters

This one caught my attention because you almost never see a big MMO studio voluntarily ask players if they should remove a lucrative microtransaction system. Yet here we are: Jagex is putting RuneScape’s Treasure Hunter on the chopping block. If a new community poll reaches 100,000 votes within 14 days, Treasure Hunter and 220 gameplay-benefitting items tied to it will be removed. That includes Dummies, Portables, Proteans, and XP Lamps – the exact stuff that’s fueled years of “pay-to-win” arguments around RuneScape.

Key Takeaways

• A 14-day poll needs 100,000 votes to remove Treasure Hunter and 220 gameplay-affecting items.
• Jagex ran a week-long no-MTX trial; 65% supported removal and 54% said they’d recommend the game more.
• CEO John Bellamy says MTX has “eroded integrity” by letting players bypass core gameplay.
• The win for players is clear – the question is what replaces this revenue without creeping back to P2W.

Breaking down the announcement

This isn’t a random pivot. Earlier this year, Jagex caught heat over a survey hinting membership changes that sounded like “more expensive for less.” In response, leadership promised monetization would “materially change,” with CEO John Bellamy flat-out saying the current system is “harming RuneScape.” That set the stage for a controlled test: on July 21, Jagex disabled Treasure Hunter MTX for a week and replaced it with capped bonus XP bundles (one per day). The results? 65% of players supported removing Treasure Hunter entirely, and 54% reported they were more likely to recommend the game.

Despite those numbers, Jagex didn’t flip the switch immediately. Instead, it’s doing something bolder — and riskier. The studio is asking the whole community to vote. Hit 100,000 votes within two weeks and Treasure Hunter goes away, alongside those 220 gameplay-benefitting items. That’s a big deal. We’re talking about removing systems that have shaped (and distorted) progression since Squeal of Fortune landed in 2012 and Treasure Hunter replaced it in 2014.

Bellamy’s framing is unusually candid for a live-service developer: “Since Squeal of Fortune was introduced in 2012, and subsequently Treasure Hunter in 2014, our approach to monetization has, over time, eroded some of the integrity at the heart of RuneScape,” he writes. “The most concerning elements of our MTX systems have been those that allowed players to bypass core gameplay… While these systems have helped fund the game, they’ve done so at a cost to something far greater: the integrity of our worlds.” In short: the money was nice; the damage wasn’t.

The real story: trust, not just mechanics

On paper, removing Treasure Hunter is about eliminating P2W. In practice, it’s about trust. RuneScape’s modern identity has been at odds with itself: deep, grindy systems on one side; purchasable shortcuts on the other. Items like Proteans and XP Lamps didn’t just shave time — they set expectations. If you weren’t engaging with MTX, you were effectively playing a different game than the folks swiping for keys.

Compare this to the broader MMO landscape. Games like Guild Wars 2 and Final Fantasy XIV lean cosmetic-first and get applauded for it. Path of Exile walks the line with stash tabs and cosmetics. Meanwhile, loot box-style mechanics are getting hammered by regulators and players alike. Jagex has always had an ace up its sleeve with polling culture in Old School RuneScape. Bringing a decisive, player-driven vote to RuneScape proper feels like finally applying that philosophy to monetization.

Questions that still need answers

Let’s keep the skepticism healthy. A 100,000-vote threshold is high. If the poll falls short, does that become cover to keep Treasure Hunter in a “reworked” state? Also, revenue doesn’t disappear just because we wish it away. If Jagex scraps gameplay-benefitting MTX, what’s the replacement? A battle pass? More cosmetics? Expanded membership tiers? The week-long trial quietly added capped XP bundles — a compromise that still affects progression, just less aggressively. The promise now is “designing experiences that are fair, rewarding, and built to last.” That means any replacement must avoid creating a new soft P2W meta.

There are practical questions too. What happens to unspent keys? How will the removal of Portables, Dummies, and Proteans affect skilling efficiency and the economy? Ironman players won’t miss Treasure Hunter, but the broader game may need balance passes so that legitimate in-game methods feel rewarding without MTX crutches. If Jagex gets this wrong, it risks a whiplash swing from pay-to-win to grind-fatigue.

The gamer’s perspective: hopeful, with homework

As someone who’s drifted away from live-service grinds because every menu screams “buy now,” this move feels like a rare reset. If Jagex actually removes gameplay-affecting MTX and rebuilds progression around play, not payment, RuneScape could regain the sense of discovery that keeps MMOs alive for decades. But the follow-through matters. Cosmetics-only shops and optional battle passes can work when they respect time and don’t weaponize FOMO.

So yes, vote if you care about the direction of RuneScape. But also hold Jagex to the next step: transparent plans for the replacement monetization, clear handling of existing MTX currencies, and concrete design changes to keep skilling engaging without paid accelerants. Killing Treasure Hunter is the statement. What comes after is the proof.

TL;DR

Jagex is polling players on removing RuneScape’s Treasure Hunter MTX. Hit 100,000 votes in 14 days and it’s gone, along with 220 gameplay-affecting items. It’s a big step toward restoring trust — but the real test is what monetization replaces it without sneaking P2W back in through the side door.