RuneScape studio Jagex lays off an undisclosed number of ‘non-player facing’ staff

RuneScape developer Jagex has laid off an undisclosed number of staff from ‘non-game development roles, which was confirmed today by the studio.

Reported by PCGamer, the layoffs first came to light on the RuneScape subreddit, with users noticing moderators missing all of a sudden. A mod that goes by Hooli replied to the thread mentioning the job cuts. They added that the majority of the layoffs were “from non-game dev and non-player facing areas,” adding that the roadmap for RuneSpace: Dragonwilds, which launched into Steam early access two months ago, “won’t change because of these job reductions.”

“We’ll continue the great path we’ve been on with our content,” Hooli added.

“Changes to operational structure” at Jagex

According to the studio (via a statement sent to PCGamer), the layoffs, presented as “changes to our operational structure,” were part of a strategy to build “the best experiences for players and grow the RuneScape community.” The goals are to “reduce complexity, increase agility, and ensure we are fully focused on the areas that matter most-our games, our players, and our future.”

While Jagex declined to disclose the exact number of employees affected, it says the vast majority are within the operations and administrative support teams.

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“We recognize that any change of this nature is difficult, and we are committed to supporting all impacted employees throughout the transition,” the company addded, although it didn’t share specifics about how it plans to provide support.

Jagex reported profit growth for the seventh year in a row at the end of 2022, four years after shutting down RuneScape Classic, ending a 17-year-old run. The studio was then acquired by private equity firms CVC Capital and Haveli Investments in February 2024. A month later, CEO Phil Mansell departed the studio after eight years. CVC Capital advisor and Jagex board member Jon Bellami then took helm of the studio.