(Image credit: Jagex)
Confronted with an unexpected tax hike—doubling from 1% to a daunting 2% at the Grand Exchange market—players of Old School RuneScape (OSRS) reacted in an emblematic way. Historically known for their in-game protests, these medieval-spirited gamers staged a rebellion against this perceived exploitation. In a nod to American history, one player creatively orchestrated their own version of the Boston Tea Party by hurling cups into the harbor.
Growing up in the American South, I witnessed the romanticized depictions of the Boston Tea Party, typically portrayed as a significant event rather than just one person tossing 28 cups of tea at a port’s end. Yet, everyone contributes in their own way, as demonstrated by Reddit user Jesus-Bacon. They humorously declared, “You think the British would have learned by now,” with a chant of “no taxation without representation” in their post title. They cleverly referenced a historical protest to highlight the dissatisfaction despite OSRS’s well-documented player representation through in-game polls, though this specific tax update wasn’t polled.
Developer Jagex, the British team behind RuneScape and OSRS, felt the brunt of this cheeky rebellion. In-game, Jagex staff members are distinguished with a golden crown icon, making the protest symbolically akin to colonial revolutionaries sticking it to their rulers.
But Jesus-Bacon was not alone in this entertaining rebellion. The innovative OSRS Reddit community embraced the “casual doubling of our taxes” theme, indulging in role-play ranging from medieval serfs to mimicking the tariff policies of the US’s Trump administration.
A self-styled OSRS economist argued, “The problem is trade imbalance. Monsters are exporting more alchables than they are importing.” In Runescape terms, “alchables” are items often transmuted into gold coins using the High Alchemy spell, a critical aspect that underpins the game’s economy by setting a price floor for high-volume goods.
Another player advocated for progressive taxation: “The rich mega rare billionaires should be taxed more due to their capacity to contribute without dwindling their lifestyle.” They suggested, “Start at 2% for 100m and ascend to 50% if one owns all three mega rares.” On the flip side, an OSRS billionaire countered, “There are far more middle and lower class players. Increase their taxes and exempt ours, which would significantly influence the economy.”
So, what’s the reasoning behind this tax adjustment by Jagex? Announced on May 29, the increased GE tax was introduced to siphon off gold and mitigate market inflation. This inflation results from a continued surge of gold influx via various channels, despite ongoing efforts to curb bots and regulate loot table flooding.
It is indeed a fascinating case study into the economics of a game with such a long-standing community. Jagex commented, “Our goal isn’t to penalize trade but to ensure that Old School maintains a dynamic and sustainable economy for many years.” Increasing the GE tax is an efficient strategy to achieve this.
The new tax setup will cap at 5 million gold for expensive items, exempt “early-game utility items,” and refrain from taxing sub-50 gold items. However, all fresh trade offers will be subject to the 2% tax going forward. “Ultimately, this isn’t merely about statistics—it’s about preserving the Old School economy to keep your GP valuable and prices equitable,” stated Jagex.
Conventionally, taxes fund infrastructure, essential services, and safety nets. But in OSRS, where do these taxes go? Much of the taxed gold vanishes—serving as a gold sink—while some finance the acquisition and subsequent removal of specific items to prevent market saturation and price drops.
With taxes surging, one OSRS player humorously proposed that Jagex should focus more on infrastructure: “RuneScape’s roads are a national embarrassment. We’ve invested billions of GP in gilded thrones, armor trimming, and role-playing scenarios… yet a flat piece of dirt won’t turn into a combat trial.” They’ve made a valid point.
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