Just last weekend, we had the incredible opportunity to celebrate the RuneScape games at RuneFest, our first convention since 2019. With thousands of players coming together to share their passion for the games, it was an unforgettable reminder of what makes our community so special. Seeing the excitement, camaraderie, and love for RuneScape in full force has been truly revitalising for both players and JMods alike.
With that energy fresh in our minds, today we want to talk about an important leadership transition that will shape the future of Jagex.
After 14 years at Jagex, with the last eight as CEO, Phil Mansell (Mod Pips) will be stepping back from his role. Phil has been an instrumental force in shaping both RuneScape and Old School RuneScape, leading the company through some of its most defining moments: the launch of Old School RuneScape, the expansion onto mobile, record-breaking player numbers, and ensuring the RuneScape games remain the most community-driven MMORPGs in the world.
Phil will remain with Jagex to support this transition before taking a well-deserved break, and we want to take a moment to thank him for his leadership, dedication, and passion over the years.
Introducing Mod North
Taking the reins as our new CEO is Jon Bellamy (Mod North), a leader with deep experience in both Jagex and the RuneScape communities.
Mod North previously worked at Jagex from 2015 to 2018 and has served as an advisor for us more recently. More importantly, he has been a dedicated RuneScape player for over 20 years, once maxing an RS3 account and nearly maxing his OSRS account. He understands the game, the players, and the unique culture that makes RuneScape special.
North’s leadership will focus on building upon the strong foundation we have today while ensuring the long-term success of RuneScape and Old School RuneScape. His approach is rooted in community-first decision-making, and he is fully committed to the values that have made these games thrive for decades.
What This Means for the RuneScape Games
Our commitment to the integrity of both RuneScape and Old School RuneScape remains steadfast. While leadership may change, the core values that define them will not.
We want to be clear: this transition does not signal a change in monetisation strategy, game direction, or how we engage with the community. The roadmap, our approach to updates, and our commitment to listening to players remain unchanged. We will continue to build upon the strong foundations of both games, delivering meaningful content updates, maintaining economic fairness, and ensuring that our players remain central to everything we do.
Old School RuneScape will always be a community-driven experience, where fairness and player input are paramount. The polling system, transparent development process, and our commitments to non-intrusive monetisation are here to stay. Progression will continue to be earned entirely through gameplay rather than external advantages and all achievements, milestones, and accomplishments are a direct result of player effort.
RuneScape is a cherished game with over two decades of history, and its future will continue to be built on the same principles that have guided its success: community obsession, authenticity, and reverence for its DNA. We will continue maintaining fairness in the in-game economy, ensuring that updates respect the balance of the game world, with transparency in our decisions, and a willingness to explore meaningful changes to MTX offerings in RuneScape.
This leadership transition does not alter our dedication to these values. We are fully committed to ensuring both games continue to thrive for years to come, providing players with the rich, immersive, and fair experiences they know and love.
Looking Ahead
Mod North is excited to meet and hear from the community, and he will be sharing more about his vision and plans over the coming days and weeks.
Transparency has been key to building these amazing games, and in that spirit, you can first expect a Q&A video, where North will directly address key questions from the community. If you have questions you’d like answered, please fill out this form.
For now, we invite you to watch this video from Mod Pips and Mod North, where they discuss this change and what it means for the future of Jagex, RuneScape, and Old School RuneScape.
As we step into this new chapter, we do so with the incredible momentum and energy of RuneFest behind us. The excitement, passion, and shared love for RuneScape we witnessed last weekend remind us why we do what we do, and that’s something we’ll continue to build upon together.
Thank you, as always, for being part of this journey with us.