RuneScape reworks original skills as it reaches 18th anniversary milestone

Monday 7th January 2019, Cambridge, UK – Marking its 18th birthday, RuneScape today introduced a major update to its Mining and Smithing skills, two of the original skills that launched with the game in 2001.

The reworked skills provide players, both newcomers and veterans, with new rewards and gameplay mechanics. Four new tiers of armour and weapons have been introduced, Smithing now becomes the most valuable non-combat skill in the game, as well as the ability to craft the masterwork and trimmed masterwork armour – the best melee armours in RuneScape.

An overhaul of both skills was one of the most wanted updates highlighted by the game’s community in recent player surveys. The development team have worked closely with the community, holding two beta tests during 2018 and using player feedback to further refine the experience.


David Osborne, Lead Designer, RuneScape, said:

“Reaching our 18th anniversary is an incredible milestone and it’s apt two of the original skills that launched way back in 2001 have been given a new lease of life. The Mining & Smithing update has been a thoroughly collaborative effort with the community, with polls and beta tests providing invaluable input as we fine-tuned and polished the new mechanics and armour.”

RuneScape features 27 different skills, trainable abilities that are levelled up during play and shape each player’s in-game character. Mining enables players to extract ore from rocks, and Smithing sees players smelt ore into metal bars and crafting armour and weapons. In addition to ‘away from keyboard’ mining and advances to armour smithing, the skills update also includes four new tiers of ore and metal, and a new ore bank for storage. Full details on the comprehensive rework are available to read on the official RuneScape website.

With over 260 million accounts registered in its 18-year lifetime, RuneScape continues to look to the future with new content in the works for release in 2019, in addition to the living game’s platform expansion to mobile devices.