RuneScape developer Jagex’s new CEO Jon Bellamy was accused of submitting to the rising wave of right-wing politics earlier this year following the shock cancellation of the MMOs annual Pride Parade.
RuneScape Pride, which has occurred every June since 2022, has been a huge celebration in Jagex’s MMO with new quests, cosmetics and more. In 2024, the popular event gifted players with a Blåhaj-style shark plush, a reference to the iconic trans co-opted Ikea plush.
In response to the cancelled 2025 Pride event, RuneScape players pushed back against the Jagex CEO’s decision. Players angry with the MMO company’s decision even hosted their own Pride events across the server using existing themed clothes and props.
Following the controversy, Bellamy has discussed the scrapped Pride event with GamesIndustry, hinting that the company is simply changing tact due to the massive amount of backlash against LGBT-themed content across social media.
“Ultimately, my job is governance and protection as much as anything else, and so sometimes those kinds of harsh decisions have to be made to protect the imminent future of the game,” the Jagex CEO told the outlet.
Bellamy hinted that Pride events could return to RuneScape if “the world has changed a bit and the environment is different” saying that the company “will react accordingly” to the times. However, if the world stays as divided as it is, the MMO likely won’t include the event. “If there are tough decisions to be made next year, we’ll make them,” Bellamy explained.
The Jagex CEO continued to state that “the most important thing is the continuity and maintenance of our games, as well as the preservation of our players”.
“I totally sympathise with what’s being said. At the top of my totem pole will always be the continuity and operation of our games as apolitically as possible.” the CEO said. “Ultimately, our games offer escapism to many hundreds of thousands of players every day. If that escapism opportunity is compromised, there’s a very real risk to the business. I will continue to make decisions that keep the continuity at the top of the priority list.”
In the months since the Pride event controversy, Jagex’s MMO has not suffered despite the backlash. Actually, the MMO has seen major player count spikes as content creators abandon other MMOs, such as World of Warcraft, for the long-running OSRS experience. However, the removal of the annual event—especially after being late to the party already—has hurt fans of the game.
