Totalbiscuit,

My questions concern the MMORPG RuneScape - I don't know if you've played it or when you lasted played it, but that’s by the by. My question comes in several parts.

In February, Jagex introduced a new feature to RuneScape: the Squeal of Fortune. It takes the form of a wheel of fortune style thing, where whatever section the wheel lands on the corresponding prize is given to the player. Prizes range from experience lamps (seems fine, but they are the real problem later), varying cash amounts (between 50 and 10,000,000), low-end gear (fine), cosmetic gear (cool and very rare), and untradeable versions of high-end equipment (a point of contention, but in reality the chance of getting any of this stuff is probably lower than one in ten thousand). First issue is that members-only items appear in free to play spins - and if one is landed on, the player either must discard it or subscribe right there and then to claim it. Yeah.

Initially, players only earned spins by logging in (1 per day for free players, 2 per day for subscribed members). Later, in April, Jagex added some new ways to earn spins - via skilling, as monster drops, by doing weekly/monthly events and (in a later update) by completing quests -  all pretty nice, except they also added buying spins with real money - the first real microtransaction in RuneScape. One of the more common worthwhile rewards are experience lamps, thus effectively allowing buying experience and so levels (not to mention the minute chance of getting one of the best shields in the game, or other such equipment). This is unequivocally bad.

Jagex have been conflicting on this too - in their FAQ about buying spins they state that "Squeal of Fortune has minimal impact on the RuneScape economy", but when they added quests giving spins they state "for reasons related to the balance of the RuneScape economy, we’re unable to retroactively offer spins for quests already completed" (which amounts to a maximum total of 362 spins available for someone who has done them all - about £70/$100 worth of spins, not out of the realms of someone insane buying in a day).

Firstly, what’s your opinion on the entire situation?

Secondly, many players blame this on the investment companies behind Jagex, who just want returns on their investment and screw the game - this is just one of many recent updates about getting more players to become members (including but not limited to the new tutorial... for members only). What do you think about this?

Finally, many players claim that the Squeal of Fortune is gambling, in that you can pay real money in hope for a good prize - be that unrealistic hope of one of the ultra-rare high-end gear items, or a sensible goal of experience lamps. Others argue that you will always win something, even if that something is junk. As someone with an education in law, what is your take on this?

Thanks for your time,
Gaz Lloyd



Relevant links
Original update   http://services.runescape.com/m=news/spin-and-win-on-the-squeal-of-fortune
Buying spins   http://services.runescape.com/m=news/squeal-of-fortune--extra-spins
Extra update   http://services.runescape.com/m=news/squeal-of-fortune--quest-reward-spins
RuneScape Wiki@Wikia page on SoF   http://runescape.wikia.com/wiki/Squeal_of_Fortune
Game Update FAQ referenced (archived on the wiki)   http://runescape.wikia.com/wiki/Update:SoF_Extra_Spins_-_FAQ