After years of community frustration over paid XP boosts and the controversial Treasure Hunter spins, RuneScape 3 players have overwhelmingly voted for a dramatic change. The in-game poll secured well over 100,000 supporters, confirming the end of the game’s pay-to-win microtransactions (MTX) and heralding a new era for the world of Gielinor.
Treasure Hunter: Officially Retired
The results are conclusive: the notorious Treasure Hunter is being permanently retired. Jagex has confirmed that all paid keys, daily spins, XP lamps, and every single XP-granting item linked to the feature will be gone for good.
This monumental decision means 225 MTX-related items are being pulled from sale. Direct XP sources like Proteans and Dummies will no longer be obtainable, effectively locking RuneScape’s future progression behind actual gameplay rather than store purchases.
The Remaining Store Options
While the most contentious features are leaving, microtransactions aren’t disappearing completely. Jagex will maintain a significantly smaller in-game store with a much more limited selection.
The following MTX elements will remain:
- Bonus XP: This will stay purchasable but will be capped by skill and remain tied to gameplay, meaning players still have to play the game to benefit.
- Cosmetic Outfits and Animations: These will continue, but Jagex intends to enforce a more grounded, lore-friendly style.
- Cosmetic Hiding Toggle: Players will receive new options to hide other people’s cosmetics if they prefer a cleaner, less visually cluttered look.
Jagex stated that these will be the only MTX elements left moving forward. Crucially, “There will be no lootboxes, no XP lamps, and no direct level-skipping ever again.” This is an undeniable big win for the RS3 community.
The New Integrity Roadmap
With Treasure Hunter now history, Jagex has outlined an Integrity Roadmap starting at the end of 2025 that will focus on rebuilding RuneScape’s foundation. This year-long plan targets long-standing player concerns, promising a significant quality of life (QoL) overhaul.
Planned improvements include:
- UI cleanup (which is seriously needed).
- Better on boarding for new players.
- Reduced pressure from daily tasks.
- Updates to combat consistency.
Jagex has also promised that these fixes will not slow down the game’s regular content updates or expansions.
Why This is Huge for RuneScape
Treasure Hunter has been a highly divisive issue for years and is often cited as one of the main causes for players quitting the game. The overwhelming message from this vote is clear: players want progression to mean something again.
Jagex has acknowledged the need to rebuild trust, stating that it is ready to take a financial hit if that is what it takes to deliver a fairer experience. This removal marks a rare, player-driven shift in a live massively multiplayer online (MMO) game, especially as so many modern titles are drowning in MTX. For RuneScape 3, this is truly a reset on what kind of game it needs to be.
Tell Me More
RuneScape 3 is officially ending its pay-to-win era. Treasure Hunter will be gone, XP sales are over, and the grind will once again belong to the players. While a limited microtransaction store survives, it will be stripped back to only Bonus XP and cosmetics. After years of debate, RuneScape might finally be RuneScape again.
What We Think
This is a phenomenal outcome for the RuneScape community. Seeing a developer reverse course and listen to player feedback to this extent is incredibly rare, particularly when it involves features that generate significant revenue. This shift towards an “Integrity Roadmap” and away from predatory monetisation is a massive step towards long-term sustainability and player trust. It will be fascinating to see how the player base responds to the ‘new’ RuneScape experience.
