What it is
Old School RuneScape (OSRS) is Jagex's take on classic RuneScape. The company's own summary says it "brings back the classic 2007 experience, improved and expanded", and the front page promises a challenging levelling system.
Plenty of people remember RuneScape as a browser game, so we checked how you reach it today. The official download page offers the Jagex Launcher for Windows and Mac, lists Linux as well, and points to Steam, the App Store and Google Play. There is no in-browser option on the official site, so we mark it as client-only and keep it on the road with a clear label.
How a session goes
OSRS is a skill-based sandbox: you raise skills, take on quests and bosses, and decide for yourself which goals matter. Free players get a part of the world; the membership page describes what opens with membership — nine member-only skills such as Sailing, Herblore and Construction, a world four times larger, a player-owned house, more than 170 quests and more than 65 bosses and raids.
What sets OSRS apart is how its future is decided. The official polling charter explains that concepts for new content are put to a player vote and pass only with more than 70% "yes". Voting is open to members with a total skill level of at least 300 and at least 25 hours of play. Game modes, temporary events and visual designs are among the things the charter says are not polled.
The game is very much alive: in October 2026 the official news announced a new update, The Fractured Archive, and Hardcore Worlds for 4 November.
The time it asks for
OSRS is known for long goals. Skills take time to raise, and the satisfaction is in the slow climb. It can be played in short sessions — the mobile apps help — but the overall commitment is the largest on this road. Think in months rather than evenings if you mean to see a meaningful share of the content.
If you prefer quick, visible rewards, be honest with yourself before you start. If you enjoy a long project with a clear sense of progress, few games do it so well.
How it is paid for
Old School RuneScape is free to try. The main paid option is membership, billed monthly or yearly on the official membership page, which opens most of the world and its skills. The front page also marks the game as containing in-game purchases. Free to start, with an optional membership and optional in-game purchases.
Who should take this road
Take it if you are…
- a patient player who enjoys slow, steady progress;
- interested in voting on how a game develops;
- happy to play on desktop or through the mobile apps.
Skip it if you are…
- required to play in a browser tab;
- after quick, visible progress;
- unwilling to pay a membership to reach most of the content.
Pack list
Worth carrying
- Huge depth: skills, quests, bosses and raids.
- Player polls give the community a say in new content.
- Available on desktop, Steam and mobile.
- Active development with regular updates.
Extra weight
- Not a browser game — needs the launcher or an app.
- Most content sits behind the optional membership.
- The slowest progress on the road.
Checked on the publisher's site, October 2026
Read on the official site and its help pages in October 2026:
- Jagex: Old School RuneScape "brings back the classic 2007 experience, improved and expanded".
- Download page: Jagex Launcher for Windows and Mac, Linux listed, plus Steam, App Store and Google Play.
- Membership: nine member-only skills, a world four times larger, 170+ quests, 65+ bosses.
- Polling charter: content passes with more than 70% "yes"; voters need total level 300 and 25 hours of play.
- Free to try, with membership billed monthly or yearly.