Jagex

Jagex Ltd.

Type	Private
Founded	2001 (used as a trading name since 1999, incorporated 28 April 2000[1])
Headquarters	Cambridge, United Kingdom
Key people	Andrew Gower, Paul Gower, Constant Tedder, Geoff Iddison,[2][3]
Industry	Interactive entertainment, MMORPG, Software consultancy and supply[1]
Products	RuneScape RuneScape Classic FunOrb
Employees	406 (December, 2007)[4]
Website	http://www.jagex.com/

Jagex Ltd. (or Jagex Software/JAGeX) is a British producer of Java-based online computer games. The name "Jagex" stands for Java Gaming Experts.^[5] The company is best-known for its browser-based MMORPG, RuneScape, and also operates FunOrb, a mini-games website.

History

After initially creating the Jagex name and logo for his Java Audio+Graphics Extension (also called the JAGeX Audio+Graphics Extension), Andrew Gower began trading under the Jagex name in 1999,^[6] describing Jagex Software as a "small software company based in England who specialise in producing top-quality Java-games for webpages".^[7] That same year, he began work on the MMORPG RuneScape alongside his brother Paul Gower. RuneScape was released in January 2001. In December of that year, Andrew Gower, Paul Gower, and Constant Tedder launched Jagex in its current incarnation, with Constant Tedder as its CEO.^[5] The company was incorporated on 28 April 2000 as Meaujo (492) Limited,^[1] and changed its name to Jagex Limited on 27 June 2000. It formally acquired the Jagex name from Andrew Gower in 2001.

'The Jagex name and logo was originally used by Jagex founder Andrew Gower for his Java/JAGeX Audio+Graphics Extension.'

One year after its release, RuneScape already had over one million free accounts registered. The first tasks of the company were to create a version of the game with extra features that required a £3.20 ($5USD)($7.50C$)monthly fee, while still offering the free version, and to develop partnerships with advertisers. Both tasks were achieved, and the pay-to-play version of RuneScape was released on 27 February 2002. It gained 5,000 subscriptions in the first week, making RuneScape one of the largest Java pay to play games in the world.

As RuneScape's popularity grew, so did Jagex. By December 11, 2003, RuneScape had 65,000 paying members, and Jagex had 29 employees.^[8] As of May 4, 2007, RuneScape has over 6,000,000 active free accounts and over 1,000,000 active pay-to-play subscribers,^[9] and Jagex currently has over 400 employees. In 2006, founders Andrew Gower and Paul Gower were calculated to be worth £32 million. Jagex received an investment from Insight Venture Partners in October 2005.^[10] The company had been self-funded before this investment.

On October 23, 2007, Geoff Iddison, former European CEO of PayPal, replaced Constant Tedder as CEO in order to "accelerate international growth".^[11] Since Geoff Iddison was appointed, Jagex has appeared in the press far more frequently than it had under Tedder.

On February 27, 2008, Jagex released FunOrb, an online mini-games portal, with 18 launch games. Like RuneScape, FunOrb is written in Java and can be played from a browser.^[12]

A "High Detail" version of RuneScape was launched as a "Live Beta" on July 1, 2008.^[13]

On July 25th, 2008, Jagex released its first novel - RuneScape: Betrayal at Falador,^[14] written by TS Church. To promote its release 10 of the pre-ordered copies were signed by TS Church, Andrew Gower, Paul Gower, Jagex CEO Geoff Iddison and the cover artist. The book was published by Babel Interactive Ltd of Worcestershire.

Future Development

In 2008 Jagex CEO Geoff Iddison stated that RuneScape "will be the main investment focus for Jagex for the next five years".^[15] Jagex has registered UK trademarks and various related domain names for the term "MechScape".^[16][17] Jagex's Head of MechScape Henrique Olifiers announced at the 2008 E3 Media and Business Summit that MechScape was a new MMO that Jagex were working on, expected in the first quarter of 2009. He claims it will be browser-based like RuneScape, but one or two steps beyond RuneScape HD's level of technology. It will have a science fiction theme and be aimed at an older audience.^[18] In an interview with GamesIndusy.biz Iddison stated that Jagex have "got a very, very big investment into another MMO" and that it is expected to be released "early next year, Q1 2009" - when asked if it was the MechScape brand, he replied "I can't say too much more, I'm afraid".^[19] On 18 June Iddison announced at the GameHorizon conference that Jagex had "a brand new MMO due for launch in March 2009".^[20] As well as working on completely new projects, Jagex continues to develop its existing services. In relation to FunOrb, Jagex continue to release new games and intends to expand into the mobile phone games market.^[21] In relation to RuneScape, Jagex continues to release new game content and is working French^[22] and Portuguese^[23] versions of the game. Jagex have also spoken of plans for a third MMORPG in 2010 which might use micro-payments.^[24]

Operation

Jagex has over 400 employees, working to update RuneScape and FunOrb, and provide support for its customers. They employ a wide variety of workers, including 3D modellers, game developers, customer support, programmers, translators, quality assurance, and managers.^[25] They currently have offices in Cambridge and London.

They maintain about 160 servers for RuneScape in various locations around the United States, Canada, Australia, Netherlands, Sweden, Finland, Mexico, Brazil, Norway. Republic of Ireland, Belgium, Denmark, New Zealand and the United Kingdom, as well as several servers for the multiplayer games on FunOrb^{[citation needed]}. One of the most recent additions to the servers was the addition of the three German beta servers, which are currently the only servers for a non-English version of the game.

The company has a dedicated Community Safety Team, who deal with any issues related to child safety, real life threats, cyberbullying and abuse.^[26] The team operates 24 hours a day and works with CEOP, VGT, and MCMEC. The team also helps educate the players and parents about online safety.^[27]

Exhibitions and Conferences

In 2008 Jagex began attending a number of gaming conventions and exhibitions, both to show of its products and to give keynote speeches.. Events it was present at included E3,^[28] the Leipzig Games Convention,^[29] and the Virtual Worlds Forum.^[30] At the 2008 Develop Conference they came 3rd in the Pub Quiz.^[31]

Charity Fund Raising

Since 2004 Jagex has made donations to a number of national and international charities.^[32] It has also run charity acutions for signed merchandise^[33]

In 2008 they donated artwork and prizes^[34] to the MMOCalendar, which raises funds for the St._Jude_Children's_Research_Hospital.

Reception

Overall Jagex is a well-received company, ranking 59th in 2007 and 87th in 2008 on the Sunday Times' 100 Best Companies to Work For list.^[35]

In its intellectual property profile of RuneScape, Develop concluded that: "In addition to being one of the most profitable, Jagex is also the UK’s largest independent developer by staff level, and one of the biggest employers. Its commercial model should make it a poster boy for the disintermediation of publishers and the ‘direct to consumer’ distribution channel in which so many developers place their hopes".^[36]

In the past Jagex had been accused of marketing RuneScape toward young children, despite having an 13+ age requirement.^[37] However the age requirement has since been removed, allowing players under 13 in the game but only allowing them to chat with the Quick Chat System of preset sentences.^[38]

References

External links

• Jagex website
• The Jagex YouTube Channel
• Members of the Jagex Team
• RuneScape homepage
• Trademarks owned by Jagex in the UK
• FunOrb homepage

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