There have been lots of layoffs and recent hires at Jagex, the studio that created RuneScape. The layoff is coming less than two months after the launch of RuneScape: Dragonwilds into Early Access.
Roughly two weeks ago, former employees of Jagex started posting about being laid off from the studio. The issue was raised on Reddit by RuneScape fans. The thread drew the attention of a Jagex moderator who tried to clarify the story.
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“Yes, there have unfortunately been job reductions at Jagex,” wrote the moderator with the name JagexHooli. “These have been made as part of changes in a company restructure as Jagex puts more emphasis on RuneScape games and community growth.”
“The majority of roles are from non-game dev and non-player facing areas. There are some exceptions within the RS team as part the company’s focus on a streamlined development approach.”
The moderator reaffirmed that the studio is still committed to growing the “game and investing in it”. JagexHooli also confirmed that the company’s roadmap for the game will not be affected by the layoffs and that the studio will “continue the great path we’ve been on with our content”.
Fans of RuneScape quickly pointed out the strange events leading to the layoffs, including bumping up the membership costs for RuneScape and the cancellation of community-requested updates. On June 3, 2025, Jagex announced on its RuneScape website that it was pausing Project Zanaris indefinitely.
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“After careful consideration, we’ve decided to pause work on Zanaris indefinitely,” the developer wrote. “We’re committed to delivering the best possible Old School RuneScape experience. With a renewed focus and continued support from our incredible team, we’re excited to keep making OSRS even better for everyone.”
“We understand that feelings around the project were mixed, and many of the concerns raised were fair. The truth is, there are other areas of the core Old School experience that deserve more attention right now. While Zanaris was ambitious and innovative, it wouldn’t have met expectations until much later in development. Rather than stretch our focus, we want to prioritize the things that matter most to you today.
“We’re committed to transparency, and we believe that focusing on core gameplay, infrastructure, and services will have the most meaningful impact. Our goal is to address your immediate concerns, build a stronger foundation, and pave the way for a better Old School experience overall.”
Impacted Jagex employees speak about being laid off
It appears the layoff at Jagex was staggered, or employees were informed at the middle of May that their roles were at risk of being made redundant. Senior talent acquisition partner James Ford posted two weeks ago that “after an amazing, eye-opening and truly enjoyable 2 years at Jagex my role has been made redundant”. He went on to recall the good time he spent there and the friends he made. Game designer Michal Staniewski also posted around that time.
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More LinkedIn posts emerged from developers last week from those who have been impacted by the layoffs, including from game developer Tom Kendall, system support technician Jack J, hands-on technology leader David Fraser, and Ollie Wilkinson, who spent four years at Jagex.
What is more confusing is that Jagex has made a couple of new hires, even while the layoff saga was ongoing. Engine engineer Antonella Sciarrillo, James Burns, who fills the position of Craft leader, and Sam Burton, who fills the position of senior director of game performance and product management, have all announced their new roles on LinkedIn.
Three days ago, senior producer Esha Mahadkar wrote, “Unfortunately, I find my role at risk of redundancy (right near my birthday, yay), so I’m seeking a new role and would appreciate your support”.
Jagex was founded in 2001 and grew to become one of the UK’s most respected game developers and publishers. The studio’s flagship MMOs, RuneScape and Old School RuneScape, have attracted over 300 million players and earned the studio over $1 billion in lifetime franchise revenue. In 2022, they acquired Pipeworks and Gamepires.
Until the time of publication, there has yet to be an open statement from the studio confirming the number of employees they let go.
