RuneScape creator and Jagex founder Andrew Gower recently revealed his next MMO, Brighter Shores, which has been in the works at his new studio, Fen Research, for about 10 years. That said, it's technically seven years if you separate engine time, prototyping, and "earnest" game development.
I sat down with Gower to discuss the nature of the game, which is due Q3 2024, and readily admitted to him that I can't help but see RuneScape in Brighter Shores since it's a game I grew up with. The more details he shares, the clearer it becomes that, like RuneScape did some 23 years ago, Brighter Shores expresses Gower's core style and interests, from old-school text adventures to multi-user dungeons (MUDs) to tabletop RPGs. But the overriding theme is making "a nice, relaxing escape from reality" that doesn't overtax your brain.
