RuneScape creator's new cozy MMO shouts "No microtransactions!" from the rooftops as it charts November launch after a closed beta coming this month

Original RuneScape creator Andrew Gower will make his return to MMOs with Brighter Shores, a new game now confirmed to be launching in Steam early access on November 6 following a closed beta that starts October 22. The base game will be free, with a premium pass available for purchase. 

Brighter Shores has more than a bit of RuneScape in it – rather, both games have a lot of Gower in them – right down to the isometric perspective, life skills like fishing and woodcutting, and a generally freewheeling adventure vibe. You start as a humble guard in the town of Hopeport in the fantasy world of Adothria, and soon break into the wider world. For his new game, Gower leaned into a tabletop RPG aesthetic with point-and-click interactions, and moved away from tick-based mechanics, giving Brighter Shores a smoother look. It also features more MMO-like combat classes than the likes of Old School RuneScape: Cryoknight, Guardian, and Hammermage. 

When Gower first revealed the game earlier this year, it was billed as an anti-grind MMO that stands opposed to "the onslaught of microtransactions in modern MMOs." A press release revealing the release date again specifies "No microtransactions!" as a main selling point, which feels mighty timely given the ongoing microtransaction discourse at modern RuneScape (3) shepherd Jagex. 

"Andrew Gower has specifically designed the game to be fun no matter how much free time players can spend on it, and without microtransactions," the release reads. "Brighter Shores allows players to explore, level up and solve quests at a pace that suits them. While there’s many hours of free content available, Fen Research will also be offering a paid premium pass for those who wish to discover even more of the game." 

"We're releasing Brighter Shores with plenty of features for players to sink their teeth into, but this is just the beginning," Gower adds. "We've planned an extensive roadmap of updates to keep our game fresh and exciting for years to come."