RuneScape's popularity is partially attributable to being accessible from most web browsers allowing players to play the game in many locations.As
RuneScape gained more users, Jagex began planning major changes.The developers completely rewrote the game engine so that the graphics were entirely three-dimensional producing a version called
RuneScape 2. A beta version was released to paying members on 1 December 2003, and the finished version was launched on 17 March 2004.Upon release,
RuneScape 2 was renamed
RuneScape, and the older version of the game was kept online as
RuneScape Classic. On 12 January 2006, Jagex banned more than 5000
Classic accounts due to cheating and
RuneScape Classic was closed to new accounts and restricted to paying members who had played
Classic at least once since 3 August 2005, and once every six months after that