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New RuneScape Monthly Subscription Rates Match World of Warcraft Prices

Welcome back to another fantastic edition of Morning Checkpoint. Ethan is still out engaging in activities at GDC. Sounds exciting. However, he’s having a hard time playing Marathon on the hotel’s wi-fi. What a bummer. Anyway, today we’ve got news about an upcoming price hike for Runescape, updates regarding the next Yoshi game, a surprising Lego Luigi release, and some PlayStation revelations. It’s the newest edition of Morning Checkpoint, Kotaku‘s daily summary of gaming news, rumors, and culture. And…oh my, is that George Lucas? Hurry, Tom Cruise, say something nice to him for all of us. Thanks!

Runescape faces another price hike, less than two years after the last

The enduring free-to-play fantasy MMORPG and favorite of school computer labs, Runescape, is set to see its prices rise again. As noted by PC Gamer, the monthly membership for the MMO, which grants access to an extensive array of features, locations, quests, bonus skills, and more, has now increased to $15 a month. It was $14 before. The annual fee has also seen an increase today, now costing $132 for a year of Runescape membership, up from $100. Currently, Runescape’s membership is as expensive as World of Warcraft‘s monthly fee of $15. In fact, in certain regions, Runescape‘s monthly cost is higher than WoW‘s.

A membership price hike would be frustrating on its own, but this marks the second increase within a span of less than two years. In September 2024, Runescape’s membership rose from $12.50 to $14, and the yearly subscription plan increased from $80 to $100. Indeed, this now signifies that the annual subscription for Runescape membership has surged over $50 in the past two years, transforming a previously great deal into a less appealing proposition.

Players who registered before September 2024 will still be allowed to keep the old rate for a monthly subscription, but all new customers must start paying the updated prices on their next billing date.

Regarding the reasoning behind Runescape raising its prices, the developers claim it’s necessary to better manage the “cost of infrastructure, updated systems, and new content.” Not mentioned in the announcement blog regarding the price rise: In early 2024, Runescape creators Jagex were acquired by a private equity firm.

Lego Unveils New Luigi-Themed Mario Kart Set

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Crimson Desert: System Requirements Revealed and Are Quite Manageable

The everything but the kitchen sink RPG Crimson Desert is finally out in a little over a week, but those of us in the realm of personal computers have been left wondering what it is exactly we’ll need to run the thing (I’m sure those flashy particle effects take their toll). Well, wonder no longer, intrepid Crimson Deserter, Pearly Abyss have released the PC specs you’ll need to be sporting to get this thing running.

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Crimson Desert Reveals Console Specifications, Suggests Trade-offs for PS5 Edition

### *Crimson Desert* Pre-Launch Excitement Cycle: A Summary

The excitement surrounding *Crimson Desert*, an anticipated release from Pearl Abyss, has sparked an intriguing scenario within the gaming community. Trending gameplay videos and preview enthusiasm have stirred considerable anticipation, but the lack of console reviews has led some gamers to question whether the game meets the expectations.

#### Performance on PCs and Consoles

On March 10, merely days prior to its anticipated launch, Pearl Abyss revealed the specifications for both PC and console editions of the game. For PC users, the requirements are fairly minimal, requiring just 16GB of RAM and accommodating older graphic cards like the GTX 1060.

Conversely, the console experience seems more complex. For example, the performance setting on the standard PlayStation 5 aims for 1080p resolution at 60 frames per second (fps) with Vsync and Variable Refresh Rate (VRR). Several modes are offered:

– **Quality Mode**: Employs ray tracing for superior lighting and reflections, achieving 4K resolution by upscaling from 1440p.
– **Balanced Mode**: Seeks a middle ground, operating at 1280p upscaled to 4K while targeting 40fps.
– **PS5 Pro**: Offers native 4K resolution with ray tracing, albeit capped at 30fps.
– **Xbox Series S**: The performance mode is limited to 720p at 40fps.

Despite these specifications, gamers have not yet viewed console gameplay footage, leading to doubts about the actual performance and visual quality of the game on these systems.

#### Marketing and Transparency Concerns

The absence of pre-launch console gameplay footage has raised questions regarding the state and caliber of the game. Although review codes for PCs have been issued, players remain uninformed about the console experience until the very last moment.

Will Powers, Marketing Director at Pearl Abyss, responded to these issues on social media, reiterating their dedication to transparency and promising that they would supply essential information before the launch. His fervent appeal underscored their attempts to set expectations while leaving some elements of the game’s final appearance ambiguous.

#### Conclusion

While *Crimson Desert* has attracted significant pre-launch attention, the mixed signals concerning console capabilities and the lack of gameplay footage create an air of uncertainty. As the launch date nears, gamers are keen to discover how the title will function on their devices, wishing for an experience that matches the hype. Whether it meets anticipation still remains to be determined, but discussions surrounding it persistently grow within the gaming community.

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Epic Games Increases Fortnite V-Buck Prices to Cover Rising Server Maintenance Costs

Epic are raising the price of Fortnite‘s V-bucks currency, in what the billion dollar publishers frame as a bid to keep the wolf from the door. You’ll now stand to pay almost twice as much for Exact Amount packs, with smaller increases kicking in for the larger fixed wodges of Fort-doubloons. You’ll also learn less from Fortnite’s battle pass in future, though this and other Fortnite passes will also be cheaper to compensate.

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New Puzzle Game from Wordle Developer Provides an Easier Approach to a Complicated Classic

**Josh Wardle Introduces Parseword: A Fresh Challenge for Word Game Lovers**

Josh Wardle, the mastermind behind the wildly successful word game Wordle, has launched his new project: Parseword. This latest word puzzle game departs significantly from the straightforward nature of Wordle, offering players a more intricate challenge akin to cryptic crosswords. Free to play, Parseword aims to engage and enlighten players about the complexities of cryptic clues that have traditionally been a feature of British puzzle culture.

For over a hundred years, cryptic crosswords have fascinated puzzle enthusiasts in the United Kingdom. However, they have struggled to find a foothold in the United States, where classic concise crosswords are still favored. In concise puzzles, clues tend to be ambiguous and often rely on the resolution of other clues, compelling players to validate their answers through interrelated solutions. For example, a hint like “A four-letter word for got up” allows for various options, such as “woke” or “rose,” with the correct solution arising from adjacent clues. In contrast, cryptic crosswords embed the answer within the clue itself, requiring players to decipher it using clever wordplay and distinct rules.

With Parseword, Wardle intends to instruct players in the skill of tackling these cryptic clues while prioritizing the clue-solving process over simply filling in blanks on a grid. This distinctive method provides an exciting shift for players used to traditional crossword styles, which can pose a significant learning curve for many American participants.

Wardle’s experience with Wordle has been truly extraordinary. After selling Wordle to The New York Times for a modest seven-figure sum in 2022, he sought to step away from the pressure that accompanied its rapid rise to fame. Initially conceived as a simple bonding activity for his partner, Wordle’s success surpassed all dreams, resulting in an overwhelming experience that Wardle characterized as draining. With the debut of Parseword, he finds himself in a better position of control, enabling him to deliver a game on his own terms.

“Releasing Parseword is occurring more on my own terms, rather than happening to me,” he stated. This new game is completely free-to-play, lacking any commercial aspirations at this point, which allows Wardle to concentrate entirely on creating an enjoyable experience for players.

Parseword is now accessible at [Parseword.com](https://www.parseword.com/), encouraging players to immerse themselves in the realm of cryptic crosswords and enhance their puzzle-solving abilities in an entertaining and informative way. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced crossword solver, Parseword guarantees a refreshing perspective on word puzzles.

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Pragmata Announces Positive Release Date Change

Somehow, Pragmata was announced almost six whole years ago. Where did those years go? I certainly didn’t allow them to go anywhere! Originally slated for release in 2022, it was eventually delayed into 2023, then indefinitely, before Capcom finally locked in a 2026 release date. Which it will not be making, technically, as while it was originally slated to launch on April 24th, it’ll no longer be doing so… because it’s coming out earlier. Teehee, I fooled you, what a little trickster I am!

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