Even though Old School RuneScape was ’not built to have a LAN setup at all,’ it just had a live esports tournament with 4,000 attendees: ‘We were doubting at times whether we actually can pull it off’
Jagex successfully hosted Deadman All Stars, the largest live esports event the studio has organized to date. Held in Chicago on June 20, the tournament drew 4,000 attendees in person while attracting over one million online viewers to the livestream. The event featured PvP competition within Old School RuneScape, a legacy version of the classic MMO experiencing significant resurgence in popularity and cultural relevance.
The tournament’s execution presented substantial technical challenges. Old School RuneScape was never designed with LAN capabilities, making a live tournament setup an unconventional undertaking requiring significant development work. Jagex developers acknowledged doubts about whether they could successfully implement the feature, yet delivered a seamless experience for both attendees and online audiences.
The event underscores Old School RuneScape’s current golden age. The game now enjoys player engagement and cultural relevance exceeding even its original peak during the early 2000s. The successful execution of Deadman All Stars demonstrates growing competitive interest in the game and Jagex’s commitment to expanding the platform beyond its traditional format, establishing Old School RuneScape as a viable esports competitor.