RuneScape creator's new MMO gets a one-day delay, and it's the US government's fault

Brighter Shores, the new MMO being developed by RuneScape creator Andrew Gower and his brother Paul, has been delayed: Instead of launching into early access on November 5 as planned, it will arrive on November 6. No, it's not much of a wait as these things go, but the reason for the postponement is pretty funny.

We have decided to push the launch of Brighter Shores back to the 6th Nov, because apparently there is some sort of election thingy on the 5th - who knew?!October 9, 2024

"We have decided to push the launch of Brighter Shores back to the 6th Nov, because apparently there is some sort of election thingy on the 5th," Gower wrote on X. "Who knew?!"

Well, pretty much everyone, Andrew. There have been advertisements, signs posted, stuff about it on the news and in various papers and magazines, for those who still get them. It's kind of everywhere out there. I'm not even American and I knew. We all knew.

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Apparently Andrew did not know, however, but that's okay. He's got other things on his mind, and gentle ribbing aside I'm being entirely serious on that point: Making an MMO is no small thing. Brighter Shores has already been in development for 10 years, and like its predecessor RuneScape it will give people more to do than just fighting. Fighting is definitely on the table, but players will have the opportunity to take up "a huge number" of professions including fisher, forager, chef, woodcutter, miner, alchemist, stonemason, merchant, blacksmith, and—you knew this was coming—"many more."

When Brighter Shores does launch—one day after the US election, remember, which might still be a pretty tight window for a hangover of that magnitude—it will be in early access and thus missing a few key features, most notable among them being PvP combat. All of the features currently described in the "About" section on the game's Steam page are already in place, though, and it "is fully playable and already has hundreds of hours of gameplay." Importantly, there will not be a save reset once early access is over.

"Even after the game leaves Early Access we still plan to regularly update it with new episodes, new quests, new professions, and other new content," the Steam page states. "This isn't a game we ever expect to be 'finished'."

But before it can finish (or not, as the case may be) it has to begin, and that now happens on November 6, the day after the other big November thingy. Maybe mark it on your calendar, just in case.

Andy has been gaming on PCs from the very beginning, starting as a youngster with text adventures and primitive action games on a cassette-based TRS80. From there he graduated to the glory days of Sierra Online adventures and Microprose sims, ran a local BBS, learned how to build PCs, and developed a longstanding love of RPGs, immersive sims, and shooters. He began writing videogame news in 2007 for The Escapist and somehow managed to avoid getting fired until 2014, when he joined the storied ranks of PC Gamer. He covers all aspects of the industry, from new game announcements and patch notes to legal disputes, Twitch beefs, esports, and Henry Cavill. Lots of Henry Cavill.