Cambridge-based MMO specialist Jagex has said RuneScape reaching the $1bn milestone is a nice headline figure, but the quality of the game and the community it has drawn in is more important.

Speaking to PCGamesInsider.biz, CEO Phil Mansell said that the company wasn't even sure whether to announce the latest revenue watermark, but decided to as it was a good indication of how Jagex was doing as the RuneScape firm launched its Partners publishing division.

RuneScape actually hit the $1bn in December 2017, but the company announced it had hit $1.064bn as of June 2018 when it launched Partners. Since the title's inception in 2001, 260m people have registered to play RuneScape.

"The money is a good signal," Mansell said.

"We were debating how much we should lead with that figure. It's a validation of what we're good at, it's a validation how RuneScape and now the overall brand are doing - and it helps us transition into Jagex Partners to get out. Money is one bit of the business but you don't get that without hundreds of millions of players. $1bn is a massive milestone, but the real thing underneath is what we do in terms of service to players. You try and fit those things together. Money is great, obviously, but more important is people loving the game and wanting to pay for it. What is $1bn? It's the expression of value and love from your customers."