As a kid, teenager and even as recently as a few years ago, I would spend hours exploring the vast world of RuneScape, not knowing that this massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) was secretly teaching me essential business skills. In this article, I’ll share my personal experiences and dive into how RuneScape instills valuable entrepreneurship lessons during a player’s developmental years. So if you were lucky enough to play the game, grab your dragon scimitar and get ready for a nostalgic trip down memory lane!
RuneScape teaches business skills such as:
- Scam awareness: Learning to dodge the “Doubling Money” scam, Armour trimmers and more
- Planning and strategy: Mastering the art of goal setting and project management
- Quick math: Bartering at Falador Park + the Grand Exchange and honing mental math skills
- Hard work: Grinding for that elusive godsword and the importance of perseverance
- Understanding economics and current events: The Grand Exchange and real-world market trends
- Trade: How flipping rune scimitars taught me a key component of negotiation
Scam Awareness:
Remember the infamous “Doubling Money” scam? As a naive RuneScape player, I was once lured by the promise of easy riches. Thankfully, I quickly realized that if something sounds too good to be true, it probably is. This lesson has helped me spot and avoid scams in my entrepreneurial journey, ensuring my business remains profitable and reputable.
Our marketing company was once approached by a seemingly eager client looking to hire us for web design and SEO. He agreed to a $20,000 project and even offered a generous $5,000 bonus, paying the entire sum upfront. However, within a week, he requested half the money back temporarily.
This was a classic example of a cheque kiting scam. Scammers typically exploit the float time between depositing a cheque and when it clears, using the temporary credit to withdraw funds that don’t actually exist.
If we were to send him back half the money, within another week, the original cheque would have bounced and the $25,000 + the $12,500 we sent him would all be gone..
Luckily, our RuneScape-honed scam awareness helped us dodge this potential disaster!
Planning and Strategy:
I’ll never forget the first time I tackled the challenging “Monkey Madness” quest. It required careful planning, resource management, and a solid strategy. Even though I had the website Rune HQ to help me, 11 year old me still found the quest quite hard.
Little did I know, I was actually honing my project management skills! I had to pre-train certain skills like getting my Prayer to level 43 and problem solve (I died due to poison my first time trying the quest).
As an entrepreneur, I’ve applied these same principles to successfully grow my digital marketing business. Sometimes before entering a project, situation or business task it’s very useful to do some pre-planning, pre-training and to be able to think on your feet.
Quick Math:
Bartering with other players at Falador Park and training skills and doing the math that would tell me how much experience per hour I’d gain doing various activities in the game helped me develop mental math skills and financial literacy. Whether I was calculating the cost of supplies for a potion or determining the profit margin on selling rune armor, RuneScape transactions and skill training taught me to make quick, informed decisions – a skill that has proven invaluable in managing my business.
Hard Work:
The grind was epic when I set my sights on assembling the powerful Bandos godsword. I spent countless hours battling ferocious monsters, collecting each individual piece – the hilt and three individual ‘shards’ – before finally forging the mighty weapon. This relentless pursuit taught me the importance of hard work and dedication in achieving my goals because once I finally had the sword, I could hit things extra hard ahah.
As an entrepreneur, I’ve embraced this mindset and learned that success comes from consistent effort and determination. From taking on Gielinor’s fiercest creatures to conquering the world of digital marketing, the lessons from what it took to get my Bandos godsword and the joy I got from the payoff has taught me that focusing on one thing for a long time is worth the effort.
Understanding Economics and Current Events:
When the Grand Exchange (GE) was introduced, I was fascinated by how game updates and player behavior influenced the virtual economy. By tracking trends and anticipating fluctuations, I learned to adjust my strategies accordingly. This exposure to economic concepts has given me a solid foundation for understanding complex financial markets and making informed decisions in my business ventures.
The GE is probably why I ended up getting a finance and economics degree!
Trade:
Back in my RuneScape days, I had a blast flipping rune scimitars in Falador Park. I’d spend hours buying low and selling high, making a modest profit, and having a great time. Little did I know that this seemingly trivial activity would turn out to be a crash course in real-world business.
Unlike many who were just looking to trade quickly, I would first chat with the players trading me, I’d casually discuss the latest update or ask what they planned to use the sword for– you know, the important RuneScape topics. This friendly banter helped me connect with others, and before I knew it, they’d be much nicer to me in negotiation!
Fast forward to today, and I’m still using those negotiation skills – just in a different setting. As a digital marketing entrepreneur, I love connecting business owners with the services they need to thrive online. And thanks to my rune scimitar-flipping adventures, I’ve sharpened my ability to connect with people.
So next time you reminisce about your RuneScape days, remember that all those hours spent in Falador Park or the GE might just have given you an edge in the world of business!
Critics (parents) may argue that traditional education or skill-building activities are more valuable than playing RuneScape. They might claim that the game’s fantasy setting and addictive nature can distract young people from more critical pursuits.
While moderation is key, RuneScape provided me with an interactive environment where I could explore, be creative (in a business context) and learn valuable business skills in a fun and engaging way. The lessons I’ve learned from my adventures in Gielinor have shaped me into the savvy entrepreneur I am today, proving that RuneScape can indeed be an unconventional yet effective training ground for budding business minds!
