The fantasy MMO Runescape launched on January 4, 2001. This is quite old in video game terms, and developer Jagex is celebrating this big birthday with a "Grand Party" that will feature anniversary-themed content throughout the year.

The fun begins at Lumbridge Crater ("the giant hole behind Lumbridge Castle," for those unfamiliar with the area), where a "wise old man" will hand out limited edition 20th anniversary outfits and capes to all who ask. While in the crater, players will receive a variety of buffs and rewards, as well as a 10% XP bonus.

Throughout January, there will be a week-long series of events, beginning with a "Quest Celebration" featuring three mini-quests featuring iconic Runescape characters. This will also be accessible from Lambridge Crater and will feature special rewards such as XP lamps and a 20th anniversary cake. On a larger scale, a four-part anniversary quest called "Once Upon a Time" will run throughout 2021, celebrating Runescape's past and present and "even offering a glimpse into its future."

"The next 12 months will welcome a multitude of celebratory in-game content, including a multi-part anniversary quest line that takes players deep into Runescape's past, present, and future," Jagex said.

"In addition, adventurers will enjoy an epic year-long story arc in which the Elder Gods, the beings who forged Gielinor, will rise once again.

Old School Runescape will also feature an anniversary event in which adventurers battle demons and dragons alongside the Green Gnome children, with a Steam version of Old School Runescape coming in 2021 (the full game will debut on Steam in October 2020), anniversary-related content such as clan support and Group Ironman will be added. A full launch of Runescape on mobile devices is also planned for later this year.

And despite its antiquity, Runescape is apparently doing very well: according to Jagex, Runescape recently broke its peak record of over 173,000 concurrent players.

Runescape's 20th anniversary "Grand Party" is currently underway. Pins and "RuneScape: Pins," the "RuneScape: Original Soundtrack Classics" album, and the hardcover illustrated history book "RuneScape: The First 20 Years," produced in collaboration with Dark Horse, are up at jagex.com jagex.com.