We Should Never Let Jagex/CVC Add Ads To F2P
It's very likely that one of the monetization models Jagex will try to push forward (irrespective of player feedback) is adding ads to F2P
"While we may explore ads in Free-to-Play (F2P) as a concept in the future, there are no plans for this currently, and we will tread carefully, considering all feedback" (that last line is insincere)
They'll probably try to introduce ads six months from now once tempers have fully cooled and a large update distracts players from this; it also seems like players are okay with ads in f2p, as many of them hearken back to when RS2 had banner ads in F2P
This is different, and we shouldn't let them bring ads into the game, even in F2P; not only is it retrogressive from a game experience perspective, but isn't the reason F2P was introduced permanently was because the community was okay with Bonds (a form of MTX) being introduced into the game?
This is the video/livestream they refer to: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rjJNuRjYXvM
One of the very first lines from the video: 0:50-0:55
"Now if we introduce membership bonds, we can introduce a full and permanent free-to-play service for you"
Another one related to this: 7:30-7:47
"...the only way we're going to see free-to-play, is if we do it with Membership Bonds at the same time" (although they did say they might poll f2p without Bonds in the future, but who knows what that would have been like)
It doesn't say that ads will be included to F2P as part of this poll. Introducing F2P wasn't a generous favor to the community, it was a trade-off by introducing something which could potentially damage the integrity of the game
If Jagex/CVC ever introduces ads to F2P, it would go against the community process and promise, there are other reasons why Bonds were introduced, but the main stipulation for their introduction was that the community was guaranteed permanent F2P, without ads
Bonds are effectively one of the pillars supporting F2P, and to try and taint it with ads while Bonds are in the game would be completely wrong