RuneScape is Adding a Battle Pass System, Called Hero Pass, and Winding Down Yak Track

mmorpg.com:

These days, it seems almost easier to count the number of MMOs that don’t have any sort of Battle Pass system. RuneScape is the latest to detail its foray into a system like this, which is also marking a move away from Yak Track. In a new devblog detailing how the team decided to add a pass system, and how they made it feel right for RuneScape.

This isn’t something the team is taking lightly.

“With RuneScape’s prior attempts in this space, we haven't achieved the bar set by other Battle Pass systems — so we wanted to go back to the drawing board and introduce something much more complementary to the game that's integrated with its core experience.” This time, their goals are to add more depth and value to playing RuneScape, while making sure rewards are available to most players, and to use the offerings to encourage engagement with recent content.

Hero Pass: Underworld will open up on September 4th. One of the reasons behind implementing a system like this now is to have an always-on rewards system that will also not feel time-pressured. They look to balance things out to be satisfying for the most dedicated players but also offer something of value to those who are more moderately active. 

When the first pass launches, there will be 54 cosmetic items that all players can earn and 94 total Cosmetics for Premier members. The Premier pass will be free to those with Premier membership or you can upgrade for Bonds. 

There will be changes, since daily missions will be going away in their current form, and there will be daily missions on the hero pass with three tiers of Rewards that you can choose from. there will also be two types of weekly missions, and sometimes special missions for taking part in the most recent