The recent update of Old School RuneScape, titled Varlamore, has introduced the community to a new and curious character: the Gemstone crab, which has quickly been embraced as a benevolent god. This crab has transformed the way players interact in the game, fostering a more social and collaborative environment without the traditional competition for limited resources.
A pretty nice crab
The crab allows players to train together, breaking the need to compete for the same space to do crabbing, a historical practice in which players train combat skills by attacking harmless enemies. With infinite health and dealing minimal damage, the Gemstone Crab has created a phenomenon that has led some community members to form cults around it, creating an almost religious dogma within a few days of its introduction.
The surprise of the development team, led by design director Kieren Charles, has been notable in seeing the fervent reaction of the players. Charles pointed out that the goal was to make the game more focused on socialization , and the crab precisely reflects this by allowing players to interact and gather without worrying about resources. Some players have even started to see the death of their characters at the hands of the crab as a status symbol within the community.
The interest in adding a rare pet associated with the crab has grown among players, although the developer has indicated that there are no immediate plans for it. However, Charles did not rule out the possibility in the future, acknowledging the potential of this social phenomenon. “Maybe we will have to succumb to the demands of the community,” he said, suggesting that a small gemstone crab as a pet could be an exciting addition. Meanwhile, the Gemstone Crab continues to reign as the center of attention and interactions in the player community.
