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Chinese mining company buys Runescape dev for $300m - report

They've got some stones.

Here's an odd one: a Chinese mining company has bought Runescape developer Jagex for $300m.

That's according to the Financial Times and DealStreetAsia, which reports Shandong Hongda Mining Co Ltd, a ferrous metal mining firm that produces iron powder, copper powder and iron ore, picked up the British game company.

Jagex told Eurogamer it had yet to sign on the dotted line, but it looks like that's all that's left to do. Here's a statement:

Runescape's head of community went a little further in a post on the game's forum, insisting its games remain "on track".

Shandong, apparently, wants to transform its business, and Jagex is the answer.

It's an interesting time for Jagex, which has been travelling down the road to recovery after the closure of MMO Transformers Universe in 2014 amid whispers of layoffs. Long-time boss Mark Gerhard left soon after. While it continues to work on free-to-play MMO Runescape, Jagex has developed virtual card game Chronicle: RuneScape Legends, which goes into open beta on 23rd March.