Jagex, the company best known for the browser-based Runescape have taken the bold step of publishing an MMO game.

Their new game, entitled War of Legends, is a massively RTS based on a story from Chinese mythology. Taking inspiration from the of 1000 BC, players will be encouraged either to help protect a crumbling, cruel dynasty or join those seeking to topple it.

In a departure from Jagex's previous games, War of Legends will employ micro-transactions to allow players with less time on their hands speed up the of their own little empire.

Jagex's Adam Tuckwell said of the task of adapting the RTS, a traditionally single-player genre, for MMO fans: "I guess traditional RTS games have been pretty single-player focussed. For us, we have a lot of experience of multiplayer environments.

"Across all of our games we have developed wide community of multiplayer facilities," he added. "As a community-conscious developer, that is something that our users have come to expect. On War of Legends, we have worked very closely with the developer to make sure that players aren't playing alone."

War of Legends launches today.

By Ewan Aiton