The passion of a developer can be insignificant to RuneScape Gold a publisher, too. Dragon Age 4 has been pulled twice due to high-level interference that constantly dictates the game's direction. Metal Gear fans who obviously prefer single-player games, received the co-op game, Metal Gear Survive in 2018. And that's not even to look at all the affiliates Activision Blizzard wastes on constant Call of Duty development.
Thank goodness Jagex emerged at a time where it could remain an independent. As the player base began to fall off in the mid 2000s it is likely that a publisher would have pulled the plug on it all. Hell, Raven Software started laying people off in the midst of Warzone had made billions, so even the game's success could spell doom for the human beings who developed the game.
The successes we see are just exceptions to the rule sometimes. The stars had to align to allow Among Us to find its audience long after the game was launched and perhaps the best prior to that - with having the support of a large publisher was Undertale that was released in 2017.
This is the reason why RuneScape The Beginning 20 Years isn't just essential reading for anyone who is a fan of gaming, it's essential for anyone interested in what direction gaming history is heading in. It's a reminder that all of us need to support the independent scene that's always fighting to get noticed in a huge marketplace.
Most importantly is that it's a chance to be proud of the humble start we made. The gaming industry may seem like an absolutely disgusting space at OSRS Boosting times (because it can often be) however at its heart are passionate developers with an expertise they'd like to give to us