Runescape developer Jagex has been acquired by The Carlyle Group

Runescape developer Jagex has been acquired by global investment company The Carlyle Group for an undisclosed fee. 

It's the third time the UK studio has changed hands in the past five years, with Fukong Network purchasing the studio for $230 million in 2016, before selling it to Macarthur Fortine Holding for $530 million in 2020. 

Although the terms of the latest deal weren't disclosed, The Carlyle Group said it will support Jagex and help evolve the "core Runescape franchise" by investing in R&D and producing more new content. 

It also wants Jagex to diversify its portfolio to "engage with an even wider community of players," and it looks like the studio will make that happen by creating new titles set in the Runescape universe.

"We will continue to expand our game teams to create and deliver more great content for RuneScape and Old School RuneScape," commented Jagex CEO Phil Mansell in a press release.

"We will continue to create exciting experiences for our players, grow our global communities, build new games to expand and further explore the RuneScape universe, lend our expertise to publish third-party games from like-minded online game developers, and invest in the incredible tech and talent that powers this all."