Simulated worlds startup Improbable Ltd., most recently in the news after it raised a round of $502 million, has signed a deal with Jagex Ltd., the gaming studio behind the popular “RuneScape” online multiplayer game, which will use Improbable’s SpatialOS technology in future game production.

Improbable’s SpatialOS is an operating system that facilitates large-scale simulations in the cloud, making possible virtual worlds that the company claims are of “unprecedented scale and complexity.” The OS can run simulated worlds in real time, simulating the behaviors and interactions of millions of people and objects, allowing developers to build virtual worlds that offer permanent, persistent experiences.

While online gaming is the headline use for the operating system, Improbable sees its potential as much wider, including possible uses in science, urban planning, economic management and other areas that require solutions to complex problems.

“Jagex has already made RuneScape an iconic brand in online gaming, and it’s great to be partnering with them to bring new levels of depth and scale to Jagex’s future creations by providing SpatialOS as a platform,” Improbable co-founder and Chief Executive Officer Herman Narula said in a statement. “We’re excited to see what such an experienced team with this established and well-loved IP will be able to do with our platform, which enables greater player density, larger and more detailed worlds and new forms of emergent gameplay.”

With a $1 billion valuation as of its last round, Improbable still has a long way to go in justifying its paper value. But deals like this, plus previous deals with gaming studios including Bossa Studios (“Worlds Adrift”), Spilt Milk Studios (“Lazarus”), HelloVR (“MetaWorld”), Entrada Interactive (“Rebel Horizons”) and Soulbound Studios (“Chronicles of Elyria”), sees the company heading in the right direction.

Image: Jager