Jagex has officially announced RuneScape 4 during this year’s RuneFest festival, revealing a new mainline massively multiplayer online role-playing game being built from the ground up in Epic Games’ Unreal Engine. The project is still in its early stages of development and remains some distance from release, but developers confirmed it will transport players back to the world of Gielinor for the first time using modern technology.
The title currently carries the placeholder name RuneScape 4 as Jagex continues work on what will be the fourth primary entry in its long-running MMO series. The studio emphasized that this is a fresh undertaking rather than an update to existing games, aiming to combine the depth and community-led spirit that have defined RuneScape for 25 years with contemporary game design possibilities.
An Evolution from Dragonwilds
Jagex’s vice president of studios and next-gen development, Jesse America, revealed during a prebrief attended by MMORPG.com that the new MMO grew directly out of a planned 2027 expansion for survival spin-off RuneScape: Dragonwilds. According to America, the original pitch evolved into taking the worldstate established by Dragonwilds and filling it with typical MMO features such as persistent servers and trade hubs to create a brand-new mainline entry.
“Still early in development, the as-yet-unnamed title will bring the world of Gielinor to life in Unreal Engine. Combining the depth, freedom and community-led spirit that have defined RuneScape for 25 years with the technology and game design possibilities of today.”
Jagex
The studio confirmed during RuneFest that RuneScape 4 will be set in Gielinor during the Sixth Age, though players will begin their journey in a location they have only recently begun to discover. This starting area is Ashenfall, an expanse first explored in RuneScape: Dragonwilds and situated as a landmass to the north-east of the familiar Gielinor continent.
A World That Has Moved On
Jagex explained that the new game will take place years after the events of Dragonwilds and the destruction of the Dragon Queen Kuldra. According to developers, time has passed across the world, Ashenfall itself has changed with it, and this area represents only the beginning of a much larger adventure.
“Our ambition is for this adventure to grow far beyond Ashenfall over time, moving into places you know and love, as well as opening up new places and stories across Gielinor.”
Jagex
The studio was careful to clarify that the upcoming MMO is not a replacement for any of its existing RuneScape games or forks. Instead, it has been designed to sit alongside them as an additional way to experience both RuneScape and the world of Gielinor. Jagex hopes to build on the technical development learnings gathered during Dragonwilds while also drawing on the community co-development approach refined through RuneScape and Old School RuneScape.
The announcement has generated significant buzz among the game’s dedicated player base, who have followed the studio’s transition toward Unreal Engine technology with keen interest. The decision to leverage a modern engine represents one of the most substantial shifts in the franchise’s history, promising updated visuals and expanded gameplay possibilities while retaining the identity that has kept players engaged for over two decades.
Looking Ahead
RuneFest also saw Jagex announce RuneScape Reignited, described as a new permanent character type offering players the chance to start fresh and experience the game’s world through a revamped lens. This feature is scheduled to debut on December 2nd.
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