Jagex Announces RuneScape 4, a New Unreal Engine MMO, at RuneFest 2026

Jagex has officially announced a fourth RuneScape MMO, currently known by the working title RuneScape 4. Revealed during RuneFest 2026 in Birmingham on October 3, the new game will be the first in the franchise built in Unreal Engine, and it is set in the world of Gielinor during the Sixth Age.

The reveal was the headline announcement of RuneFest 2026, Jagex’s annual fan convention, which drew more than 6,000 attendees to the NEC Arena in Birmingham for a sold-out two-day event celebrating 25 years of RuneScape, according to multiple outlets covering the show.

Born from a Dragonwilds expansion

Interestingly, RuneScape 4 did not begin life as a new MMO. In a pre-RuneFest briefing attended by Polygon, RuneScape: Dragonwilds executive producer Jesse America explained that the project started as a planned Dragonwilds expansion called Shadows of Ashenfall. Players had asked for more social mechanics in the survival game, so the team began building features such as persistent servers, high player counts, and player-to-player trading.

“The team embraced that challenge with a lot of creative ambition and enthusiasm,” America said. “When we saw the very first prototypes and read the designs that they’d brought together, we realized that the game direction of all of this pointed at a completely different scope. We came to the realization that it essentially would be an MMO, and that it deserved its own game.”

What the game is

The game is set in Gielinor during the Sixth Age, with the adventure beginning in Ashenfall, the landmass first explored in RuneScape: Dragonwilds. The story takes place years after the events of Dragonwilds and the fall of the Dragon Queen Kuldra, though Jagex says Ashenfall is only the starting point and the MMO will expand into familiar and new parts of Gielinor over time, according to MMOHuts. A teaser trailer shows dragons taking center stage, with players able to both fight and ride them.

What it means for current players

For longtime players, the biggest question is what happens to the games they already play. Jagex addressed this directly: RuneScape 4 is not replacing RuneScape, Old School RuneScape, or Dragonwilds. The studio says each game keeps its own dedicated team, roadmap, and continued investment, with RuneScape 4 positioned as a fourth standalone pillar alongside them. America added that the whole studio will support the new project.

Jagex also stressed that the game is still a few years away, with no decisions announced on platforms, accounts, membership, combat, or skills. More details, including how the community can get involved in development, are planned for next year.

Also Checkout: Tomodachi Life QR Codes

Built with players from the start

Jagex said it chose to announce the game this early because it wants to build it with the community from the beginning. “For 25 years, RuneScape has been shaped by its players. We’ve learned that our games are at their best when we build with you, not just for you,” the studio said in its announcement, as reported by Rectify Gaming. Permanent progression, game integrity, and community feedback will be central design principles, and players can register their interest to receive development updates.

Everything else announced at RuneFest 2026

RuneScape 4 was not the only news from the show. Jagex also revealed RuneScape Reignited, a fresh-start version of the main game launching December 2, 2026, with a remastered journey, fresh economy, and new hiscores, plus free access from December 2 through December 12. Old School RuneScape gets the Fractured Archive raid on October 20, permanent Hardcore Worlds on November 4, and the long-awaited opening of Menaphos in spring 2027. Dragonwilds receives the Luminance update in December followed by quarterly content drops into 2027, while a RuneScape animated series with content creator Charlie “MoistCr1tikal” White Jr. consulting is now in production, according to Bleeding Cool and Particle News.

RuneScape 4: key details

• Working title: RuneScape 4 (not the confirmed final name)
• Engine: Unreal Engine, a first for the franchise
• Setting: Gielinor, Sixth Age, starting in Ashenfall
• Timeline: years after Dragonwilds and the fall of Dragon Queen Kuldra
• Release: early development, “a few years away”, no platforms announced
• Existing games: RuneScape, Old School RuneScape, and Dragonwilds all continue with dedicated teams
• Community: sign-up page live for development updates; more news planned for 2027

With RuneScape 4, Jagex is betting that 25 years of community-driven design can carry a new generation of Gielinor. The wait will be long, but for the first time, players get to watch a RuneScape MMO being built from the very beginning.

Sources: Polygon,