Jagex announces RuneScape 4, years from release

Jagex has announced RuneScape 4, a new game in its long-running fantasy universe. The name is temporary.

The project was unveiled at RuneFest in Birmingham, UK, with a teaser trailer for attendees. It is in early development using Unreal Engine, the widely used toolkit for building 3D games, according to Video Games Chronicle.

RuneScape 4 will sit alongside the company's existing titles: RuneScape, Old School RuneScape and Dragonwilds. RuneScape and Old School RuneScape are online role-playing games where thousands of players explore, quest and trade together. Dragonwilds is an open-world survival crafting game, where players gather resources, build and explore in the same franchise.

The new game returns to Gielinor, the fantasy world at the centre of the series. It is set during the Sixth Age, an era in the series lore, and will begin in Ashenfal.

Ashenfal first appeared in Dragonwilds. RuneScape 4 picks up years after the events of that game and the destruction of the Dragon Queen Kuldra.

Jagex stressed that RuneScape 4 is not a replacement for any of its current games. It will have its own dedicated development team, and work on RuneScape, Old School RuneScape and Dragonwilds will continue.

It is years away. Jagex said the game is still several years from release, but it chose to announce early to develop it alongside its community.

For fans, this means a long wait with the current games still supported. Jagex set out a 2026 roadmap for RuneScape that includes its largest expansion ever, according to Jagex.

What makes this stand out is the timing. A studio rarely names its next numbered entry this far in advance, and Jagex is framing the wait as part of the plan.