Jagex has pulled back the curtain on what might be the biggest development in the franchise’s 25-year history. At RuneFest 2026 in Birmingham, the studio confirmed that a fourth RuneScape MMO is officially in development — and it’s being built in Unreal Engine.
The announcement headlined a weekend of reveals at the annual celebration for everything RuneScape. While Jagex is using RS4 as a working title, most of the community is already calling it RuneScape 4. The game is still in early development, with a release expected at least a few years away, but the sheer scale of what was shown has the playerbase buzzing.
From Dragonwilds Expansion to Full MMO
Perhaps the most surprising detail is how RS4 came to be. The project didn’t start life as a standalone game — it began as an expansion for RuneScape: Dragonwilds, Jagex’s Unreal Engine 5 survival game, under the working title Shadows of Ashenfall.
According to Jesse America, executive producer on Dragonwilds, playtesters kept asking for a more traditional MMO take on the survival game’s setting and aesthetic. When the team reviewed the early prototypes and designs, they realised the scope had ballooned beyond an expansion.
“When we saw the very first prototypes and read the designs that they’d brought together, we realised that the game direction of all of this pointed at a completely different scope. We came to the realisation that it essentially would be an MMO, and that it deserved its own game,” America explained during a pre-RuneFest briefing.
The expansion was reportedly targeting a 2027 release. Scaling up to a full, standalone game has almost certainly pushed that timeline back considerably.
What We Know About RuneScape 4 So Far
Here’s a summary of confirmed details:
- Engine: Unreal Engine (version not specified — could be 5 or the upcoming 6)
- Setting: The world of Gielinor, in the Sixth Age
- Region: Starts in Ashenfall, the same region as Dragonwilds, with the story picking up years later
- Team: A dedicated team, though Jagex says the entire studio will contribute
- Platforms: Not yet confirmed
- Monetisation: Unknown at this stage
- Progress carryover: No confirmation on whether RuneScape 3 progress will transfer
A CGI teaser trailer shown at RuneFest depicted a town in a green valley, floating islands, and a dragon rider being attacked by a three-headed dragon — suggesting dragons will play a central role, with players able to both fight and ride them.
RuneScape 3, Old School, and Dragonwilds Aren’t Going Anywhere
Jagex has positioned RS4 as a “fourth pillar” alongside the three existing games. RuneScape 3, Old School RuneScape, and Dragonwilds will all continue running alongside the new MMO. The studio described RS4 as “an additional way to experience RuneScape and the world of Gielinor” rather than a replacement for anything currently available.
For context, the franchise has been through sequel-name cycles before — RuneScape became RuneScape 2 in 2004, then RuneScape 3 in 2013 — but both names were eventually dropped in favour of simply “RuneScape” as a live service. This time feels different given the engine switch and dedicated team.
RuneScape Animated Series With MoistCr1TiKaL
Jagex also used RuneFest to announce that a RuneScape animated adaptation is in the works. The project is a partnership with YouTuber Charlie White, better known as MoistCr1TiKaL, and LA-based production company Lyrical Media. Details on the animation’s format, release window, and platform are thin, but the collaboration signals Jagex’s ambition to expand the franchise well beyond games.
What This Means for the RuneScape Community
The announcement is notable for how early it is. Jagex is clearly leaning on the community co-development model it established through RuneScape and Old School RuneScape, and revealing RS4 this far out gives the playerbase years to shape the game’s direction through feedback.
Whether you’re a veteran who’s been playing since the beta days or someone who discovered the franchise through Dragonwilds, RS4 represents the most significant investment Jagex has made in new infrastructure since the original game launched in 2001. The question now isn’t whether RuneScape 4 will happen — it’s how long the wait will be.
