RuneScape Announces a New MMO: What We Know So Far
Jagex has announced a new RuneScape MMORPG is in the works, one of the largest announcements we’ve ever had for the franchise in 25 years.
Currently, the project is codenamed RS4, though Jagex has stressed this may not be the game’s ultimate title. RS4 is being built as a brand new RuneScape experience, not a simple graphical update or another huge expansion to the existing MMO.
Jagex was surprisingly upfront about revealing the project several years prior to release at least— with the announcement coming during RuneFest 2026. So that means there are still a hell of a lot more questions than answers. There has been no word on platforms, combat, skills, account systems, membership, progression, or even the release date.
This is what Jagex has confirmed so far, alongside what RuneScape players shouldn’t take for granted just yet.
RS4 Is A Brand New RuneScape MMO
Jagex regards RS4 as its 4th RuneScape MMO, and was created from the very beginning as another title in the series.
It’s being built with Unreal Engine, providing Jagex with a contemporary technical base to usher in a new generation of RuneScape. The studio expressed a desire to merge the knowledge it had gained from the existing RuneScape titles with the technology and expertise in development obtained through RuneScape: Dragonwilds.
The key differentiation is that RS4 is not being touted as a replacement to the current RuneScape or Old School RuneScape.
Jagex is committed to continuing to support those games with dedicated teams, roadmaps, and investment. It is also expected to be an alternative approach to sharing the RuneScape universe, just like RS4 stood to Original and OS.
That makes the pronouncements dramatically different from the “new version” that players would expect from the RS4 label.
RS4 is a temporary name for a new MMO, not an announced replacement or shutdown for RuneScape.
What Is the RS4 Name?
RS4 is nothing more than a working title for the time being.
Jagex says the game is its fourth generation RuneScape project, so that makes RS4 a neat little name while developing. The studio have not confirmed the final game will indeed be released as RuneScape 4.
That difference is important because the name may change significantly before release.
So players should not go into “RuneScape 4” thinking it is a finished product name yet. Now as Jagex are working on this, RS4 is the best way to refer to the project.
When Will RuneScape 4 Release?
No, there is no specific release date or release year.
The Jagex announcement states that the new MMO is still a few years away. The publisher has chosen to show the game off early, instead of late.
That makes any kind of 2027 or 2028 or 2029 specific release prediction guesswork.
Jagex also announced that there will be a lot more information released on what basis with details on the world, the development team, and how players can be a part of it in the future.
If players want to test the game in the near future, there is nothing to download or play yet. This is an announcement of the early development stages rather than a launch or beta announcement.
Where will the New MMO be set?
One of the most intriguing confirmed points is the game’s setting.
RS4 will be taking place in Gielinor in the Sixth Age and Jagex is not kicking off the excitement in one of the most iconic franchise locales.
The upcoming MMO will take place in Ashenfall, the continent first discovered in RuneScape: Dragonwilds.
Ashenfall lies to the northeast of the broader Gielinor world. The new MMO is set years after the events in Dragonwilds and the annihilation of the Dragon Queen Kuldra.
This gives Jagex an intriguing starting point.
Rather than immediately relearning what players know of the RunesScape map, the studio can invite players a new epoch of the world — and gradually build them.
Jagex says Ashenfall is just the beginning. Its long-range goal is to travel beyond the region and to include familiar places as well as undiscovered parts of Gielinor in the tour.
This means the link to Dragonwilds is still significant, however we shouldn’t just view RS4 as Dragonwilds with a larger number of players.
Is RS4 a Dragonwilds MMO?
Not quite.
It’s one of those easy confusion to make after the reveal.
RuneScape: Dragonwilds there seems to be a some big link to the new title. Ashenfall is the starting point for RS4, while Jagex has said it wants to build on technology created through Dragonwilds.
However, Jagex is hailing RS4 as an entirely new RuneScape MMORPG.
They’re also supposed to live apart.
Dragonwilds is a survival adventure, and RS4 is being made into a new MMO. None of the final systems of gameplay have been demonstrated to a sufficient degree that combat, crafting or survival in RS4 will look anything like what we saw in the prototype.
The most conservative reading of that statement is that Dragonwilds is in some way being built upon for the new project, as opposed to being replaced in an MMO form of the same game.
RuneScape has always been a game focused on long-term progression, skills, quests, player interaction and a community-driven economy. Old School RuneScape and modern RuneScape have taken those fundamentals in different directions over the years.
Jagex has stated that integrity, permanent progression, and community-driven development will be core tenets of RS4.
These statements are good guidance, but not specific gameplay elements.
“Permanent progression,” for example, is not telling us what the progression system will look like. Similarly, community-driven development does not necessarily mean that RS4 will use the same polling system as Old School RuneScape.
More details will be revealed later.
What Does “Built in Unreal Engine” Really Mean?
The biggest technical change coming with RS4 is the move to Unreal Engine.
For most of its history, RuneScape has been evolving its own technology and tools. Modern engine provides Jagex with a new base for rendering, world building, animation, lighting and other technical systems.
However, Unreal Engine itself is not the only factor in how the MMO will play.
It is not a guarantee that RS4 will have action combat, a specific camera angle, console support, high-end graphics or a particular UI. These are design choices Jagex still needs to make.
The more important thing is that Jagex is using modern technology while attempting to retain the core of what makes RuneScape unique. One of the biggest questions surrounding the project is whether it can successfully bridge those two goals.
What Does RS4 Mean for Current RuneScape Players?
This is likely the most important practical question for current players.
Jagex has directly addressed the concern that a new MMO would take resources away from the current games.
RS4 will be built by a separate team and will exist alongside RuneScape, Old School RuneScape and Dragonwilds.
Jagex has also said that the addition of the new project doesn’t change its current focus, commitment or resources for RuneScape and Old School RuneScape.
This is the official position today.
However, players should differentiate between a present development commitment and a prediction for the next decade. RS4 is still years away, and there is no way of knowing for sure how Jagex’s portfolio will change over that time.
At the moment, there is no official announcement that current RuneScape servers will shut down or that OSRS is being replaced.
Players should also be cautious about assuming RS4 will follow the same path as existing RuneScape games.
Jagex’s recent choices offer some context for how the company thinks about monetization. In January 2026, following a player vote, it removed Treasure Hunter from RuneScape, citing its commitment to game integrity and a player-first approach.
That decision, however, doesn’t confirm what RS4’s business model will look like.
So far, Jagex has only said that fair play and lasting progression will be key design priorities.
How RS4 Could Connect to Dragonwilds
The link between RS4 and Dragonwilds may become one of the project’s most compelling features.
Dragonwilds introduced Ashenfall to the RuneScape universe. RS4’s story begins several years later, with players setting out on an MMO adventure in the same region.
This creates room for the games to share a broader story while remaining distinct experiences. Dragonwilds could tell Ashenfall’s earlier history, including Kuldra’s tale, while RS4 reveals what unfolds in the years that follow.
The time gap also gives the developers flexibility. Rather than recreating Dragonwilds’ version of Ashenfall, they can show how the region has evolved and introduce new events and stories.
Jagex has also said it hopes to expand RS4 beyond Ashenfall over time, bringing players to both familiar and unexplored areas of Gielinor.
For longtime fans, that could mean revisiting a recognizable world through a fresh starting point.
FAQ
Is RuneScape 4 Officially Confirmed?
Yes. Jagex has confirmed that a fourth RuneScape MMO is in the works. RS4 is a working title and may change in the final development process.
Is RS4 Replacing RuneScape Or Old School RuneScape?
No. Jagex says the MMO is meant to co-exist with RuneScape and Old School RuneScape, as well as Dragonwilds.
When Does RS4 Come Out?
There is no exact release date or release window. Jagex says it’s a few years off.
Where Is RS4 Set?
The game takes place in Gielinor during the Sixth Age and you start out in Ashenfall, the area introduced in RuneScape: Dragonwilds.
Is RS4 related to Dragonwilds?
Yes, but it’s different game. RS4 begins in Ashenfall years after Dragonwilds and is a brand new MMORPG.
Which engine does RS4 use?
Jagex has confirmed the title is being developed in Unreal Engine.
Can RS3 Accounts Transfer To RS4?
Nothing has been confirmed. Jagex has specifically stated that they can’t share anything about account progression etc at this stage.
Will RS4 be available on PC, PlayStation or Xbox?
Platforms have not been announced yet.