Jagex is making a fourth RuneScape MMO. The working title is RS4, it’s being built in Unreal Engine, and it was the headline at RuneFest 2026, which packed more than 6,000 fans into the NEC in Birmingham over the weekend. The bigger near-term news is for current players, though: RuneScape Reignited launches December 2.
RS4 is real, and it’s years out
Jagex is very clear that RS4 does not replace anything. RuneScape, Old School RuneScape, and RuneScape: Dragonwilds keep their own teams and roadmaps, and RS4 is meant to sit next to them as another way into Gielinor.
What we know is short. It’s set in the Sixth Age and starts in Ashenfall, the landmass to the north-east that Dragonwilds players already know, picking up years after that game’s story. Platforms, membership, progression, combat, and a release window are all unannounced. Jagex says the game is “a few years away” and that it will share much more next year, including how players can get involved early. So this is a heads-up, not a beta sign-up.
RuneScape Reignited, December 2
Reignited is the one to circle. It’s a new permanent character type for RuneScape that starts everyone from the same spot with a fresh economy, new hiscores, and no paid progression. It runs in the same worlds as existing characters, so you’re not off on a separate server.
Like Ironman, Reignited needs its own membership, but Jagex is opening the door for free at launch. Every Reignited character gets members’ world access from December 2 through December 12. The same update brings the new Adventure Guide and the first chunk of the Remastered Journey, Jagex’s long project to rework 25 years of content, starting with the early game.
RuneScape also gets its Plugin API this month, with an early hands-on before the full release. Next year’s content splits into three story arcs: Hoard of Dragons (a Dragon Slayer sequel, starting in January), City of Gnomes, and Secrets of Karamja, which adds a new end-game raid. An Agility rework and a new Grandmaster Quest are in there too.
Old School and Dragonwilds dates
Old School RuneScape players have two dates coming fast. The Fractured Archive, a new end-game raid with a Boss Rush mode, arrives October 20. Hardcore Worlds, a new mode where death really matters, follows on November 4. Menaphos finally opens in 2027 with the Master-level quest Fool’s Gold.
RuneScape: Dragonwilds gets its Luminance update in December, bringing Elves and the Prayer skill. The Blood Crystal Saga follows in 2027 along with official mod support through CurseForge, and Jagex says that includes consoles. Dragonwilds is on PC, Switch 2, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S, so that’s a rare console modding promise.
RuneScape and Old School RuneScape are free to start on PC, Steam, iOS, and Android with cross-progression. If the MMO itch is already back this fall, AION 2 just launched free on PC too. For RuneScape players, December 2 is the date that matters. RS4 is the long game.