RuneScape has gone through several distinct iterations since players first entered Gielinor more than 25 years ago, and now its newest form is on the horizon. The original game, now known as RuneScape Classic, established the foundation for what would become one of the longest-running MMO franchises in gaming before RuneScape 2 arrived in 2004 with a new engine and major visual overhaul. As fans know, RuneScape 2 transformed over time into Old School RuneScape in 2013 (using a 2007 version of the game) and what’s now officially known as RuneScape 3 (or just simply RuneScape).
Not only has Jagex kept two MMOs running all this time, but it has also started work on a new iteration while supporting its open-world survival-crafting game, RuneScape: Dragonwilds. RuneScape: Dragonwilds recently launched on PS Plus and Xbox Game Pass, bringing the iconic IP to consoles for the first time, as it hit 1.0. Of course, Jagex isn’t done with Dragonwilds, adding the Prayer skill in December and kicking off a new storyline in 2027 after the Kuldra Saga concludes. All of that is big, big news, but not surprising, yet that’s exactly what RuneScape 4 is.
RuneScape 4 Heralds a New Era for the MMO
Headlining RuneFest 2026 was the first glimpse at RuneScape 4, a brand-new and currently unnamed MMO for the franchise. It’s clear, however, that this new RuneScape game is early in development. What’s known, though, is that it’s built on Unreal Engine for a new generation of players, wanting to bring a more modern version of Gielinor to gamers around the world. The concept trailer, running just a minute and a half, shows a collection of Warriors riding dragons through the air, flying over a city and its denizens, and that’s all it takes to truly be exciting.
Scratch & Peek
Identify the cover art while scratching off as little foil as
possible.
The teaser, as all good teasers do, leaves fans with more questions than answers. Perhaps chief among them is whether RuneScape 4 will launch on, or at least come to, PlayStation and Xbox. Dragonwilds opened that door, and with MMO competition World of Warcraft believed to come to consoles sometime in the near future, it’s a natural question. Nevertheless, fans should understand they will be waiting a long time to see what comes of this brand-new MMO.
Beyond RuneScape 4 and the new Blood Crystal saga for RuneScape: Dragonwilds, developer Jagex also revealed plenty more content. This includes, but is not limited to, a new RuneScape animation series in partnership with Charlie “MoistCr1TiKaL” White, the launch of RuneScape Reignited on December 2, and a new roadmap and content for Old School RuneScape, including the opening of the Golden Gates of Menaphos after 20 years.
What will be funny to see, at the end of the day, is how RuneScape 4 changes the names of the prior RuneScape MMOs (if it does). RuneScape 2 became Old School RuneScape and RuneScape 3, as players wanted the more classic approach of the franchise, and RuneScape 3 is more commonly known as RuneScape. But if RuneScape 4 becomes commonly known as RuneScape, then RuneScape 3 becomes Old School RuneScape, and then what becomes of the old school Old School RuneScape? OSRS1 and OSRS2? That’ll no doubt be fun to navigate, but what’s clear is that Jagex intends to support its entire world, in whatever form players decide to engage with it.
