Jagex has released a massive 2026 roadmap for RuneScape 3, offering a look at what players can expect to see from the iconic MMORPG over the next twelve months. RuneScape is currently in the middle of its 25th anniversary celebrations, and Jagex is celebrating in a big way by looking to breathe new life into its main title.
RuneScape 3 is one of the oldest active MMOs still online today. The game attracts hundreds of thousands of players daily, offering a unique experience among MMOs. However, the game has never been short of controversy, leading to RuneScape 3 being eclipsed in popularity by Old School RuneScape, a separate version of the game intended to emulate its earlier years. Both games have separate development teams with different design philosophies, which has led to a pretty stark player base split over the years. With Old School RuneScape‘s surging popularity, the RuneScape 3 team is looking to massively change things up in 2026.
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RuneScape 3 Reveals 2026 Road to Restoration Roadmap
Jagex has released the 2026 roadmap for RuneScape 3, dubbing it “the roadmap that changes RuneScape forever,” marking the start of a new chapter dedicated to “renewal and growth.” There are several headline features in the latest RuneScape 3 2026 roadmap, the first of which is Havenhythe. Described as “RuneScape‘s biggest area expansion to date,” Havenhythe is a huge new land that will add a ton of new content to the game, including new quests and bosses, which will come as part of Part 1 in the spring, with Part 2 following at the end of the year. Jagex also reaffirmed that the Player Avatar Refresh project is still in development, representing a major step forward for the game’s player characters. This project began development in 2021, but was temporarily shelved in 2022. It’s currently planned to launch in late spring.
Other upcoming changes include a fresh UI overhaul, the option to toggle visual cosmetics, and a commitment to a new visual identity for the game going forward. RuneScape has always had one of the most iconic video game art styles that can be pinpointed in any screenshot, but it has felt like it has lost its way a little over the years of updates. The aim is to get that back across 2026 and beyond. Jagex is also looking at ways to overhaul daily tasks, describing the current implementation as being “fundamentally at odds with what makes RuneScape feel like RuneScape.” There’s also a huge combat style modernization arriving in February, as well as a planned player-owned house overhaul coming in the summer. This update is about “bringing back that social spark and the joy of showing off your home.”
The most important change in RuneScape 3‘s 2026 roadmap is effective immediately. Treasure Hunter has officially been removed from RuneScape 3, as was first announced by Jagex in June 2025. Treasure Hunter was first added to the game in 2014, and has long been credited with completely disrupting the balance of the game. This activity allowed players to purchase keys to win different prizes, including bonus XP and cash. This effectively made RuneScape 3 pay-to-win, a mistake that Jagex is looking to remedy for the game’s long-term health. The removal update has taken a long time to materialize, as Treasure Hunter had become too fundamental to the gameplay loop to remove overnight. Even now, with Treasure Hunter items no longer available to purchase, players have the opportunity to use up their items over the course of the year. However, Jagex says they will eventually be obsolete. It’s a brave choice, and one that will hopefully pay off for the developer going forward.
All the plans for RuneScape 3 seem very exciting, and the hope is that the removal of Treasure Hunter can kickstart a new golden era for the game. It faces an uphill battle to win back many of the players who dropped off from the game over the years, many of whom simply moved to Old School RuneScape instead. On the flip side, Old School RuneScape continues to gain momentum, offering a retro MMORPG experience that few other games can match. Old School RuneScape has its own ambitious plans for 2026, and it will be interesting to see how the two games compete with each other’s ambition throughout the year.
