RuneScape 4 Announced at RuneFest: A New MMO Sequel

Jagex has announced RuneScape 4, a new MMO built on Unreal Engine that started as an expansion for Dragonwilds. A teaser trailer was shown at RuneFest.

Did you see that coming? At this year's RuneFest, Jagex dropped a bombshell: RuneScape 4 is officially in the works. The announcement came with a teaser trailer that gives us a first look at the game's art style, which blends the best of RuneScape 3 and Old School RuneScape with a fresh, Dragonwilds-inspired twist.

The trailer shows a lush medieval town nestled in a verdant valley, with floating islands overhead. An adventurer riding a dragon gets ambushed by a three-headed dragon while a wizard watches from below. The scene ends with the wizard welcoming a new adventurer to the city. It's a classic fantasy setup that should feel right at home for RuneScape fans.

But here's the interesting part: RuneScape 4 didn't start as a full MMO. According to MMORPG.com, it began life as a planned expansion for Dragonwilds, the recently released survival game. A Jagex developer explained that playtesters kept asking for a more traditional MMO take on the survival game's setting and aesthetic. So Jagex decided to scale it up into a full-fledged sequel.

That expansion was originally targeting a 2027 release, but turning it into a full new game has almost certainly pushed that back. We don't have a new release window yet, but we do know it's being built on Unreal Engine—though it's unclear if that's Unreal Engine 5 or the upcoming Unreal Engine 6.

If you're wondering about the "4" in the title, here's a quick history lesson: RuneScape launched in 2001, RuneScape 2 arrived in 2004 with full 3D rendering (Old School is based on RS2 circa 2007), and RuneScape 3 came in 2013 with overhauled art and systems. RuneScape 4 will be the next numbered entry in that lineage.

Old School RuneScape will continue as is—it's by far Jagex's most successful game. But what about RuneScape 3? Will it be preserved, or will RuneScape 4 seamlessly continue character progression like RuneScape 3 did for RuneScape 2? That's a big question for veteran players.

We'll be keeping an eye on RuneFest for more details. PCG features producer Mollie Taylor is on the ground at the event, so stay tuned for more coverage. In the meantime, what do you think about RuneScape 4? Are you excited to see a new MMO set in the RuneScape universe, or are you happy with Old School? Let us know in the comments!