RuneScape 4 is official: Jagex reveals RS4, a new Unreal Engine MMO set after Dragonwilds

Jagex has officially revealed RS4 — RuneScape 4 — a brand-new RuneScape MMORPG built in Unreal Engine. The announcement came at RuneFest 2026, held on October 3 at the NEC in Birmingham, England, in front of more than 6,000 fans.

The game is still in early development and, by Jagex's own account, launch is years away. But the studio already shared where RS4 takes place, which principles will guide it and, just as important, what it is not.

RuneScape 4 is not replacing Old School or RS3

Jagex was clear that RS4 is an addition to the RuneScape lineup, not a replacement. Old School RuneScape, RuneScape (often called RS3) and the survival game RuneScape: Dragonwilds all keep their own dedicated teams and roadmaps.

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That message matters for a community that has spent years building up its accounts. Nothing announced at RuneFest suggests that progress in the current games will be wiped or forced to move over.

Where RS4 takes place: Ashenfall and the Sixth Age

RS4 returns to Gielinor, RuneScape's fantasy world, during the Sixth Age. The story begins in Ashenfall, the north-eastern landmass introduced in RuneScape: Dragonwilds, and is set years after the events of that game and the destruction of the Dragon Queen Kuldra.

In practice, that ties the new MMO directly to Dragonwilds. Anyone who explored Ashenfall in the survival game will recognize the starting region, now as part of a full online world.

The design principles behind RS4

Jagex highlighted two pillars: integrity and permanent progression. In other words, the studio wants a world where what players earn keeps its value over time, a clear nod to long-time fans who prize fair, meaningful progression in MMOs.

The other pillar is development alongside the community. Jagex says RS4 will be built with players, not just for them, and the project is aimed at a new generation of players while keeping the depth and freedom that defined the series.

RuneScape 4 release date, platforms and what's still unknown

There is no release window yet. Jagex says platforms, accounts, membership, progression systems, combat, skills and launch timing are all still undecided, and that it is simply too early to answer those questions.

The official RS4 page has a sign-up form for news, and Jagex promises more detailed information next year. Until then, expect RS4 to stay in a teaser phase.

RS4 at a glance

Game: RS4, a new RuneScape MMORPG (working title)

Developer: Jagex

Engine: Unreal Engine

Setting: Gielinor, Sixth Age, starting in Ashenfall

Release date and platforms: not announced; launch is years away

Everything else Jagex announced at RuneFest 2026

RS4 wasn't the only reveal. Jagex also announced an animated series set in Gielinor, made with streamer Charlie White (MoistCr1TiKaL) and Los Angeles-based production company Lyrical Media. It is in early development, with no platform or release window yet.

For the games already out, the calendar now includes Old School RuneScape's The Fractured Archive raid on October 20, 2026, RuneScape Reignited on December 2, 2026, and the Luminance update for RuneScape: Dragonwilds in December 2026.

Why RS4 matters for MMO fans

New MMOs from established franchises are rare, and the genre is in a busy moment: Blizzard, for example, keeps expanding the WoW Forever beta. RS4 puts one of the longest-running online RPGs back in that conversation, with a modern engine and a public promise of fair, lasting progression.

The wait will be long, but the foundation is set: a familiar world, a new starting point in Ashenfall and a studio committing to build the game alongside its players. Players Realm will keep tracking every official RuneScape 4 update.