Jagex has announced a fourth MMO in the long-running RuneScape franchise, and it is still early enough that the game doesn’t even have an official name. The developer showed the first glimpse of the project at RuneFest in Birmingham, England, and called it RS4 for now — though the temptation to call it RuneScape 4 is strong, and Jagex hasn’t stamped that name on it yet.
The game is built for a new generation of players, according to Jagex, and it is being developed “for a new generation of players.” It will use Unreal Engine to bring the world of Gielinor to life, combining the depth, freedom and community-led spirit that have defined RuneScape for 25 years with the technology and game design possibilities of today. The reveal was a concept teaser, not a playable demo, but the implication is clear: modern visuals and design are coming.
Early Development Warning
RS4 is still in early development, and a release isn’t expected for at least a few years. That means the game doesn’t have an official title yet, and Jagex is calling it RS4 as a working title for now. The reveal was brief, and the details are light, but the ambition is visible in the wording.
Jagex currently operates three RuneScape games: RuneScape itself, Old School RuneScape, and the spinoff RuneScape: Dragonwilds. The franchise has seen a number of major updates tied to sequel names over the years, including a rename to RuneScape 2 in 2004 and RuneScape 3 in 2013. Both were dropped in favor of simply RuneScape, which is now treated as an ongoing live service.
Announcing Early
Jagex explained in a blog post that it announced RS4 so early because it wants to build on the tech development it made for Dragonwilds and lean on the community co-development it established through RuneScape and Old School. The developer insists RS4 is not a replacement for either game, each of which has its own dedicated team and will continue to see investment.
“We’ll be designing RS4 to sit alongside them as an additional way to experience RuneScape and the world of Gielinor,” Jagex said.
“In fact, we think having different RuneScape experiences can make the whole family stronger,” the developer continued. “Players may spend most of their time in one game, move between several, or discover Gielinor for the very first time through RS4. The ambition isn’t to replace the RuneScape games you love. It’s to make the RuneScape universe bigger.”
The Setting Is Ashenfall
RuneScape 4 will be set in Gielinor, as you’d expect, and in the Sixth Age. But the starting point is a region players have only recently begun to explore: Ashenfall, an area first visited in RuneScape: Dragonwilds and a landmass to the northeast of Gielinor. The game takes place years after the events of Dragonwilds and the destruction of the Dragon Queen Kuldra.
Time has passed, the world has moved on, and Ashenfall has changed with it. But Ashenfall is only the beginning, Jagex says. The ambition is for this adventure to grow far beyond Ashenfall over time, moving into places players know and love, as well as opening up new places and stories across Gielinor.
The Numbers Behind RuneScape
RuneScape is one of the longest-running video games in the world. Jagex says it has seen over 300 million player accounts created in the 25 years since RuneScape first launched. The franchise has survived multiple sequels, a name change, and a pivot to live service, and Jagex clearly wants to keep pushing it outward.
The company’s plan is to expand the franchise into new genres and even adaptations. That includes the animated adaption announced at RuneFest, which brings YouTuber Charlie White, aka MoistCr1TiKaL, and LA-based production company Lyrical Media into the fold.
Animation Partnership
Jagex also announced work had started on a new RuneScape animated adaptation, in partnership with Charlie White, aka MoistCr1TiKaL, and LA-based production company Lyrical Media. The official blurb describes the project as bringing the world, characters and stories of Gielinor to life in a new exciting animated adaption.
The partnership pairs a YouTuber with a production company, and it suggests Jagex sees the animated series as a way to reach audiences who might not play the games.
What We Know So Far
The reveal at RuneFest was a concept teaser, not a full presentation. The details are thin, and Jagex is keeping the project under wraps until it is further along. Jagex has announced early in recent years, and RS4 follows that pattern.
The key facts so far:
- RS4 is a new MMO in the RuneScape franchise.
- It is built for a new generation of players.
- It uses Unreal Engine.
- It is set in the Sixth Age, in Gielinor.
- It starts in Ashenfall, a region first explored in Dragonwilds.
- It is still in early development.
- It doesn’t have an official title yet.
- It is not a replacement for RuneScape, Old School, or Dragonwilds.
Community Question
Jagex’s insistence that RS4 is not a replacement for the other games is a smart move. The company has three live services running at once, and each has its own audience. RS4 is meant to sit alongside them, offering a new way to experience Gielinor.
Whether players buy that argument depends on how RS4 plays. If it feels like a new entry point rather than a reboot, the community may welcome it. If it feels like a threat to the existing games, the reaction could be different.
What Happens Next
RS4 is still in early development, and the reveal was a teaser. The next step is likely to be more details on the gameplay, the setting, and the timeline. Jagex has promised that the adventure will grow beyond Ashenfall, and the company will need to show how that expansion works in practice.
The animation adaptation is also moving forward, though Jagex has not shared details on its timeline.
The Bottom Line
Jagex is betting big on RuneScape’s future. A fourth MMO, an animated series, and a commitment to expanding the franchise into new formats — it is a bold plan for a game that has been around for 25 years.
The question is whether players will follow. The reveal at RuneFest was a teaser, not a full presentation, and Jagex has a long road ahead before RS4 is ready for release.
The franchise has weathered sequels, name changes, and a pivot to live service. Now it is trying something new. Whether RS4 succeeds will depend on how well it delivers on the promise of modern visuals and design, and whether it respects the community that has kept the franchise alive for decades.
For now, the teaser stands as a reminder of how far RuneScape has come — and how far it still has to go.
Source material: “Fourth RuneScape MMO Built With Unreal Engine in the Works, Jagex Announces RuneScape Animation With MoistCr1TiKaL,” IGN.
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