Jagex used RuneFest 2026 to reveal that a fourth RuneScape MMO is in the works. The project carries the working title RS4, although fans have already settled on calling it RuneScape 4. It marks the first numbered entry in the series since RuneScape 3 launched back in 2013, which makes the announcement a notable moment for a franchise that has otherwise expanded sideways rather than forward.
The game is being developed in Unreal Engine, though Jagex has not specified which version of the engine is being used. That detail may seem minor right now, but it says something about the direction of the project — moving away from the studio’s long-standing in-house technology toward a widely used third-party engine.
What the teaser showed
A CGI trailer screened at the event offered the first visual taste of the setting, and it leaned heavily on fantasy spectacle. Viewers saw a town tucked into a green valley, islands drifting in the sky above it, and a dragon rider under attack from a three-headed dragon. There was no gameplay footage, no user interface, and no hint of how the game will actually play.
Jagex has been clear that RS4 is in early development and has its own dedicated team assigned to it. According to the studio, the game remains a few years away. The company also declined to discuss which platforms it will appear on, leaving questions about PC, console, and mobile support unanswered for now.
It started as an expansion
The most unusual part of the story is how RS4 came to exist. It did not begin life as a standalone MMO. Instead, it started out as an expansion for RuneScape: Dragonwilds, the studio’s survival game built in Unreal Engine 5.
That expansion was reportedly slated for 2027. During playtesting, however, feedback pushed things in a different direction. Testers apparently wanted a more traditional MMO interpretation of the Dragonwilds setting, and the project grew beyond its original scope into something large enough to stand on its own. What was meant to be additional content for an existing title became the foundation for a numbered sequel.
Story and setting
The narrative is said to take place years after the events of Dragonwilds and picks up in the same region, Ashenfall. Beyond that connection, Jagex has kept plot details under wraps. Whether the two games will share characters, factions, or ongoing storylines remains unclear.
What the studio has confirmed is that nothing currently running is going away. RuneScape 3, Old School RuneScape, and RuneScape: Dragonwilds will all continue to operate alongside the new project. For a community that has watched spin-offs and side projects come and go, that reassurance matters — the existing games are not being replaced.
The questions still open
A lot remains unknown. Jagex has not explained how RS4 will be monetized, which is hardly a small consideration given the long history of membership, bonds, and microtransactions across the franchise. There is also no word on whether any progress, items, or account history will carry over from RuneScape 3. Given that RS3 has accumulated more than two decades of player investment, that question is likely to dominate discussion until an answer arrives.
Then there is the simplest unknown of all: what the game actually looks like in motion. A CGI teaser establishes mood and art direction, not mechanics. Combat systems, skilling, quests, and the general loop of play have not been shown at all. It seems reasonable to expect a long wait before any of that surfaces publicly.
For now, the announcement functions as a statement of intent more than a preview. Jagex is telling players that a new mainline RuneScape is coming, that it is being built on modern technology, and that it is still years from release. Everything else — platforms, pricing, gameplay, and the fate of existing progress — stays on the list of things we will have to wait to learn.
Those curious about the visual direction can watch the teaser that debuted at the event, which is available online.
Check out the trailer: