Jagex has officially revealed a fourth entry in the RuneScape series, a new MMO currently codenamed RS4, which is being developed in Unreal Engine. The announcement was made at RuneFest in Birmingham over the weekend. This new title aims to blend the deep gameplay and community-driven ethos of RuneScape with modern technology, bringing the world of Gielinor to life with contemporary design possibilities.
RS4 is in the early stages of development and is expected to be several years away from release, with an official name yet to be decided. This follows a history of numerical designations for the franchise, including RuneScape 2 and RuneScape 3, before Jagex consolidated its titles into a single live service. The RuneScape universe currently includes RuneScape, Old School RuneScape, and RuneScape: Dragonwilds, all of which remain active and supported.
Jagex stated that the announcement was made well in advance of launch to foster the same collaborative, community-focused development approach seen with RuneScape and Old School RuneScape. The studio highlighted that engine and tooling advancements made during the development of RuneScape: Dragonwilds have provided a foundation for RS4. Crucially, Jagex emphasized that the development of RS4 will not detract from existing games, each of which will continue to receive dedicated teams and ongoing investment.
"We'll be designing RS4 to sit alongside them as an additional way to experience RuneScape and the world of Gielinor," Jagex explained. "The ambition isn't to replace the RuneScape games you love. It's to make the RuneScape universe bigger."
The new MMO will be set in Gielinor's Sixth Age, with its story beginning in Ashenfall, a region introduced in RuneScape: Dragonwilds and situated northeast of the main map. The narrative picks up years after the events of Dragonwilds and the defeat of the Dragon Queen Kuldra. Ashenfall is planned as just the initial area, with Jagex intending to expand the game world significantly over time, incorporating both familiar and new regions of Gielinor.
In addition to the new game, Jagex also announced a RuneScape animated adaptation is in development. This series is being produced in partnership with YouTuber Charlie "MoistCr1TiKaL" White and the LA production company Lyrical Media, with the goal of bringing Gielinor's world, characters, and lore to life, drawing inspiration from the franchise's 25-year history and over 300 million player accounts.