RuneScape 4 Revealed: Jagex Announces Unreal Engine MMO at RuneFest 2026

At RuneFest 2026 at the NEC in Birmingham, Jagex announced that a fourth mainline RuneScape MMORPG is in development under the working title RS4. The project is the first mainline entry in the franchise to move away from Jagex's proprietary RuneTek engine to Epic Games' Unreal Engine.

A 91-second teaser trailer showed adventurers and dragons across the continent of Ashenfall during Gielinor's Sixth Age. Outlets reported that dragon riding and aerial dragon combat will serve as central gameplay pillars.

From Survival Prototype to Standalone MMO

The game originated as a planned 2027 survival expansion titled Shadows of Ashenfall for RuneScape: Dragonwilds, executive producer Jesse America explained during a RuneFest briefing.

"When we saw the very first prototypes and read the designs that they'd brought together, we realized that the game direction of all of this pointed at a completely different scope," America said. "We came to the realization that it essentially would be an MMO, and that it deserved its own game."

America stated that the entire studio will work on the project collaboratively. Jagex emphasized that RS4 is strictly a working title, platforms and a release date are unannounced, and launch remains a few years away. The studio said it revealed the title early to involve players in testing and co-development.

Concurrent Operation and RuneScape Reignited

Jagex confirmed the new MMO will not replace existing titles. It will operate concurrently alongside RuneScape, Old School RuneScape, and RuneScape: Dragonwilds.

Jagex also announced RuneScape Reignited, a permanent new character type launching December 2, 2026. Reignited features a fresh economy, separate hiscores, and no paid progression. The launch includes an Adventure Guide and Remastered Journey update, with 10 days of free access to members' content running December 2–12, 2026.

Jagex also confirmed that the RuneScape Plugin API will launch in October 2026.

Animated Series Partnership

Alongside game updates, Jagex announced an animated adaptation set in Gielinor, in development with content creator Charlie White (MoistCr1TiKaL) and production company Lyrical Media via Lyrical Animation. Release timing, format, distributor, and storyline specifics remain unannounced.