Jagex Announces RS4, a New RuneScape MMORPG Built in Unreal Engine

Jagex has officially announced a new MMORPG set in the RuneScape universe. The game was revealed at the annual RuneFest 2026 festival alongside its first teaser trailer, though it doesn't show any gameplay: the trailer consists mostly of CGI scenes. For now, the project goes by the working title RS4, but the studio noted that the final name may be different.

RS4 is being built from scratch in Unreal Engine, making it the first game in the series on this engine. Interestingly, the project was originally planned as an expansion for RuneScape: Dragonwilds, but the developers later realized it was ambitious enough to become a standalone game.

Why did Jagex decide to reveal the game so early, with release still a few years away? The studio explained that it thought long and hard about it, but keeping the project hidden "didn't feel very RuneScape":

For 25 years, RuneScape has been shaped by its players. We've learned that our games are at their best when we build with you, not just for you

That's why Jagex wants to involve the community in development from the very beginning by sharing ideas, testing things, and listening to players. The studio plans to combine the technology it mastered while developing Dragonwilds with its experience co-developing RuneScape and Old School RuneScape alongside players. As with the other games in the series, integrity and permanent progression will remain the game's core principles.

If you're a fan of the series or just want to try immersing yourself in the world of Gielinor, you can purchase the game on the Eneba platform. In the catalog, you can buy both individual editions of RuneScape: Dragonwilds and RuneScape Membership subscriptions. And with the promo code EGW5, you'll also receive a discount on the entire selection.

RS4 will be set in Gielinor during the Sixth Age. The starting location will be Ashenfall, a landmass to the north-east of Gielinor that players first explored in Dragonwilds. The story begins years after the events of Dragonwilds and the destruction of the Dragon Queen Kuldra. According to Jagex, the world has changed since then, and Ashenfall is only the beginning:

Our ambition is for this adventure to grow far beyond Ashenfall over time, moving into places you know and love, as well as opening up new places and stories across Gielinor

The studio also emphasized that RS4 won't replace any of its existing games. Old School RuneScape, RuneScape, and Dragonwilds will continue to be developed by their own dedicated teams, while the new MMORPG will exist alongside them:

Jagex isn't revealing many important details yet, including platforms, accounts and membership, progression, combat, skills, and the release date. The studio admitted that this isn't the full reveal, but rather a first look at the project. Jagex promises to share more about the game's world, the development team, and how players can get involved next year.