RuneScape 4 Officially Revealed After 13 Years

RuneScape is one of the biggest names in the MMORPG genre, and it’s become much more than a single game over the years. Like World of Warcraft, the original version stuck around as RuneScape Classic, and a further iteration was later archived as Old School RuneScape. As for the main game, it gave way to RuneScape 2 and eventually to RuneScape 3.

That was 13 years ago, however, and RuneScape 3 has remained the primary version of the game ever since. With the latest announcement, this status quo is finally changing, and the franchise is officially set to enter a major new era that could bring a completely different online experience to the table.

In the RuneFest 2026 event today, RuneScape revealed the existence of RuneScape 4, a new MMORPG built in Unreal Engine. The official announcement, available on the RuneScape website, clarifies that the working title might not stick, but the game is the “fourth generation RuneScape project” regardless.

For those concerned that past content will be overwritten, the announcement also notes that no such thing will happen. “RS4 is not a replacement” for other RuneScape games, and the existing teams for Old School RuneScape, RuneScape, and RuneScape: Dragonwilds will continue to work on their individual projects.

RuneScape 4 is “still a few years away,” which, in the world of game development, could end up meaning more than a few. The early reveal honors the franchise’s 25th anniversary, and the team is also promising to look to the community for advice and direction during development.

It doesn’t seem like there’s all that much to know about the project yet, but the team has laid out a few specific details for curious fans. Like other versions of RuneScape, RuneScape 4 is set in the world of Gielinor, and it follows Dragonwilds into the Sixth Age. It starts in the region of Ashenfell, also covered in Dragonwilds, but it takes place years after the game’s events.

Anyone interested in following the development of RuneScape 4 can sign up for email newsletters on the official website, although there’s no guarantee that updates will arrive soon. It sounds like RuneScape will begin talking about the game in earnest in 2027, which could mean anything from major updates in January to drip-fed information next autumn.

Regardless, there’s now a promise of something big on the horizon, which should be exciting for RuneScape fans. A 25-year history is quite an accomplishment in the competitive MMORPG space, and if RuneScape 4 proves to be compelling, RuneScape could be sticking around for many more years to come.