Jagex confirmed a fourth RuneScape MMO during the closing segment of RuneFest 2026, the studio's annual fan convention. The project is currently going by the working title RS4, though Jagex has not ruled out a different name landing closer to launch. It is the first numbered successor to RuneScape 3, which launched in 2013.
This is not a rumor or a leak — Jagex staff presented RS4 on stage and have since described it in follow-up comments as being in early development with its own dedicated team. The studio was explicit that it is "a few years away" from release, with no beta window, release date, or pricing model announced.
What Jagex has confirmed
RS4 is being built in Unreal Engine, though Jagex has not specified which version. According to the studio, the project started life as a planned expansion for RuneScape: Dragonwilds, the Unreal Engine 5 survival game Jagex released as a spin-off earlier in the RuneScape universe's timeline. Jagex says that during playtesting, feedback pushed the team toward building a more traditional, persistent MMO around that setting instead of a Dragonwilds add-on, and the idea eventually grew into its own standalone project.
The game is set in Gielinor, the world shared by every RuneScape title, beginning in the Ashenfall region. Jagex has placed the story years after the events of Dragonwilds, following the fall of the Dragon Queen Kuldra, with plans to expand into other parts of the map over time. Jagex has framed community involvement, player-driven integrity systems, and permanent character progression as core design pillars for the project, though it has not detailed how those systems will actually work in practice.
Crucially, Jagex has stated RS4 will not replace or merge with any existing RuneScape game. RuneScape 3, Old School RuneScape, and Dragonwilds are all confirmed to keep running on their own separate content roadmaps and development teams. RS4 is being positioned as a fourth, independent entry living alongside the other three rather than a sequel that sunsets them.
What's still unconfirmed
Jagex has not shared a release window beyond the general "a few years away" framing, nor any gameplay footage showing actual combat, skilling, or UI systems in motion. Platform support beyond PC hasn't been addressed, and there's no word yet on business model — whether RS4 follows RuneScape 3's subscription structure, Old School RuneScape's membership model, or something new entirely.
It's also worth separating RS4 from Jagex's other RuneFest 2026 reveals. The studio also used the event to announce an animated RuneScape series featuring YouTuber MoistCr1tikal, which is a separate project with no direct bearing on RS4's development.
Given how early-stage Jagex itself says the project is, expect the working title, setting details, and even the engine version to shift before launch. Gamingonix will follow up with specifics once Jagex shares gameplay, a release window, or a final name for the game.
Emma covers gaming news and industry announcements for Gamingonix, reporting on releases, reveals and the stories moving fast.
