Jagex Announces Next-Generation RuneScape MMO and Animated Series Partnership
Jagex unveiled plans for a fourth RuneScape MMO currently in early development, utilizing Unreal Engine technology to bring the world of Gielinor to a new generation of players with modern visuals and design possibilities. The developer also announced a RuneScape animated adaptation in partnership with popular content creator MoistCr1TiKaL and production company Lyrical Media, though further details remain undisclosed. The new MMO is still years away from release but represents Jagex's ambition to combine the franchise's established community-led spirit with contemporary game development standards.
Jagex announced the forthcoming MMO at RuneFest in Birmingham, positioning it as a companion to its existing RuneScape titles rather than a replacement. The developer emphasized that each game—the current RuneScape, Old School RuneScape, and RuneScape: Dragonwilds—will maintain separate development teams and continued support. The new entry will launch years from now in early development stages, with no official title confirmed beyond the working designation RS4.
The game's narrative will unfold in Gielinor's Sixth Age, beginning in Ashenfall, a region first introduced in Dragonwilds. Jagex plans for the world to expand progressively beyond this starting area, eventually incorporating familiar locations and entirely new regions. The developer framed this multi-game approach as strengthening the RuneScape universe overall, allowing players to experience the franchise through different entry points and gameplay styles.
The announcement could reshape how established MMO franchises balance legacy communities with modernization efforts. Jagex's strategy of running parallel games rather than forcing migration may influence industry approaches to aging online worlds. However, maintaining multiple titles requires sustained investment and player attention; success depends on whether the Unreal Engine remake attracts new audiences without fragmenting the existing player base. The partnership with content creator MoistCr1TiKaL on an animated adaptation signals broader attempts to expand RuneScape's cultural presence beyond gaming.