Jagex Announces ‘RuneScape 4’ Powered by Unreal Engine

At this year’s RuneFest, developer Jagex officially pulled back the curtain on a new, currently untitled project frequently referred to as ‘RuneScape 4.’ While the name is a placeholder, the ambition behind it is significant: Jagex is moving the long-running franchise into the modern era by building the game in Unreal Engine.

The Evolution of a Project

According to Jagex’s vice president of studios and next-gen development, Jesse America, this new entry actually began as a planned 2027 expansion for the survival spin-off title *RuneScape: Dragonwilds*. The concept eventually pivoted from an expansion into a full-fledged mainline MMO. The development team intends to leverage the setting established in *Dragonwilds*—specifically the Ashenfall region—while injecting it with classic MMO staples like persistent servers and social trade hubs. The game is set in the world of Gielinor during the Sixth Age, taking place years after the destruction of the Dragon Queen Kuldra.

A New Chapter for Gielinor

Jagex has clarified that this project is not intended to replace either the current *RuneScape* or *Old School RuneScape*. Instead, the studio views it as a companion piece designed to exist alongside the existing titles. The goal is to blend the deep, community-led design that has defined the series for 25 years with the visual fidelity and technological capabilities of modern game engines. The developers stated that while players will start their journey in Ashenfall, they plan for the world to expand significantly over time into both familiar and new territories across Gielinor.

Why it matters

For long-time fans of the series, this announcement represents a massive shift in how Jagex approaches the *RuneScape* IP. Because this project is still early in development, players shouldn’t expect to jump in anytime soon, but it signals that the studio is committed to modernizing the franchise’s visuals while maintaining its core identity.

While Jagex has confirmed the title will sit alongside current games rather than replacing them, it marks a pivot toward Unreal Engine technology that could fundamentally change the look and feel of Gielinor. For now, there are no announcements regarding regional server support, specific localization, or pricing models for the Middle East, so players should keep a close watch on future dev logs to see if the engine shift brings any changes to latency or accessibility for global regions.