Developer Jagex has announced a fourth MMO in the long-running RuneScape franchise, as well as an animated adaptation.
At RuneFest in Birmingham, England, Jagex offered a glimpse at this new MMO, which it said was built “for a new generation of players.” It’s still in early development (a release isn’t expected for at least a few years), and it doesn’t have an official title (Jagex is going with RS4 as a working title for now), but it will “bring the world of Gielinor to life in Unreal Engine, combining the depth, freedom and community-led spirit that have defined RuneScape for 25 years with the technology and game design possibilities of today.”
Jagex currently operates RuneScape itself, Old School RuneScape, and spinoff RuneScape: Dragonwilds. RuneScape has seen a number of major updates tied to sequel names, including a rename to RuneScape 2 in 2004 and RuneScape 3 in 2013. But both were dropped in favor of, simply, RuneScape, and it is now treated as an ongoing live service. It’s tempting, then, to call this new game RuneScape 4, and it may end up justifying the name, but Jagex has yet to rubber stamp any title.
Indeed, we hardly know anything about this new RuneScape MMO, but with the mention of Unreal Engine, the expectation is it will have modern visuals and design. An image from the concept teaser and the concept teaser itself are below.
Here’s the official blurb on the fourth RuneScape MMO:
Headlining RuneFest was the first glimpse of an ambitious new chapter for RuneScape: a fourth RuneScape MMO, built for a new generation of players. Still early in development, the as-yet-unnamed title will bring the world of Gielinor to life in Unreal Engine, combining the depth, freedom and community-led spirit that have defined RuneScape for 25 years with the technology and game design possibilities of today.
In a blog post, Jagex explained that it has announced RuneScape 4 so early because it wants to build on the tech development it made for Dragonwilds, and lean on the community co-development it established through RuneScape and Old School. The developer insisted RS4 is not a replacement for either RuneScape, Old School, or Dragonwilds, each of which has its own dedicated team and will continue to see investment. “We’ll be designing RS4 to sit alongside them as an additional way to experience RuneScape and the world of Gielinor,” Jagex said.
“In fact, we think having different RuneScape experiences can make the whole family stronger,” the developer continued. “Players may spend most of their time in one game, move between several, or discover Gielinor for the very first time through RS4. The ambition isn’t to replace the RuneScape games you love. It’s to make the RuneScape universe bigger.”
Jagex also confirmed RS4 will be set in Gielinor, as you’d expect, and in the Sixth Age. “But we’re beginning somewhere that RuneScape players have only recently started to discover – and that is Ashenfall. An area first explored in RuneScape: Dragonwilds, and a landmass to the north-east of the Gielinor.
“RS4 will take place years after the events of Dragonwilds and the destruction of the Dragon Queen Kuldra. Time has passed, the world has moved on, and Ashenfall has changed with it. But 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.”
RuneScape is of course one of the longest-running video games in the world. Jagex says it’s seen over 300 million player accounts created in the 25 years since RuneScape first launched. But the company’s plan is to expand the franchise into new genres and even adaptations. For example, at RuneFest Jagex also announced work had started on a new RuneScape animated adaption, in partnership with YouTuber Charlie White, aka MoistCr1TiKaL, and LA-based production company Lyrical Media. Here’s the official blurb:
Additionally, Jagex unveiled plans to expand RuneScape beyond games, partnering with creator and internet phenomenon, Charlie White aka MoistCr1TiKaL as well as acclaimed LA Based production business Lyrical Media, to bring the world, characters and stories of Gielinor to life in a new exciting animated adaption.
Jagex announced a lot more at RuneFest today. Here’s everything we saw.
Wesley is IGN’s Managing Editor. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at [email protected] or confidentially at [email protected].