A fourth-generation RuneScape project is officially underway.
RuneScape is getting another MMO. Jagex has confirmed that it is developing an entirely new RuneScape MMORPG, currently carrying the working title RS4. The project was revealed during RuneFest 2026 and is being built in Unreal Engine, with players set to return to Gielinor in a separate experience that will sit alongside RuneScape and Old School RuneScape.
Jagex shared the first details in its official RS4 announcement, including an explanation of the temporary name. "That isn't necessarily the name we’ll eventually settle on, but this is our fourth generation RuneScape project, so RS4 works pretty well for now," the developer said.
What is RuneScape RS4?
RS4 is Jagex's new standalone RuneScape MMORPG and its fourth generation RuneScape project. It will tell a new story within Gielinor and exist as its own game alongside RuneScape and Old School RuneScape.
The project is being developed in Unreal Engine, with Jagex planning to use technical lessons learned from RuneScape: Dragonwilds and the community-led development approach used across RuneScape and Old School RuneScape. "For 25 years, RuneScape has been shaped by its players. We've learned that our games are at their best when we build with you, not just for you," Jagex said.
Players will be brought into development earlier than usual, with Jagex planning to share ideas, test systems, and gather feedback as work continues. Integrity, permanent progression, and community-driven development are also among the core principles already outlined for the game.
Is RS4 replacing RuneScape or Old School RuneScape?
Jagex says RS4 will sit alongside RuneScape, Old School RuneScape, and RuneScape: Dragonwilds, with all three existing games continuing to receive their own development teams, roadmaps, and investment. "RS4 is not a replacement for any of our games, be it Old School, RuneScape or Dragonwilds," Jagex said. "The ambition isn't to replace the RuneScape games you love. It's to make the RuneScape universe bigger."
RuneScape itself has traditionally moved forward through major upgrades to the same long-running MMORPG. RuneScape 2 launched in 2004 with a new engine, 3D graphics, and sweeping changes, while RuneScape 3 followed in 2013 as another major evolution of that game. Old School RuneScape also arrived in 2013, starting from a 2007 backup before growing into its own continuously updated MMO. RS4 will join that line-up as a newly-built RuneScape MMORPG that exists alongside both active games.
Where is the new RuneScape MMO set?
RS4 is set in Gielinor during the Sixth Age and begins in Ashenfall, the region introduced in RuneScape: Dragonwilds. The new MMO takes place years after the events of that game and the destruction of Dragon Queen Kuldra, with enough time having passed for Ashenfall itself to change.
Jagex plans to expand the game beyond Ashenfall over time, eventually bringing players into familiar parts of Gielinor alongside completely new locations and storylines. "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," the studio said.
When will the new RuneScape MMO be released?
Jagex has not announced a release date for RS4, only saying that the MMO is still "a few years away." Platforms, account systems, membership, combat, skills, and exactly how progression will work also remain unconfirmed.
"This isn't the full reveal–more an opportunity for us to share the beginning of something special with you," Jagex said. More information is planned for 2027, including details about the world, the team building the game, and how players will be able to get involved in development.
