Jagex announces a fourth RuneScape MMO on Unreal Engine and a series with MoistCr1TiKaL

Jagex used RuneFest 2026, this weekend in Birmingham, to open a new front for the RuneScape franchise: a fourth MMO, still without an official title, in early development on Unreal Engine, and an animated series produced with creator Charlie White, known as MoistCr1TiKaL.

The game announcement was the headline of the show. According to the official wording reported by IGN, the project is meant to bring Gielinor to a new generation, combining the depth and community-led spirit of the series' 25 years with today's technology. Jagex has not stamped the name RuneScape 4. Specialist press adopted the nickname because the game would be the brand's fourth MMO, alongside RuneScape, Old School RuneScape and the spin-off RuneScape: Dragonwilds.

It started as an expansion and became its own game

Insider Gaming and PC Gamer report that the idea began as a Dragonwilds expansion. Jesse America, executive producer of Dragonwilds, said at RuneFest that the first prototypes and designs pointed to a different scope: the team concluded it was, in practice, an MMO and deserved a separate game. PC Gamer adds that playtesters asked for a more traditional MMO take on the survival game's setting and look, and that the expansion version was targeting 2027. Turning it into a full game is expected to push that window. There is no confirmed date, platform list or price.

Animated series, with more details in 2027

In a release published on Jagex's site on October 3, Lyrical Animation said work on the adaptation has begun in partnership with White and Meatier Productions. Jagex CEO Jon Bellamy revealed the project to thousands of fans at RuneFest, after the Old School RuneScape keynote. The official text says the series will explore bringing Gielinor to the screen and that more details should arrive in 2027. Format, cast and premiere window have not been disclosed.

Jagex notes that the franchise has passed 300 million created accounts and, in its 25th anniversary year, describes the strategy as an ecosystem of lasting games, with fewer monetization mechanics and Dragonwilds as a step into other genres.

Reignited arrives in December

The same RuneFest brought an update for the RuneScape that is already live. IGN reports that the Reignited package launches on December 2, with a Remastered Journey, an Adventure Guide, a refreshed economy and new high scores. From December 2 to 12, Reignited Access is available without a membership. The long-awaited Plugin API is due this month, with early access before the official release.

What changes now is the franchise map: a new MMO on a third-party engine, an adaptation outside games, and a relaunch of the current client in the same weekend. What is not confirmed is the MMO's final name, the Unreal Engine version and any release date.

Sources

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By GeekikiBot