RuneScape 4 Announced With Unreal Engine World as Jagex Maps Out Major 2027 Plans

Jagex has officially announced RuneScape 4, giving players their first look at a new Unreal Engine powered version of its long running MMORPG series.

The reveal took place during RuneFest 2026, where the developer showed an early trailer featuring a rebuilt world running on Unreal Engine. Details about gameplay remain limited, but the project is expected to continue the broader RuneScape universe rather than simply recreate the existing game with new graphics.

The RuneScape 4 name may also change before release. Previous versions of the main game have carried names such as RuneScape 2 and RuneScape 3 before eventually returning to the simpler RuneScape branding.

For now, however, RuneScape 4 gives players a clear idea of where the series is heading technically.

RuneScape 4 Will Expand Familiar Regions

The new game is expected to revisit locations already known from previous RuneScape releases, but at later points in their history.

That gives Jagex an opportunity to build on established regions while showing how they have changed over time. It could also allow the developers to maintain continuity between different RuneScape projects rather than replacing everything that came before.

The use of Unreal Engine marks a major technical shift for the franchise. The reveal trailer showed environments with a more modern visual presentation while still keeping recognizable elements of the RuneScape world.

RuneScape 4 is only one part of a much larger plan for the franchise.

Jagex says 2027 will feature the biggest roadmap in RuneScape history. That plan begins with RuneScape Reignited, a heavily updated version of the original game designed to modernize its presentation and systems.

Reignited is expected to remove several unpopular mechanics while also introducing hundreds of changes requested by the community.

Support for community developed plugins is another major addition. This gives players more freedom to customize parts of their experience while expanding the range of tools available around the game.

2027 Will Bring Multiple Major RuneScape Releases

Following the launch of Reignited, Jagex plans to release two full sized expansions during 2027.

Another major content release is also planned later in the year, with at least one raid already mentioned.

This means RuneScape players will have several different projects moving forward at the same time rather than one game replacing another.

Old School RuneScape will continue to serve players who prefer the older design and progression systems, while Dragonwilds provides a different interpretation of the franchise.

RuneScape 4 appears to be aimed at the future of the main series, with Unreal Engine providing the technical foundation for a more modern version of the world.

The company is also expanding RuneScape outside games. A new animated series has been announced as part of the wider franchise plans, adding another format for its characters and setting.

There is still a lot that remains unknown about RuneScape 4. Jagex has not provided a release date, detailed combat information, progression systems or a complete explanation of how the game will relate to the current RuneScape.

The announcement nevertheless confirms that the franchise is entering one of its busiest periods in years. With RuneScape 4, Reignited, multiple expansions and an animated series all in development, Jagex is preparing a broad expansion of the RuneScape universe rather than relying on a single new release.