RuneFest 2026 brought a surprise fourth RuneScape MMO reveal, a three-part RuneScape roadmap and major Old School RuneScape announcements. It also offered a reminder that the series is a community as much as a game: attendees met online friends in person, while developers and moderators circulated through a packed convention hall. One major caveat for current players: RuneScape Reignited, announced as a fresh-start mode, is now under reevaluation by Jagex.
What was announced at RuneFest 2026?
RuneFest ran October 3–4, 2026, at the NEC in Birmingham. Jagex’s January event announcement described capacity for 6,000 fans; Pocket Gamer reporter Iwan Morris later described the event as drawing “over 6000 attendees.” Those are different measures: the first is the organizer’s stated capacity, while the second is the reporter’s account, not a final attendance figure published by Jagex.
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The biggest news crossed three parts of the RuneScape universe: a new MMO in early development, a substantial 2027 plan for RuneScape, and new Old School RuneScape content. The Reignited announcement also attracted attention, but its status has changed since the event.
The surprise: a fourth RuneScape MMO
Jagex announced a fourth RuneScape MMO, currently described in coverage by working references such as “RS4” and “the fourth pillar.” Neither is a confirmed final title. GamesRadar+ reported that the project is being made in Unreal Engine, is intended to sit alongside the existing games, and remains several years away. No release year was announced.
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- Inspired by the record-breaking online universe that’s captured the imagination of millions worldwide, RuneScape Kingdoms: Shadow of Elvarg is the official cooperative board game for 1-5 players.
Jagex says it wants to involve players early by sharing ideas, testing, listening and learning during development. That signals an intended collaborative process, not a promise that a particular feature or release schedule is settled. For now, the new MMO is the largest long-range announcement, rather than a game players can expect on a defined launch timeline.
RuneScape Reignited: what was revealed, and what changed
At the summit, Jagex presented Reignited as a fresh-start character type within RuneScape. The announcement described a new economy and highscores, no paid progression, and ten days of access to members’ content. Reignited characters were to share game worlds with existing characters, but have separate trading and Grand Exchanges.
That was the event plan, not a settled launch commitment. Jagex’s official Reignited page now opens with a notice that the company is reevaluating the project. As of October 7, 2026, the earlier December 2 launch plan should not be treated as confirmed.
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The idea prompted both excitement and concern, including worries that a separate fresh-start experience could divide the player base. In a GamesRadar+ interview, RuneScape creative director Ryan Philpott said, “It’s been a privilege of my career to be able to steer the game back in the direction we think the game should have always been in.” The quote describes his view of the game’s direction; it does not resolve the practical questions around Reignited’s future.
RuneScape’s 2027 roadmap
Jagex’s October 3 roadmap organizes planned RuneScape content into three narrative arcs. The announced material combines new quests and encounters with remastered content and an Agility rework.
| Arc | Announced plans |
|---|---|
| Hoard of Dragons | Dragon Slayer II and an Agility rework. |
| The City of Gnomes | The Curse of Arposandra, a new city, gnome quest remasters, and Glouphrie and Argento’s Nightmare encounters. |
| Secrets of Karamja | A new raid, The Temple of Ah Za Rhoon. |
These are plans in Jagex’s announced 2027 roadmap and remain subject to change. Alongside the arcs, the company outlined a remaster of the early-player journey and an optional Adventure Guide, intended to help new and returning players find their bearings.
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Jagex also announced an October 6 beta for RuneScape plugins. The initial set named in the roundup was Quest Helper, Menu Entry Swapper, Tilemarkers, Entity Hider and Job Gauges. That is a beta announcement, distinct from the longer-horizon roadmap content.
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1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteOld School RuneScape: hardcore worlds, Menaphos and a new quest
Pocket Gamer’s event recap highlighted three Old School RuneScape announcements: hardcore worlds, Menaphos, and Fairytale III: Nexus of Power. The recap describes hardcore worlds as permadeath worlds, with a character able to move to regular play after death. It also mentions bosses including Ripgut and Gemstone Dragons, more dungeons, and quests adapted with Old School twists.
Those details establish the broad direction reported from the event, but the recap does not provide a dependable schedule or full implementation specification for each item. Treat them as announcements rather than assuming dates or mechanics beyond the descriptions above.
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- Deep in the dangerous wasteland to the north east — the place they call the Wilderness — lies the lair of the King Black Dragon. A fearsome, three-headed beast infamous for dealing burning, freezing, electrifying, poisonous death to unfortunate adventurers. But lucky for you, Bob the Cat is here to lend a helping paw! Still, you may want to say a prayer before taking this quest on…
- The King Black Dragon expansion grows your RuneScape Kingdoms universe with an infamous new boss to face, Bob the Cat to meet, Prayer skill to master, Wilderness location to explore, and a whole new campaign, A Cat’s Tale of Triple Trouble, that will test your dragon-slaying mettle!
- It’s packed with new side quests, vault cards, and events, plus new items to discover, craft, and equip on your path to victory.
- Please note, you’ll need a copy of RuneScape Kingdoms: Shadow of Elvarg to use this expansion.
What was RuneFest like in person?
Iwan Morris’s Pocket Gamer account describes a packed, friendly convention where fans in cosplay and displaying merchandise met people they had previously known online. He also observed Jagex developers and moderators moving through the event and helping attendees. Morris presents this as his experience at RuneFest, not as the result of an attendee survey or a measured assessment of everyone’s experience.
The social side was part of the event’s design, too. RuneFest’s official description advertised two permanent stages, Skill Chip activities, a questing experience, cosplay and immersive sets, community events, and developer panels. That mix helps explain why the event recap is not only about announcements: it was also a place for players to meet, take part in activities and interact with people who work on the games.
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Quick Recap
How to read the announcements
- Near-term and long-term are different: the October 6 plugin beta had a stated date, while the fourth MMO is several years away with no release year announced.
- Roadmaps are plans, not guarantees: Jagex’s three 2027 arcs outline intended content, but the company says those plans may change.
- Reignited is the most uncertain headline: its event reveal described specific fresh-start rules, while Jagex’s current page says the project is being reevaluated.
- The Old School recap is a broad snapshot: it identifies headline topics, but does not establish exact release timing or every implementation detail.
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