Jagex dropped a teaser for RuneScape 4 during RuneFest this weekend, a fourth core MMO core in the long-running series that is being built in Unreal Engine.
The fourth RuneScape is still early in development (and not yet officially titled) but it will bring the world of Gielinor to life like never before. Almost.
This new MMO has actually spawned out of a planned expansion to RuneScape: Dragonwilds as a “result of player feedback,” said developer Jesse America to MMORPG.com. Players wanted more of the RuneScape feel within the survival game spin off, with persistent servers, higher player counts, more social features, and more.
As the team got to work on that, they realised the scope was growing large enough to be a full new MMO set within the Dragonwilds region of Ashenfall. Details, however, are still very sparse, and this will be the most ambitious project that Jagex has undertaken in the studio’s history, certainly from a technical level.
This does make the future of RuneScape rather interesting, especially with the other announcements at RuneFest. There is, of course, the current RuneScape which debuted in 2013 and is now receiving a whole-game revamp with RuneScape Reignited launching on 2nd December. That looks to appeal to new and existing players as a great point to start a new character and adventure, building into the start of the Hoard of Dragons storyline in 2027. For the diehards, there’s Old School RuneScape, which is receiving a new end game raid in October, has Hardcore Worlds launching in November and plenty planned in 2027. And with RuneScape: Dragonwilds not morphing into an MMO itself, that game has the Blood Crystal Saga arriving in 2027 to introduce Elves into the game, new skills and official modding.
Source: press release, MMORPG
