Jagex, the company behind the long-running MMORPG RuneScape, has unveiled its next project: RuneScape: Dragonwilds. This new game takes the familiar fantasy world in a fresh direction by embracing open-world survival gameplay.
A New Direction for the RuneScape Universe
RuneScape: Dragonwilds shifts away from the traditional MMORPG format that made the original game famous. Instead, players will explore Ashenfall, a forgotten continent within the RuneScape world of Gielinor. The game supports solo play or cooperative adventures with up to three friends.
The game is built using Unreal Engine 5, giving it modern, high-fidelity graphics that stand in stark contrast to the original RuneScape’s more modest visual style. This technical leap allows for more detailed environments across the game’s five unique biomes spread across two regions.
Gameplay Elements
Dragonwilds incorporates many staples of the survival genre while maintaining connections to its RuneScape roots. Players will:
- Gather resources like wood and stone to craft tools, weapons, and buildings
- Level up skills including familiar ones from RuneScape like woodcutting and cooking
- Harness “Anima,” a magical energy that powers special abilities
- Build shelters and bases to protect against environmental threats
- Face twisted versions of familiar RuneScape creatures, altered by Ashenfall’s wild magic
The game features unique gameplay mechanics like “ax-tral projection,” which allows players to line up and chop multiple trees at once. Wind runes can grant gliding abilities to move through the air across distances.
Combat will involve both melee and ranged options, as well as the use of magical spells. Players will face various creatures including rats, trolls, and numerous dragons – with the ultimate goal of slaying the Dragon Queen.
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Development Timeline
RuneScape: Dragonwilds is scheduled to enter Early Access on Steam in Spring 2025. Jagex hopes for a wider launch, including console versions, sometime in 2026.
The development team has already conducted closed alpha tests and emphasizes community involvement in shaping the game. Jagex CEO Jon Bellamy states: “From the very beginning, community feedback has been at the heart of RuneScape: Dragonwilds.”
A deep-dive reveal of the game is planned for April 15, 2025, at 9:00 AM PT on Twitch, where more details will likely be shared.
Industry Context
This move represents a significant shift for Jagex, which has primarily focused on MMORPGs since RuneScape’s launch in 2001. The survival crafting genre has seen tremendous popularity with games like Valheim, Ark, and Minecraft, suggesting Jagex is aiming to tap into this market while leveraging their established fantasy world.
RuneScape itself has shown remarkable longevity in the gaming industry, operating continuously for nearly a quarter-century. Many players still prefer Old School RuneScape, a version that preserves the game’s earlier experience, over its modern iteration.
The survival genre is highly competitive, meaning Dragonwilds will need to offer distinctive features to stand out. Jagex’s experience with world-building and established lore could provide an advantage in this crowded market.
For fans wanting to learn more, RuneScape: Dragonwilds can be added to Steam wishlists now, ahead of its Early Access launch next spring.
Frequently Asked Questions
RuneScape: Dragonwilds is an open-world survival crafting game developed by Jagex, the company behind the popular MMORPG RuneScape. Unlike the traditional MMORPG format, Dragonwilds focuses on survival gameplay where players gather resources, craft items, build shelters, and face various challenges including dragons. It’s set in Ashenfall, a forgotten continent within the RuneScape world of Gielinor.
RuneScape: Dragonwilds is scheduled to enter Early Access on Steam in Spring 2025. Jagex hopes for a wider launch, including console versions, sometime in 2026. The exact release dates may change as development progresses.
Yes, RuneScape: Dragonwilds supports both solo play and cooperative gameplay with up to three friends. This means you can explore Ashenfall alone or in a group of up to four players total.
While set in the same universe, RuneScape: Dragonwilds differs from traditional RuneScape games in several ways. It’s built using Unreal Engine 5 for modern graphics, focuses on survival mechanics rather than MMORPG gameplay, and offers a more condensed experience for 1-4 players instead of a massive online world. The game still retains familiar elements like skills, magical abilities, and recognizable creatures from the RuneScape universe, though many have been altered by Ashenfall’s wild magic.
RuneScape: Dragonwilds includes many features typical of survival games, such as resource gathering, crafting tools and weapons, building shelters, and facing environmental challenges. It also incorporates familiar RuneScape elements like skill leveling (including woodcutting and cooking) and magical abilities. A unique feature is the “Anima” system, which powers special abilities such as “ax-tral projection” for efficient tree cutting and wind runes that allow gliding through the air. Combat involves both melee and ranged options, as well as magical spells, against various creatures including dragons.
Jagex will host a deep-dive reveal of the game on Twitch on April 15, 2025, at 9:00 AM PT, where more details will be shared. You can also add the game to your Steam wishlist now to stay updated on its development. Jagex has emphasized community feedback throughout the development process, so there may be additional opportunities to learn more as the Early Access launch approaches in Spring 2025.