RuneScape: Dragonwilds – A Bold New Adventure
Jagex launched RuneScape: Dragonwilds, an open‑world survival crafting game set on the uncharted continent of Ashenfall, into early access on Steam on April 15, 2025, allowing players to experience survival gameplay fused with iconic RuneScape lore.Developed with Unreal Engine 5, Dragonwilds offers solo or cooperative play for up to four friends, blending traditional survival elements—such as gathering, building, and combat—with a magic system powered by a mystical force called Anima.Players must master both crafting and sorcery to ultimately confront and slay the Dragon Queen, making for a fresh twist on RuneScape gold what veterans know best about skilling and combat.
Early access participants have immediate access to the game’s evolving world, with Jagex promising no extra charges for future updates during the early access period, which is slated to run through early 2026.Community feedback is central to Dragonwilds’ development roadmap, reflecting Jagex’s commitment to refining the game in response to player experiences and suggestions.
RuneFest 2025: Major Announcements and Future Roadmaps
RuneScape Main Game
At RuneFest 2025, held in March, Jagex unveiled a comprehensive roadmap of upcoming content slated through 2026 and beyond for the main game. Chief among the announcements was the introduction of RuneScape Leagues, a limited‑time game mode where players start fresh with accelerated experience and rare drop rates, completing tasks to unlock powerful items and passives that reshape the gameplay experience.
Additionally, the Havenhythe expansion, arriving in early 2026, promises a new region east of Morytania filled with diverse biomes, new bosses, skilling activities, and the continuation of the vampire narrative. Players will also be able to raise their Hunter skill cap beyond level 99 with the Hunter 110 update integrated into Havenhythe’s story, with a second chapter arriving in 2027 that takes adventurers into the perilous realm of Vampyrium.
Story Quests: Return to the Desert Trilogy
Jagex confirmed the release of Pharaoh’s Folly, the second chapter of the Return to the Desert questline, on April 7, 2025, offering players fresh challenges and rewards in the desert lands.The final installment, Eclipse of the Heart, is scheduled for July 28, 2025, culminating in a dramatic battle against the goddess Amascut, including a new group boss mode that supports up to five players with varying difficulty tiers.
Skilling and Quality‑of‑Life Updates
During the live keynote, Jagex also rolled out 110 Runecrafting alongside a new “Time Rune,” expanding possibilities in one of the game’s core skills.In June 2025, 110 Crafting will follow, allowing crafters to forge high‑tier mage armor and further diversify endgame equipment.In May, augmentable tools were introduced for Invention training through Runecrafting and Thieving, alongside components to enhance perks in skills such as Mining and Archaeology.
Old School RuneScape Highlights
Sailing Alpha and HD Mode
Old School RuneScape (OSRS) also featured prominently at RuneFest, with the debut of the Sailing alpha, the first-ever new skill for OSRS, playable immediately at the festival and available to members in alpha later in March 2025. Players begin on a modest raft and progress to commanding crews, battling sea monsters like krakens and leviathans, and exploring distant oceanic biomes.
Furthermore, the long‑anticipated HD Mode will arrive later in 2025, presenting an optional graphical overhaul that preserves OSRS’s classic aesthetic while delivering modern visual enhancements optimized for a variety of devices.
New Bosses and Varlamore: The Final Dawn
OSRS players can look forward to tackling two new bosses this spring: Yama and Doom of Mokhaiotl, offering fresh high‑level combat challenges. This summer, the Varlamore: The Final Dawn content will transport players to exotic locales such as Auburnvale, Custodia Pass, and the Tlati Rainforest, delivering new quests and storylines to deepen the world’s mythos.
Project Zanaris Playtest
Project Zanaris, OSRS’s community‑driven world customization program, opened its first wave of playtest sign‑ups in April 2025. Selected participants will be able to tailor game rules and mechanics in private servers, pioneering novel gameplay experiences and potentially influencing future official content direction.
Community Celebrations and Collaborations
Golden Gnomes Awards
Returning to RuneFest, the Golden Gnomes Awards celebrated excellence across both RuneScape and OSRS communities, with 26 categories recognizing content creators, modders, and cosplayers. This year’s top honors—the Creators’ Choice awards—were bestowed upon Crystal for RuneScape and SoloMission for Old School RuneScape, spotlighting their outstanding contributions to community engagement and content creation.
Beatstar Collaboration
In an innovative cross‑promotion, Jagex partnered with the mobile rhythm game Beatstar to feature “Amascut’s Promise (Remix)” as a playable track, marking the first inclusion of a video game soundtrack in Beatstar’s library and enabling players to enjoy iconic RuneScape music in a new interactive format.
Conclusion
The recent flurry of updates and events cements 2025 as a landmark year for the RuneScape franchise, with expansions that honor the game’s rich legacy while forging exciting new paths. Whether delving into the survival mechanics of Dragonwilds, navigating the seas in OSRS, uncovering the depths of new quests, or celebrating community achievements, players have an abundance of content to explore. As Jagex continues to buy RuneScape gold deliver both expansions and community‑focused initiatives, the future of Gielinor and beyond looks brighter—and more adventurous—than ever before.
