RuneFest 2026: Old School RuneScape's Big Plans for 2027 Revealed

Old School RuneScape is entering another major year of content, with Jagex revealing an extensive roadmap during RuneFest 2026.

The annual event took place at Birmingham's NEC on October 3 and 4 as part of RuneScape's 25th-anniversary celebrations. This year's RuneFest was the biggest yet, with around 6,000 fans attending to celebrate the franchise and learn about its future.

For Old School RuneScape players, the announcements included a new end-game raid, Hardcore Worlds, the long-awaited opening of Menaphos and several major updates planned for 2027.

The Fractured Archive Raid Arrives Soon

One of the biggest announcements for Old School RuneScape is The Fractured Archive, a new end-game raid.

The raid is scheduled to launch on October 20, 2026, giving high-level players a new challenge to tackle.

The Fractured Archive takes players into an ancient vault beneath Gielinor and introduces a streamlined Boss Rush-style experience alongside powerful rewards.

The raid is expected to become an important part of the game's end-game progression, particularly for players looking for challenging group content.

Hardcore Worlds Launch in November

Another major addition is Hardcore Worlds, which are scheduled to arrive on November 4.

The new worlds are designed around a high-risk style of gameplay where survival is the primary objective. Players will compete for recognition and the opportunity to establish themselves among the first successful players in the new environment.

Hardcore Worlds will also introduce a new economy and factions, including systems that allow players to participate alongside their favorite creators.

For experienced Old School RuneScape players, the new mode could provide a fresh reason to return to the game.

Menaphos Is Finally Coming to Old School RuneScape

Perhaps the biggest long-term announcement is the arrival of Menaphos.

The famous desert city has been part of RuneScape's wider history for years, and its arrival in Old School RuneScape has been highly anticipated by the community.

Jagex plans to open the city's golden gates in 2027, bringing new content and continuing the story surrounding Amascut.

The expansion will also introduce Fool's Gold, a Master-level quest that continues the storyline.

A New Skilling Dungeon Is Planned

Menaphos will be more than simply another location to explore.

Jagex is also planning the game's first Skilling Dungeon, providing players with another way to train and interact with the world outside traditional combat activities.

The long-awaited Soul Altar is also expected to play a role in the new content, adding another location for players to discover.

More Quests Are Coming in 2027

Old School RuneScape's 2027 roadmap contains several additional quest and story updates.

Among them is the continuation of the Fairytale questline, alongside Chosen Commander and other story-focused content.

Jagex is also planning Quest Month, which will put additional attention on questing and narrative content throughout the year.

Mining and Smithing Rework

Skilling is also receiving attention.

One of the biggest gameplay changes planned for 2027 is a Mining and Smithing rework.

The goal is to modernize these long-standing skills while keeping them consistent with the design philosophy that has helped Old School RuneScape maintain its identity.

The rework will give players another reason to revisit two of the game's classic skills.

Dungeons of Gielinor and Tower of Xorphoros

The 2027 roadmap also includes Dungeons of Gielinor, another upcoming piece of content designed to expand the game's world and gameplay possibilities.

Meanwhile, the mysterious Tower of Xorphoros remains part of the future roadmap.

Details about some of these projects are still limited, meaning Jagex is likely to reveal more information as development progresses.

Jagex Wants Players Involved

One of the most important parts of Old School RuneScape's development philosophy remains its relationship with the community.

Jagex has repeatedly used player polls and feedback to determine whether major changes should be added to the game. At RuneFest, the development team emphasized that community input will continue to influence the game's future.

The studio also indicated that there are currently no plans to create another separate "older" version of Old School RuneScape.

Instead, Jagex wants to preserve the classic 2007-inspired design while continuing to introduce new content.

Why There Won't Be Another Old School Version

Some players have expressed interest in an even older version of Old School RuneScape.

However, Jagex says it currently has no plans to create another branch of the game.

The developers believe that nostalgia alone isn't enough to keep a long-running MMO healthy. New content is necessary to keep players interested, but that content needs to maintain the style and philosophy that define Old School RuneScape.

Creating another separate version could also divide the player base.

A Busy Future for RuneScape

RuneFest 2026 wasn't focused exclusively on Old School RuneScape.

Jagex also announced RuneScape Reignited, major plans for RuneScape: Dragonwilds and a fourth RuneScape MMO currently in early development.

The fourth MMO, often referred to as RuneScape 4, is being developed using Unreal Engine and is intended to exist alongside the franchise's existing games rather than replace them.

This means Jagex is effectively expanding the RuneScape universe across multiple games instead of relying on a single MMO.

Final Thoughts

RuneFest 2026 delivered plenty of reasons for Old School RuneScape fans to look forward to the next few years.

With The Fractured Archive, Hardcore Worlds and other immediate additions arriving in 2026, followed by Menaphos, new quests, Dungeons of Gielinor, a Mining and Smithing rework and more in 2027, the game's roadmap is packed.

Jagex's decision to continue developing Old School RuneScape while maintaining its classic identity shows that the studio doesn't intend to freeze the game in the past.

Instead, the goal appears to be keeping the spirit of the original game alive while giving its community new reasons to keep playing.