Jagex Celebrates 25 Years of RuneScape With Events, a Refreshed CI, and More

Jagex, the British games studio behind the RuneScape franchise, is celebrating 25 years with RS25, which is set to be the biggest year yet for investment and content development for RuneScape. With the largest annual investment in the game to date, RS25 focuses on the elements that matter most to players, including upgraded support systems, modernised game infrastructure, new content releases, refreshed systems and live events in the US and UK.

"It's incredible to think a quarter century has passed since RuneScape's beginnings as a Java-based browser game. Today we're speaking to the largest and most active RuneScape community in our history, and this milestone is as much theirs as it is ours. RS25 is more than a celebration of where we've come from, it's a statement of where we're going. We're investing in our games, the player experience, our technology, and our teams to ensure RuneScape and its worlds continue to inspire and connect millions for decades to come. This is a year defined by investment, momentum, community obsession, and building the foundations of Jagex / RuneScape's next great era." - Jon Bellamy, CEO of Jagex

"Jagex have been at the forefront of the video game industry for a quarter of a century, demonstrating how British studios can produce iconic, international hits like RuneScape. The government is committed to ensuring the continued success of our world-class video game sector and I am excited to see how Jagex continues to innovate, inspire, and build worlds alongside its global community." - UK's Creative Industries Minister Ian Murray

To coincide with this, Jagex unveiled a refreshed corporate identity that more clearly aligns the studio with the RuneScape franchise. The new tagline is 'Jagex: The RuneScape Company'. This evolution is supported by an updated digital presence, including a redesigned company website. The new identity design features subtle elements inspired by RuneScape lore, such as a dragon silhouette.

Taking place on 3–4 October at the Birmingham NEC, RuneFest 2026 will double in size to host 6,000 fans, up from 3,000 at RuneFest 2025. The event will feature two stages with live reveals and developer sessions, as well as activities, meet-and-greets with Jagex staff and creators, merchandise, and community moments. In a first for its 25-year history, Jagex is bringing the Deadman Mode competition to the United States with Deadman All-Stars Live at Chicago's Rosemont Theatre on 20 June. In partnership with content creator Solomission, this event will see content creators and competitors battle it out in front of a large theatre audience. Old School RuneScape is also preparing for a significant creator-led LAN event. More details will be shared later. Last but not least, Jagex is expanding its partnership with Right Click Culture, a US-based hybrid creative development studio and talent management company. This collaboration is part of a broader commitment to User-Developed Content (UDC), inviting creators to co-develop new game modes for the RuneScape universe.

In 2026, RuneScape will undergo a player avatar refresh and receive visual upgrades and improvements to player support, including enhanced live chat tools, faster response times and stronger anti-cheat systems. Following the community vote in November 2025, this will also see the removal of RuneScape's microtransaction system, Treasure Hunter. Meanwhile, Old School RuneScape will have 'its most ambitious roadmap ever', including a new raid, league and grandmaster quest.

RuneScape: Dragonwilds (Early Access), which sold over 1 million copies in 2025, is set to receive three significant updates in 2026. Jagex has confirmed plans for the game's full global launch later in 2026, which will include an expansion to new platforms that have not yet been specified.

As part of the RS25 celebrations, Jagex has unveiled new merchandise, including a deluxe five-disc vinyl box set in collaboration with Laced Records, as well as a Lumbridge Castle miniature brick set comprising over 3,500 pieces, created in partnership with Youtooz. A commemorative 25th anniversary desk mat and pin are available in the merch store, with more products to follow throughout the year from partners including Youtooz, Makeship, Starforge and Titan Books.

Jagex is also launching the RS25: Future Talent Pathway, a mentorship and development programme dedicated to nurturing the next generation of game creators and storytellers. The programme has been developed in partnership with the UK charity Into Games, which helps working-class and low-income individuals access, learn and thrive in gaming careers.

"RuneScape has always been about building worlds together," commented CEO, Jon Bellamy. "Our Future Talent Pathway reflects that same belief, empowering aspiring local new creators and developers to push boundaries, learn from some of the best in the industry, and build the experiences that will define the future of online play. It's our commitment to nurturing talent, elevating creativity, and ensuring Jagex continues to lead from the front for the next 25 years."

Marc Allera, Chair of Jagex, commented, "This 25th anniversary marks not only a celebration of Jagex’s legacy, but the start of an exciting new chapter. We’re entering a period of growth and innovation, expanding how we build, play, and connect with our global community. Backed by the largest ever investment in the RuneScape franchise, we’re committing record levels of funding into new content for RuneScape, Old School RuneScape and RuneScape: Dragonwilds, and into tooling and technologies to make the experience of being a RuneScape player better and more seamless than ever before. These investments will shape the next chapter around the community, while rewarding the players that brought us here - for us, the best of Jagex is still to come."

Headquartered in Cambridge, United Kingdom, Jagex is renowned for its flagship MMORPG franchise, RuneScape. With over 300 million player accounts, RuneScape has surpassed $3 billion in lifetime revenue. As RuneScape prepares to celebrate its 25th anniversary in 2026, Jagex is accelerating its strategy to expand the game into a broader ecosystem of connected experiences.