Jagex Cancels RuneScape Reignited After Player Backlash

Jagex has canceled RuneScape Reignited less than two weeks after announcing it at RuneFest 2026, with Mod Ryan saying in a video update that the studio missed the mark and is not moving forward with it. Reignited was pitched as a fresh-start character type launching December 2, with new characters getting their own economy, their own HiScores, and Reignited-only worlds, but no way to trade or take on bosses with existing players. Players pushed back almost immediately over the idea of splitting the community, and Jagex said it was re-evaluating the plan on October 6 before laying out possible changes in an end-of-week update on October 9.

In the update, Mod Ryan thanked players for the feedback and tied the decision to the studio’s history, saying the last time Jagex didn’t listen to its players, combat changed forever and it took over a decade to recover. He said on stage at RuneFest that the team wouldn’t repeat the mistakes of the past, and the goal is still for RuneScape to grow with returning and new players, just never at the expense of the existing community. “It is clear that we missed the mark on this, and so we are not moving forward with it,” he said.

Jagex is keeping December 2 as the date for the Adventure Guide and the first part of the Remastered Journey. Those arrive alongside a set of other improvements the studio says players have been asking about over the past week. The 10-day free trial is also going ahead from December 2 to December 12, with new characters and any character that hasn’t held membership since June 2, 2026, getting free access to RuneScape members’ worlds and content. Old School RuneScape members’ worlds aren’t included, exact timings are still to be confirmed, and Jagex says it’s the time to bring friends in, with everyone on the same worlds rather than split ones.

The 2027 roadmap shown at RuneFest is unchanged as well, with combat and skilling content throughout and a return to a proper grandmaster quest that closes out decade-old storylines. Agility is getting a rework too, all alongside the ongoing Road to Restoration changes. Mod Ryan also confirmed plugins are launching on Monday, October 19, with more details coming that day.

An Update on RuneScape Reignited