2012 was a year for Runescape. It started with the incredibly unpopular introduction of the pay-to-win Squeal of Fortune system, which would later become Treasure Hunter. Then, to compound matters further, the massively divisive Evolution of Combat update came along, resulting in players quitting in droves. In a weird, roundabout way, these dominoes falling is arguably the best thing to happen to developer Jagex, as, without hitting rock bottom, it likely wouldn’t be thriving in the way it is today – thank you, Old School.
Though Old School has by far been the most popular iteration of the iconic MMO, having recently broken yet another player record after blowing up last year, Jagex is far from done with Runescape proper. At the end of 2025, it made the bold decision to put axing Treasure Hunter to the polls. Over 125,000 community votes later, the MTX evil was defeated, signalling the dawn of a new era for Runescape. But the studio didn’t stop there, announcing an ‘integrity roadmap’ that aimed to restore RS’s rep by the end of 2026. Now, the studio has provided further details on what we can expect from the year ahead, alongside a separate, beefy content roadmap that includes its “largest area expansion” ever.
Starting with the integrity roadmap, there’s a lot to love. Jagex is planning a UI update, combat modernization, DailyScape and Aura overhauls, a decluttering of RS’ visuals, a comprehensive content rebalance, and, perhaps most excitingly, API plugin support. Old School players have been spoiled by the delights of Runelite plugins for years, so it’s great to see its older (younger?) sibling open up proper third-party support.
Now on to the *pinched Italian hand gesture* content. As of now, Treasure Hunter is dead – hooray! This leads us nicely into Spring 2026, which introduces the first of a two-part expansion called Havenhythe. According to an accompanying presser, part one “will see the introduction of new quests and early-game bosses, as well as an increased level cap of 110 for the Hunter skill.” Though we don’t know everything about the second half of the expansion, which launches this winter, the roadmap notes there’ll be a “remastered content update” and a “new end-game boss.”
As we move from spring to summer, Jagex is set to launch a “complete refresh” of the existing player avatar model. This brings with it “updates to models, animations, hairstyles, and clothing.” I got a sneak peek when I visited Jagex HQ last week, and the bald head of the default avatar has never glistened so brightly; the bald brotherhood approves.
A suped-up character needs a suitably renovated home. This summer, they’ll be getting just that. “Alongside an increase to [level] 120,” Jagex says, “the Construction skill will get a new recipe system that lets players unlock and build furniture inspired by in-game achievements, adventures, and victories.” Runescape’s player housing system has always been more about utility than anything else, and Jagex hopes this update will help players “create a space that feels personal, welcoming, and worth visiting.”
The final thing of note on the roadmap is that Autumn 2026 will see the return of Leagues. While RS’ first attempt paled in comparison to Old School’s pretty much perfected formula, the team is taking plenty of learnings from both its first crack at Leagues, as well as what its sibling has been up to. Expect something special this time around.
Though I’m very much a savant for Old School’s point-and-click style gameplay, and have been critical of ‘modern’ Runescape over the years, I can’t help but be impressed by the sheer amount of work going into the game. The death of Treasure Hunter has already piqued my curiosity, and I have a feeling it won’t be long before I bite the bullet and delve into this rejuvenated version of Gielinor.
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