The RuneScape franchise is celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2026 and the festivities are kicking off today in RuneScape 3 with an update that everyone has probably been waiting for.
What is happening today in RuneScape? The developers of RuneScape have announced the start of their anniversary year in a video and blog post on runescape.com. They not only shared a roadmap for 2026 but also immediately completed the first step.
After a 2025 survey, players wanted the in-game “Treasure Hunter” system, which enabled microtransactions and pay-to-win, to be removed from RuneScape. That is exactly what the developers have now done, completely removing the system from their game. But that was just a small part of what is supposed to happen in 2026.
Packed Roadmap for 2026
What do the developers have planned? The developers of RuneScape want to implement a lot of updates to the MMORPG in 2026. They have already announced important milestones in their roadmap, to which countless more small changes are supposed to be added.
The updates include:
- Removal of Treasure Hunter
- Update/Overhaul of user interface
- Cosmetic toggle (option to turn cosmetic effects on and off)
- Graphical enhancements of locations, starting with free locations
- Free Runemetrics
- Overhaul of the combat system (“aiming to make the combat more intuitive and easier to learn”)
- Overhaul of original gameplay
- Redesign of daily activities (“We want RuneScape to be a game that is fun”)
- Redesign of Aura
- Improvement of the Grand Exchange
- Improvement of RuneScape’s social systems
- API support (“Plugins allow the community to develop tools, features, and functionalities that provide unique experiences and give players more control over how they interact with the game”)
- Streamlining of the game’s visual identity
What new features are coming? The developers of Hytale want to improve not only existing systems but also enhance the game with further innovations. They are already mentioning:
- Havenhythe – the largest area expansion (with the most new locations in the history of the game)
- New bosses
- Increase of Hunter skill to level 110
- Player avatar update
- Update and expansion of the player-owned houses system
- New missions, events, additional balance, new leagues
The complete roadmap with all changes and when to expect them can be seen here:
With the ambitious roadmap for RuneScape 3, the developers are taking the first step into their anniversary year. Announcements for the other games in the franchise are also expected in the coming weeks. To find out what else the developers have planned for 2026, you can read here: The head of RuneScape gives the MMORPG a new life for its birthday, plans massive changes for 2026
