In a shadow drop moment for fans of MMORPG (short for massively multiplayer online role-playing game) classic RuneScape, developer Jagex has launched its open-world survival crafting spin-off, Dragonwilds, into early access. The surprise comes two weeks after the announcement of Spring 2025 as its early-access release window, with plans for a wider launch in 2026.
While set in the same trad-fantasy world of the cult 2001 title, the upcoming offshoot won’t be the typical experience fans have come to know and love. There are plenty of familiar elements, including locations from the base game (a certain wizard’s tower and castle comes to mind), basic skills like woodcutting and cooking, returning enemies such as rats, trolls, and dragons, and iconic lore, but others will bring a fresh spin on the formula.
Foes, for instance, now have an alternate nature-fied design fusing plants, thorns, and more, with players harnessing a new power called Anima to facilitate their survival. Expect standard survival fare, too, from chopping down trees and building houses to crafting recipes, which can be enjoyed solo or with up to three friends.
“On RuneScape’s forgotten continent of Ashenfall, dragons have awoken. Gather, build, skill and craft to survive in this cooperative (1-4) survival crafting game. Only by mastering survival and uncovering ancient secrets can they hope to slay the Dragon Queen — alone or with allies,” reads its description on Steam.
RuneScape: Dragonwilds is now out in Steam Early Access and will remain as such for “as long as it takes”, despite the target for a full launch in early 2026. In the meantime, a developer deep-dive will catch enthusiasts both new and old up to speed:
Si Jia is a casual geek at heart – or as casual as someone with Sephiroth’s theme on her Spotify playlist can get. A fan of movies, games, and Japanese culture, Si Jia’s greatest weakness is the Steam Summer Sale. Or any Steam sale, really.
