About
RuneScape came out on January 4, 2001 for Web browser, then for PC on April 18, 2016 and for Android and iOS on April 7, 2020. On Steam, 81% of 27,535 player reviews are positive (Very Positive). 2,400 people are playing it on Steam right now, with a peak of 3,167 in the last 30 days. It is Playable on Steam Deck. The main story takes about 5000 hours, doing everything about 5500 hours. It was nominated for 2 awards.
RuneScape is a high fantasy open world MMORPG. Explore an ever changing and evolving living world where new challenges, skills, and quests await. Featuring unprecedented player freedom, you choose how to play, adventure, and grow.
What is happening now
RuneScape is a long-running fantasy RPG that launched in 2001 and remains playable across browsers and multiple platforms. The game has maintained an active community across its various versions, including Old School RuneScape. This week, RuneScape found itself at the center of an AI-generated drama when a ChatGPT employee created Elderwood Realms, an AI-made clone built with GPT-6 that replicated Old School RuneScape's locations and mechanics in a playable browser format. The project quickly drew attention from both the RuneScape community and Jagex's legal team, prompting the developer's swift cease-and-desist action. The clone has since been taken offline. The incident sparked community discussion around generative AI in gaming and the boundaries of inspiration versus reproduction.
How long to beat RuneScape
from 2 playersMore in the RuneScape series
1 other titleGames like RuneScape
same kind of game, other seriesAwards
0 won, 2 more nominationsMedia
Releases
Earliest full release on each platform; regional dates can differ.
PC and Steam Deck
Steam store pageSteam Deck: Playable runs, but may need some tweaks
Requirements and Deck status as listed on Steam, checked Oct 28, 2026.
RuneScape player count
concurrent players on SteamPlayers counted on Steam every one to six hours; the daily peak is the highest count of the day.
RuneScape achievements
20 achievements on SteamRarest
All 20 achievements by how many players unlocked them
Share of Steam players who unlocked each achievement.
In the news
All 92 storiesMore headlines - the next 84
- The MOP Up: Jagex prepares to migrate all of its legacy RuneScape accounts Oct 18, 2026
- RuneScape Reignited Announced And Canceled Within Two Weeks Oct 16, 2026
- Jagex cancels MMO reset RuneScape Reignited after player backlash Oct 16, 2026
- Runescape Reignited's cancellation is the right move, despite my own hype Oct 16, 2026
- Player Criticism Brings RuneScape Reignited to an End Oct 16, 2026
- Less than 2 weeks after announcing RuneScape Reignited, Jagex is scrapping the whole thing Oct 15, 2026
- Interview: RuneScape devs talk Reignited and the Road to Restoration Oct 14, 2026
- RuneScape outlines more granular plans to reward and include veteran players into Reignited’s launch Oct 12, 2026
- The MOP Up: A RuneScape animated show is in the works Oct 11, 2026
- MMO Jukebox Song of the Week: ‘Give It Your Pest Shot’ from RuneScape Oct 9, 2026
- RuneScape issues apologies and promises for its Reignited characters after the reveal enrages veterans Oct 7, 2026
- RuneScape studio pulls trailer, says a partner broke its anti-AI rule without its knowledge, and it’s happened before Oct 7, 2026
- RuneScape devs apologize for plan to reset and divide the MMO with Reignited servers Oct 6, 2026
- RuneScape RuneFest 2026 Recap - The biggest news and what it was like on the ground Oct 6, 2026
- RuneScape Dev Pulls Trailer After 6-Fingered Knight Leads to Generative AI Allegations Oct 5, 2026
- RuneScape 4 Takes Shape as Jagex’s First Unreal MMO Oct 5, 2026
- A Parallel Economy Arrives With RuneScape Reignited Oct 5, 2026
- An Entirely New RuneScape MMORPG Is Now In Development Oct 5, 2026
- Jagex announces work on a fourth RuneScape MMORPG that will sit alongside its other games Oct 5, 2026
- RuneScape dev apologises after RuneFest debut of an AI-generated six-fingered character: 'That's pretty hard to explain away' Oct 5, 2026
- Inside RuneScape Reignited, Jagex's ambitious plan to "relaunch" its longest-running MMO: "There's a level of confidence that this is the right thing to do" Oct 5, 2026
- Jagex announces new RuneScape projects at RuneFest Oct 5, 2026
- RuneScape devs take down trailer, apologize to players for gen AI after promising not to use gen AI Oct 5, 2026
- YouTuber MoistCr1TiKaL teams up with Jagex for RuneScape animated series Oct 5, 2026
- RuneScape unveils three story arcs, remastering efforts, new activities, and a new Reignited character type Oct 5, 2026
- RuneScape animated show in the works from Bloodborne movie studio and creator MoistCr1TiKaL Oct 5, 2026
- RuneScape 4 teased during RuneFest Oct 5, 2026
- RuneScape creator Jagex in hot water over generative AI use in recent trailer Oct 5, 2026
- New RuneScape MMORPG Announced, Will Be Set in Dragonwilds’ Ashenfall Oct 5, 2026
- RuneScape Reignited Lets New and Veteran Players Start Together Oct 5, 2026
- Jagex’s Fourth RuneScape MMO Will Grow Beyond Ashenfal Oct 5, 2026
- RuneScape 4 Is Real, But Jagex Promises It Won’t Replace Old School Oct 5, 2026
- New RuneScape MMO ‘RS4’ announced Oct 4, 2026
- RuneScape Reignited launches 2 December Oct 4, 2026
- Fourth RuneScape officially revealed Oct 4, 2026
- Jagex has officially announced RuneScape 4 Oct 4, 2026
- RuneScape 4 announced at RuneFest, full MMO sequel started as expansion to survival game Dragonwilds Oct 3, 2026
- Runescape 4 is coming, but not before the MMORPG gets its 'Classic moment' with Runescape Reignited Oct 3, 2026
- Jagex Shocks RuneFest Fans with the Reveal of a New Unreal Engine-Powered RuneScape MMO, Plus an Animated Series With MoistCr1TiKaL Oct 3, 2026
- RuneScape's fourth full-fledged series entry has been revealed at RuneFest 2026 Oct 3, 2026
- 100 Thieves admits “we messed up” after AI design sparks RuneScape merch backlash Sep 30, 2026
- RuneScape: Havenhythe Part II opens four new areas after 25 years Sep 29, 2026
- RuneScape releases the second part of Havenhythe with new story content and skill line activities Sep 28, 2026
- Revisiting Gielinor: RuneScape's Past, Present, and Future Sep 25, 2026
- RuneScape outlines plans to revise, retain, or remove microtransaction items November 23 Sep 24, 2026
- RuneScape previews the second half of Havenhythe Island Sep 23, 2026
- RuneScape nears the end of its current league and releases a quality-of-life ‘deep clean’ patch Sep 21, 2026
- Pixel Sundays: RuneScape – From Browser MMO to an Entire Gaming Universe Sep 13, 2026
- RuneScape and WWE headline September’s PlayStation Plus lineup Sep 12, 2026
- Viral AI-made RuneScape clone shut down after Jagex demands takedown Sep 12, 2026
- OpenAI employee takes down ChatGPT-coded RuneScape clone following Jagex cease-and-desist Sep 11, 2026
- "What in the vibe-coded s*** is this" - RuneScape players revolt as gen-AI copycat game appears and eventually attracts the eye of Jagex Sep 10, 2026
- ChatGPT employee makes a "RuneScape clone," immediately gets slapped by Jagex lawyers, then acts like he's leaving some great legacy behind in a goodbye post surely written by AI Sep 10, 2026
- AI-made RuneScape clone goes viral with playable browser version Sep 8, 2026
- RuneScape Dev Given 3-Year Suspended Sentence For Stealing $400,000 Sep 5, 2026
- September's first wave of Xbox Game Pass games revealed, and it brings RuneScape to console for the first time Sep 2, 2026
- RuneScape teases a higher housing furniture cap in the near future, makes rats prettier and ferrets shinier Sep 1, 2026
- Old School RuneScape player hits 99 fishing by just catching shrimp and anchovies. Jagex approves Aug 12, 2026
- In a fascinating use of free will, Old School RuneScape player spent 4,304 hours catching 275,196 shrimp and 257,064 anchovies to max out his fishing skill in the worst way possible Aug 11, 2026
- Make Meaningful Choices to Fuel Your Fast-Paced Journey: Leagues II: Equilibrium is Live in RuneScape Aug 10, 2026
- RuneScape player spends over 2 years maxing one skill in slowest way possible Aug 10, 2026
- RuneScape is Adding One of Its Most-Requested Features: Quest Helper Aug 7, 2026
- After promising less invasive microtransactions, RuneScape dev Jagex rolls out one-time-use microtransactions then immediately backpedals Aug 5, 2026
- Old School RuneScape players are getting their boats stuck Suez Canal-style thanks to a narrow river in its new island: 'Helmp mee' Jul 30, 2026
- Wyrmscraig, a New Sailing Destination in Old School RuneScape, is Open, With New Skilling Activities & Much More Jul 29, 2026
- Why Dropping Microtransactions Gives RuneScape a Shot at World of Warcraft's Crown Jul 29, 2026
- RuneScape Reveals First Powerful Relics That Will Shape Your Experience in Leagues II: Equilibrium Jul 28, 2026
- RuneScape Previews This Week's Grand Exchange Improvements for Frequently Updated, Clearer Trading Jul 28, 2026
- Pass Go, Earn GP, and Acquire Pieces of Gielinor in Jagex' Monopoly: RuneScape Edition Jul 23, 2026
- A PvP holy war has broken out in the Wilderness of Old School RuneScape Jul 22, 2026
- Jagex wants classic British point-and-click MMO RuneScape to be bigger than World of Warcraft Jul 22, 2026
- "What makes an MMO truly special": Hundreds of Old School RuneScape players have become monks and started a holy war after a pilgrimage got out of control Jul 21, 2026
- Runescape: Dragonwilds dev thinks there's 12 million legacy Runescape players on Switch who'll be interested Jul 21, 2026
- RuneScape rebalances the mid-game, Old School RuneScape adds the isle of Wyrmscraig July 29 Jul 20, 2026
- A religious war is raging right now, as people are dressing in robes and rushing into danger in Old School RuneScape Jul 20, 2026
- World of Warcraft and RuneScape Fans Want Official Jimothy Support After Game Devs Show Love for Viral Raccoon Jul 19, 2026
- Jagex Launcher Linux Beta released for Old School Runescape Jul 16, 2026
- RuneScape studio says this week’s housing upgrade is not a ‘one-and-done’ feature Jul 14, 2026
- RuneScape Adds the Much-Anticipated Housing Update Jul 13, 2026
- RuneScape launches major Player-Owned Housing overhaul as part of its bigger 25-year feature revamps Jul 13, 2026
- Even though Old School RuneScape was 'not built to have a LAN setup at all,' it just had a live esports tournament with 4,000 attendees: 'We were doubting at times whether we actually can pull it off' Jul 13, 2026
- RuneScape Player-Owned Housing Rework is Live, With Flexible Options, and Construction 120 to Unlock Even More Jul 13, 2026
- RuneScape Announces The Revamp of Player-Owned Housing And Construction Skill Increased Level Cap Jul 13, 2026
- RuneScape Dragonwilds teases Scorned Wilderness and its September 15 boss raid Jul 9, 2026