RuneScape: Dragonwilds surprised everyone with its early access launch just weeks after its first official teaser. Read on to learn more about the game’s early access release and what players can expect during this period.
RuneScape: Dragonwilds Early Access Livestream
Early Access Available Now!
RuneScape: Dragonwilds just made a surprise announcement for its early access release. During its early access livestream on April 16, Dragonwilds developer Jagex announced that the game is now available for early access on Steam, just a few weeks after its first trailer dropped.
Fans were shocked as the game just opened for wishlist on Steam on April 1, and revealed its first official gameplay teaser on April 2. Players were first made aware of the game in 2022, but it wasn’t until late 2024 that Jagex opened alpha testing signups for a "new survival game set in the RuneScape universe." However, the game’s first official reveal as RuneScape: Dragonwilds was on March 31, 2025.
Estimated Official Release Date in Early 2026
The developers estimate that Dragonwilds could be released in early 2026. They stated, "We want to spend the time to get everything right to make sure that our players get a complete, satisfying experience that you’ll want to revisit with friends again and again."
Jagex Executive Producer Jesse America pointed out that Dragonwilds is an entirely new type of RuneScape experience dedicated to the fans of the franchise, and that the early access is just the start of their development journey.
He explained, "Throughout Early Access, we’ll be updating the game regularly with new content and features, while listening closely to the community to deliver an iconic open world survival crafting game that is loved equally by our biggest RuneScape fans and new players alike."
Early Access Roadmap Revealed
Jagex also unveiled the game’s early access roadmap, revealing what the developers have in store for the players during this period. Headlining these upcoming updates is a new region called Fellhollow, a region suspended between life and death.
This new region is ruled over by the soul-eater dragon Imaru, affected by the wild anima of Ashenfall and cursed energy of the Underworld. Accompanying the players in this journey is the well-known RuneScape character Death. There will be new quests, lore, gear, and music coming, as well as new skills for magic, ranged, and farming.
Furthermore, the game will introduce a new enemy type with Lesser Dragons, new dragon slayer gear, a hardcore mode, creative mode, and much more. There are no specific dates when each of these updates will drop, but the developers assured that there will be ongoing improvements to the game in the meantime.
Early Access Rewards
Those who purchase Dragonwilds during its early access period will obtain in-game rewards. According to the game’s Steam page, "Early Adopters" will receive the following:
● Pioneer’s Scarf
● Pioneer’s Tapestry
● Pioneer’s Cape
● 2 pieces of music from the game
RuneScape: Dragonwilds is now available for early access on PC for $29.99. Jagex confirmed that the game will have an increased price for its full release. During the early access period, all updates will be free, and they may release post-launch content in the future as paid DLC.
Source:
RuneScape: Dragonwilds Twitter (X) post on Early Access Launch
RuneScape: Dragonwilds | Developer Deep-dive
RuneScape: Dragonwilds Steam Page
