RuneFest 2026 is over, and we’ve got a roundup of everything announced at Jagex’s big show celebrating its long-running fantasy MMORPG.

This year saw a number of significant announcements, none bigger than confirmation that a fourth RuneScape MMO is in the works. Jagex hasn’t officially called it RuneScape 4 (RS4 is the working title), but we know it’s built on Unreal Engine and is designed to use the latest technology and design, so it really does sound like a next-gen RuneScape game. There’s no information on when it will be released, but the teaser trailer is below.

Jagex announced a new RuneScape animated adaptation, in partnership with YouTuber Charlie White, aka MoistCr1TiKaL, and production company Lyrical Media. No word on what this is exactly or when it will be released, but it’s happening!

Jagex announced RuneScape Reignited, which launches December 2. Jagex called it a “defining moment” for the 25-year-old game, designed to rekindle interest among lapsed players and get existing players excited. There’s a Remastered Journey and Adventure Guide, a fresh economy, and brand-new hi scores. Players can get full Reignited Access without membership from December 2-12. The long-awaited Plugin API launches this month, with players getting an early hands-on ahead of official release. The debut trailer is below:

We also got what Jagex called “the biggest roadmap in the game’s history.” 2027 content unfolds in three story arcs, all of which tie into long-running storylines. Hoard of Dragons (January) offers a sequel to the popular Dragon Slayer quest, City of Gnomes continues the gnome storyline, and Secrets of Karamja introduces a new endgame raid. Also coming is an Agility skill rework, new skilling and solo bosses, new area expansions, and a new Grandmaster Quest.

Old School RuneScape, meanwhile, got an updated roadmap. The Golden Gates to Menaphos are opening finally after 20 years, alongside a suite of fan-demanded content. The Fractured Archive, a new endgame raid, launches October 20. Hardcore Worlds launches November 4. And next year will also see the continuation of the Fairytale questline, Quest month, Dungeons of Gielinor, a Mining and Smithing rework, Chosen Commander, and the Tower of Xorphoros.

The recently released spinoff, RuneScape: Dragonwilds, saw the announcement of the Blood Crystal Saga and updated plans for 2027. The Luminance update is a prelude to 2027’s Blood Crystal Saga, and launches in December this year. This features the introduction of the Elves into RuneScape: Dragonwilds, new elven-themed customisation options for player characters and buildings alike and the Prayer skill.

The Blood Crystal Saga kicks off in 2027 starting with the Song of Rebellion in early 2027. These updates feature enemies like Moss Giants, Kebbits, and Implings, the Hunter Skill as well as new areas for players to explore, new quests and gear as well new decorations for houses inspired by the classic RuneScape city of Prifddinas.

Expect quarterly updates, which will include new Skills such as Hunter and Slayer, as well as monthly updates featuring side quests, weapons, decorations and quality of life improvements. Official modding arrives on Dragonwilds in 2027 through a new partnership with CurseForge — complete with dedicated creation tools and an in-game mod browser and installer, available across all platforms including console.

The Gears of War: E-Day developers at The Coalition say they are "proud to be one of Xbox's main titles" as Microsoft refocuses on exclusivity.

Studio art director Aryan Hanbeck and creative director Matt Searcy opened up about The Coalition's place in the Xbox portfolio during an interview with gaming news content creator Destin Lergarie (via MP1st). Searcy said he and the rest of the team were "proud" when asked how they feel about Gears of War: E-Day's status as an Xbox exclusive.

"Well, we feel great because Gears has such a long, storied… It's part of Xbox's DNA. It's woven into it," he said. "At The Coalition, we feel pretty honored to have Gears and be the ones bringing that legacy forward. We know how much it means to people. We know how much it means to us."

Gears of War: E-Day is firmly a console exclusive, but there was a lot of confusion surrounding which platforms Gears of War: E-Day would be available on as recently as four months ago. The once-Xbox-exclusive franchise made its debut on PlayStation consoles when original remaster, Gears of War: Reloaded, released in August 2025. Many took its presence on PS5 as a sign not only that the series would continue to come to Sony's console but also that the days of exclusive titles may nearly be behind us – and for a while, that seemed to be the case.

Leaked listings and rumors were officially shut down at the Xbox Games Showcase 2026 when Xbox CEO Asha Sharma proudly declared that Marcus Fenix and Dom Santiago's Emergence Day prequel story would only be coming to Xbox Series X/S and PC. It was a shock decision that arrived as the Microsoft gaming entity kicked off a broader push for more exclusive games. Perhaps even more shocking at the time were the announcements that immediately followed, including the company's promise to never release Xbox exclusive titles on rival platforms.

After leaked splash art fanned rumors that Xbox hastily decided to cancel a Gears of War: E-Day PS5 port, the company said it did not make any "last-minute" decisions when it comes to its platform choice. While Searcy said it brought The Coalition joy to see their new game leading Microsoft's renewed interest in exclusive titles, making sure they made a great game was what came first.

"I think this is true of most game devs: You're just passionate about your craft," he said. "We're all gamers first and foremost. We love making games. We love making Gears. So, from our perspective, we just wanted to make the best goddamn Gears game we could. We wanted it to be a technical and art showpiece, and I think getting to see Asha on-stage say, 'To return to Xbox, we're returning to Gears,' yeah, that's a really cool moment.

He continued: "We know how much Xbox means to a lot of people. We're proud to be one of Xbox's main titles – I think it's been that way for a long time – and it's pretty cool to show up now and fill that role again."

Gears of War: E-Day launched in early access for Premium Edition players on PC and Xbox Series X/S October 1, 2026. Its full launch will follow this week, October 6. IGN's early review, which covered only the campaign mode, returned a 9/10. The game's story director was laid off just one week before it made its way to players' hands a few days ago. Now, more developers at The Coalition is bracing for additional layoffs.

Wallhacks have plagued Call of Duty for years, but in Modern Warfare 4, Activision has a plan to change that.

If you're unfamiliar with the term, wallhacks are a type of cheat that allows nefarious players to see their opponents' every move through walls. Call of Duty is far from the only multiplayer-centric gaming franchise to suffer from cheaters who use the tool, but it might be the most infamous example – and in Modern Warfare 4, that's all about to change.

As detailed in a new video published on the franchise's official social media pages, publisher Activision and developer Infinity Ward revealed a new system aimed at combating wallhack cheaters. Called "server culling," the goal is to make Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 more reliable – and fair – than ever before.

Few things ruin a great match faster than wondering whether an opponent earned the win or saw you through a wall.

Wallhacks give cheaters information they were never meant to have. With Modern Warfare 4, we’re introducing a new way to fight back: Server Culling.

Here’s how it… pic.twitter.com/62m41zMbLa

The relatively in-depth explanation touches on how cheaters have been able to use wallhacks thus far. Usually, servers share information, such as a player's in-game location, between game clients. It means that, even when you can't see an enemy hiding behind cover, waiting to pop out for an easy kill, the game itself still recognizes that the player is there.

Server culling, which saw Infinity Ward build occlusion layers into Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4's environments, essentially limits information to what the player is able to see. So, if you can't see someone behind the wall, the backend can't either – and that goes for wallhackers, too.

"For legitimate players, the match plays exactly as intended," Activision explained. "For cheat developers, this creates a major new obstacle."

Server culling will touch every multiplayer map available in Modern Warfare 4 when launch arrives, but it doesn't stop there. Call of Duty's new take on DMZ, the Combat Outpost mode, Warzone, and future updates will benefit from this attack on wallhacks, too. All of this new tech works alongside pre-existing anti-cheat methods across all platforms, too.

Activision said it expects server culling to "disturb the cheat marketplace," but it won't "sit on our hands" when it comes to improving the overall experience going forward. There are plenty of different ways for cheaters to disrupt the experience for the average player, and while cheat manufacterers will no doubt look for new ways to learn from Activision's advancements, the publisher said it will do its best to stay on top of the issue.

"Cheat software can’t reveal information it never receives," the Call of Duty team explained in a follow-up post. "When a player shouldn’t be able to know where an opponent is, the server can now withhold that opponent’s location data from their hardware. It’s a new layer in the fight for fair play, working alongside the rest of our anti-cheat systems Server Culling will cover every map available at launch for MW4."

See you at launch, we'll keep at it

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 launches for PC, Nintendo Switch 2, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S October 23, 2026. How fans will rank it amongst other installments in the franchise remains to be seen, but with changes to 2XP tokens and a villain played by Death Stranding and Casino Royale actor Mads Mikkelsen, it's clear the developers have put in the work to get players interested.

For more, you can read up on how the series' anti-cheat boss pushed back on some cheating myths. You can also check out how much Activision estimated the cheating market generates per year.