Jagex has cancelled RuneScape Reignited, scrapping the new character mode less than two weeks after revealing it at RuneFest. The studio broke the news in an official update from Mod Ryan, who confirmed the project is not moving forward after sustained backlash from the existing playerbase.
Mod Ryan delivered the announcement in a video update on the official RuneScape site, with the message that the team had read the community's response and changed course. "It is clear that we missed the mark on this, and so we are not moving forward with it," he said, thanking players for the volume of feedback since the reveal.
Watch the update video here:
What RuneScape Reignited Was Meant to Be
RuneScape Reignited was revealed at the RuneFest 2026 Summit on October 3 as a new permanent character type with a brand-new economy and hiscores, and no paid progression. Reignited characters would play in the same worlds as existing characters, chase world-first achievements in a new Hall of Legends, and receive free access to members content for the first ten days after launch.
The mode was scheduled to launch on December 2 as part of a single large update, positioned as a fresh start designed to bring returning and new players into the game. Within days of the reveal, however, the conversation had turned against it, and Jagex's follow-up posts were already cataloguing serious concerns from veteran players.
Why Jagex Pulled the Plug
The concerns Jagex itself summarized were substantial, led by veterans feeling the mode devalued their accounts and split an already small playerbase. Players also objected to restrictions on how veteran and Reignited characters could interact, and to the prospect of paying a new character subscription on top of their existing membership.
Mod Ryan framed the cancellation as a lesson the studio refuses to relearn the hard way, pointing to the last time Jagex ignored player feedback and changed combat forever. He said growing RuneScape again, with returning and new players joining, remains the goal, but "never at the expense of our existing community."
What Arrives on December 2 Instead
The December 2 update still goes ahead without Reignited, headlined by the Adventure Guide and the first part of the Remastered Journey. Jagex will also run a 10-day members free trial from December 2 to 12 for new characters and accounts that have not held membership recently, keeping the update's new-player push alive in a different form.
Beyond December, official plugins launch on October 19, and the 2027 roadmap continues with combat and skilling content, a grandmaster quest closing decade-old storylines, and a rework of the Agility skill. Nothing for Reignited was ever sold, so no refunds are involved, and the reaction on the game's subreddit has split between relief from veterans and disappointment from returning players who say the mode was what finally pulled them back.
Source: RuneScape - Official Youtube
