Upcoming updates

This page is a list of upcoming RuneScape updates.

Mining and Smithing rework
During RuneFest 2015 it was revealed that a rework of Mining and Smithing is planned for 2016. This update is intended to be released in September or October of 2016. The rework will involve making the combat gear that is being created "more relevant to the levels that it is being worn at" as well as making the higher levels of the skills worthwhile.

A future rework of these skills was first mentioned at RuneFest 2013 by Mod Jack. The project was pursued again after it being voted the most wanted update by long-term players currently on a break and third most popular by current players.

Invention
The ability to augment the crystal hatchet and pickaxe and dragon hatchet and pickaxe, as well as to add perks to these items is planned for release in February 2016. The current restriction of player's being unable to grant direct or bonus experience in Invention from sources such as experience lamps, stars and books, the Jack of trades aura and Distractions and Diversions will be lifted on 25 July 2016. However players will only be able to gain 50% of the experience from these sources for Invention that they would in other skills. Additionally XP from disassembling/siphoning augmented items will not be affected by bonus experience. In future Bonus XP Weekends Invention's experience bonus will be 1.5x, or 2.5x with bonus experience for actions affected by bonus experience. Tears of Guthix and Guthixian butterflies will only grant the player Invention experience if Invention is their lowest skill and they meet the skill requirements to train it. Daily challenges involving Invention will not be added at this time. Ancient effigies will not gain an Invention skill requirement to open them, but it will be possible to use a Dragonkin lamp on Invention, at the 50% experience rate.

Future significant updates include content for levels 100 to 120, machines, full access to the Invention Guild, and additional technology trees.

15 Year Anniversary Celebrations and Gower Quest
15 Year Anniversary Celebrations marking 15 years since the creation of RuneScape will be ongoing throughout 2016. In addition in-game celebrations, these will feature:


 * Reopening of RuneScape Classic from 11 January to 12:00 UTC 11 March 2016.
 * Release of a Gower Quest featuring Andrew and Paul Gower in mid 2016.
 * Creation of a documentary about the history of RuneScape, to be released in Spring 2016. This will include interviews with the 3 Gower brothers; former and current staff, including Mark Ogilvie; and players, including Zezima.

Sliske's Countdown
The final four quests of the Sliske quest series are being released in 2016 as part of what Jagex are calling Sliske's Countdown, alongside the God Scoreboard. The first quest in the series, Nomad's Elegy, was released on 15 February. The remaining quests are:

Ballad of the Barrows Brothers
Ballad of the Barrows Brothers is a quest planned for release in May 2016. It will feature the barrows brothers and a previously unknown barrows sister and will be part of the Sliske quest series.

Fate of the Gods II
Fate of the Gods II is an upcoming quest that will be a sequel to Fate of the Gods as well as part of the Sliske quest series. It is expected to be released in Autumn 2016.

Sliske's Endgame
Sliske's Endgame will be the finale of the Sliske quest series, it is planned for release in the second half of 2016.

River of Blood
The final quest in the Myreque quest series, titled River of Blood, is expected to be released in the first half of 2016.

2016 Easter event
The 2016 Easter event is being worked on by the ninja team. It will see the return of Guthixian butterflies and is planned to be a one-off quest.

God Wars Dungeon 2
At RuneFest 2015, it was mentioned that 2016 will include another God Wars Dungeon reflecting the current, Sixth Age conflict. Concept art showed Airut, followers of Tuska, and elven followers of Seren. The dungeon may also come with new weapons - potentially godswords.

The new God Wars Dungeon will be a solo-oriented experience and will not involve elaborate mechanics (it will not necessarily require boss combat experience). The player will have to fight monsters to earn kill count, which allow them to unlock doors to fight the new bosses.

In a Developer Q&A God Wars Dungeon 2 was shown as one of the updates planned for release in the first 6 months of 2016. It was clarified that the dungeon would not necessarily involve the gods shown in previous concept art (Mod Osborne mentioned that Seren would be unlikely to participate due to her being a pacifist).

Solo boss
A new solo boss monster was mentioned at RuneFest 2015. An example of how this boss might look like was revealed as being an underwater boss. It supposedly will "test the very best combat players" and involve new environments, and new mechanics.

A "solo boss" is one of the updates planned for the second half of 2016.

More Raids
RuneFest 2015 revealed plans for more Raids on Mazcab, involving at least two new elemental-styled bosses, in a similar fashion to Yakamaru, which will be thunder and fire-based. Jagex are aiming to approach the second installment in a different way, based on feedback on the release of Raids. This may involve allowing more players to access content, though not making the content less challenging, possibly including skillers, solo players and smaller teams.

An update involving Raids is planned for released in the second half of 2016.

NXT
A new NXT game client aiming to give better performance to players is set for release in 2016. A live beta will precede the final release. The first closed beta was launched on 19 February, which was only available for Gold Premier Club members and people with continuous membership since 31 January 2012.