Quests remain a huge part of RuneScape's identity - and there's plenty of great stories to come next year.
While we saw lots of positive responses to the existing storyline for RuneScape in the Player Survey, your feedback also told us that revisiting old beloved storylines are hugely important to you too.
So, beginning in December 2024, we'll be officially returning to the Desert Storyline! We'll then continue the story with two further quests in the first half of 2025 - including a long-awaited finale for the Desert Questline.
While there's some serious Lore-bomb level Quests to come in the Desert Storyline, we'll also have a more light-hearted Questing affair with our latest Seasonal Quest release for Easter!
New End-Game Boss & Combat Mastery Achievements
Following on from the Sanctum of Rebirth, we've got two new forms of challenges coming for you PvMers in the first half of 2025!
Combat Mastery Achievements
We know many a PvMer have looked enviously at the Combat Mastery Achievements of OSRS, so we're bringing our own take on them to RuneScape! Prepare to test your talents against a suite of new challenges to prove your bossing prowess - from Easy to Grandmaster.
This update is all about returning to bosses across the history of RuneScape and executing specific types of kills to demonstrate your mastery. We can't wait to see the talent of the bossing community take on these new challenges and see who can truly claim to be a Grandmaster of PvM.
Amascut Showdown Boss Encounter
As part of the return to the Desert storyline, your next major Boss Encounter will involve a showdown with Amascut, The Devourer!
Amascut will be targeted as an end-game level Boss Encounter, so begin sharpening those skills for a showdown in mid 2025.
Still To Come In 2024
Necromancy Conjure: Phantom Guardian
The long awaited fourth conjure for Necromancy is almost here!
The Phantom Guardian will help you absorb some damage while using Necromancy and turn some of that absorbed damage back on your enemies with its Command ability.
Necromancy's fourth conjure will drop on September 2nd.
Gate of Elidinis & Ode Of The Devourer
Get ready for RuneScapes 2nd Skilling Boss 'Gate of Elidinis' and an accompanying story quest 'Ode of the Devourer'.
Set atop the Sanctum of Rebirth, lies a mysterious shrine, dedicated to the absent goddess Elidinis. Elidinis once served a purpose to nurture life and provide subsistence to the harsh desert environments. With dark influences seeping from the underworld, this purpose lies to that of a new fate.
Playable solo or as a group, you'll discover a range of active mechanics to master alongside powerful new skilling rewards. You can find some first details on this new Skilling Boss and give us your take on the direction in this edition of Right Click Examine.
The 'Ode of the Devourer' Quest releases September 16th, with the 'Gate of Elidnis' Skilling Boss releasing September 23rd!
New Slayer Creature & Necromancy Slayer Helm
A subgroup of scabarites have abandoned Scabaras' holy tenents for unknown reasons, emerging in a subterranean cave. The Slayer Masters have called on you to clear them out.
Hunt down the new Profane Scabarite Slayer Creatures and chase a new drop needed to create the Necromancy Slayer Helm. This update is targeting a release in early October.
New Halloween Event: Harvest Hollow
Spooky season gets a level up with a brand new Halloween Event called Harvest Hollow!
The 5 Horsem*n are back, setting up camp in a new area in the Land of Harvest. Rub undead elbows with the clan's five factions as you explore Harvest Hollow - and try not to get lost in the Maize Maze while you're at it.
Just like our other recent seasonal event updates, Harvest Hollow brings a dedicated Halloweeny hub packed with seasonal activities, rewards and with an accompanying Seasonal Quest.
Harvest Hollow arrives on October 14th 2024.
Group Ironman
Prepare for Group Ironman, a new game mode where you and up to 4 friends can take on RuneScape without XP bonuses or the ability to benefit from players outside your group.
Group Ironman includes some great communal features like Group Storage - including the ability to share untradeable items with each other and Journey Achievements that provide clear milestones for your adventure. For those of you familiar with OSRS' Group Ironman mode, we're aiming to deliver a 'Parity+' version of the mode.
Speaking of that +, well also be adding some awesome cosmetic touches to Group Ironman too - including new Milestone Capes, cosmetic armour that upgrades as your group progress and even more! If you'd like to get involved in development, head on over to our recently released Right Click Examine and let us know what you think of the proposed additions to this iconic game mode.
Group Ironman is progressing really well, and were targeting a release window of late October to early November.
110 Woodcutting & Fletching
Following on from our first ever 110 Skilling Update with Mining & Smithing, our next Skilling content puts the spotlight on Woodcutting & Fletching.
While early in development, you can expect a new tree, new hatchets, a new level 100 ranged weapon, and a masterwork ranged weapon to be included. Look out for a Right Click Examine in the coming weeks with first details and opportunities to shape the update with your feedback!
110 Woodcutting & Fletching is targeted for release in late November / early December.
Desert Quest 1
As Winter arrives, we'll release a new story quest that marks a return to the classic Desert Storyline.
We have unfinished business with Amascut - and some reunions with familiar faces that are long overdue. Make sure you've completed Ode of The Devourer and Phite Club to be ready for this one!
Desert Quest 1 is targeted for release this December.
Christmas Village 2025
Cap off the end of the year with the Christmassy joy of Gielinor's Christmas Village! The new seasonal hub introduced last year will return with new seasonal activities, new rewards and another Seasonal Quest.
Just like last year, Santa will also be returning to offer additional chances to get the ultimate present under the tree - the Black Party Hat!
Surprising no-one on the timing, the Christmas Village will be back this December.
A Final Note From The Team
Back in May, Mod Markos talked about the future of RuneScape - of our commitment to working more closely with players in how we develop, of being more open and visible in our plans, and by making sure this game has many, many years ahead of it. Today's RuneScape Ahead has been really personally important to all of us because it talks about a lot of the changes we've been making in those areas.
When we look at the rest of 2024, a lot of it has already involved you in the development - whether through Discord Stages, Right Click Examines or direct dialogue opened by J-Mods. Going beyond that to the 2025 Roadmap, we got to build our plans with a focus on serving your feedback from the 2024 Player Survey. And now, we've been able to not just say these things to you, but really show it with a committed public roadmap much further into the future than usual.
RuneScape is approaching its 24th year. We've had our ups and our downs over that time. But it has meant the world to us to see so many of you feeling the effects of our hard work to listen, learn and improve over these past six months. We hope today feels like another step forward and we can simply keep making a better RuneScape year after year.
Speaking of the future, we're sure you'll want to know when to expect the next big look ahead for RuneScape - rest assured, that look will come at RuneFest 2025. During the show, we'll be dropping more concrete details on our New Area Expansion, reveal the Roadmap for the second half of 2025 and even drop a few surprise announcements. We still have plenty up our sleeve.
With that, thank you for reading and we hope you're excited about what's to come. See you in Gielinor 'Scapers!
- The Runescape Team
Mods Astar, Alex, Azanna, Bak, Balkan, Bam, Blkwitch, Boko, Brat, Breezy, Brig, Camel, Colibri, Chaose, Dark, Daze, Desert, Dorn, Dragon, Drew, Drewid, Easty, Echo, Fallen, Forza, Fowl, Fox, Frosch, Grace, Gunner, Helen, Hooli, Ink, Jack, Keyser, Kitsune, Kristy, Luma, Lunatear, Lykos, Lynx, Markos, Makkari, MIC, Mickey, Morty, Muse, Nemo, Neong, Nixon, Noms, Pearce, Pebble, Phoenix, Pigeon, Rain, Ramen, Rowley, Rsguy, Ryan, Samy, Sakura, Shrew, Shrike, Skyefall, Soul, Sponge, Spyro, Stead, Stu, Sukotto, Taelae, Tiger, Timbo, Titus, Toebeans, Tri, Vegard, Volta, Who, Wov, Yuey & Zura
