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RuneScape 4 vs. RuneScape 3: What Players Should Compare Before Switching

Jagex identifies its current main game as RuneScape, not RuneScape 4. Here’s how to compare it with Old School RuneScape before switching, including separate character progress, update direction, and device requirements.

By VGSources Team 4 min read
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If you’re searching for “RuneScape 4 vs. RuneScape 3,” first check the names: Jagex’s official sources identify the current main game as RuneScape and the other version as Old School RuneScape (OSRS). They do not substantiate a distinct released game officially called RuneScape 4. Players often call the current main game RS3, so the practical choice is usually RuneScape (RS3) versus OSRS—and your character progress does not transfer between them.

Is RuneScape 4 a separate game from RuneScape 3?

Not according to the Jagex material reviewed here. Jagex calls its current mainline game RuneScape; “RS3” is common player shorthand. Jagex’s news index does not substantiate a separately released title called “RuneScape 4.” Its RuneScape Reignited page describes a remastered and restored RuneScape experience, not a new game officially named RuneScape 4.

That distinction matters when comparing features or searching for switching advice: unless Jagex announces otherwise, treat “RuneScape 4” as an unverified search label. The supported comparison is between RuneScape and Old School RuneScape, two versions available through a RuneScape account.

What happens to your account and progress if you switch?

A single RuneScape account can access both games, but they have separate character profiles. Your RuneScape character, stats, and items stay in RuneScape; Old School requires a new character. Stats, items, and other character information do not transfer between the profiles, as Jagex explains in its RuneScape and Old School support guide.

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So switching does not mean continuing the same adventurer in a different ruleset. If you want to try OSRS, weigh the appeal of beginning progression again against the value you place on your existing character. Account access is established by Jagex, but that fact alone does not establish that membership or other payment terms are identical; check the current terms on your account before subscribing or making a purchase.

How do RuneScape and Old School differ in direction?

What to compare RuneScape (often called RS3) Old School RuneScape (OSRS)
Identity Jagex’s current mainline RuneScape, with a remastered and restoration direction described on its Reignited page. A retro-styled version that began from a 2007 backup and has continued to evolve.
How change is framed Jagex describes restored systems, a rebuilt interface, modernised combat, and systems shaped by player feedback. Jagex says major changes are governed by player voting.
Starting point for a returning player Your existing RuneScape character and its progress remain here. You start with a separate character; RuneScape stats and items do not carry over.

These are differences in presentation, update direction, and progression—not evidence that one game is objectively better. Old School is not a frozen copy: Jagex says it has become something new since its 2013 launch. Likewise, RuneScape is still being reshaped, so older assumptions about its systems may not describe its current direction.

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What is changing in current RuneScape?

Jagex’s Reignited page describes a remastered journey, restored systems and interface, officially supported integrated plugins, and modernised combat. It also points to further story chapters in 2027. These details describe the direction presented by Jagex as of October 2026; as a live-service game, RuneScape may change, so check the current Reignited page and Jagex news for later announcements.

Jagex’s January 2026 RS25 announcement also discussed an integrity-focused roadmap. Together, these statements indicate an actively maintained game, not a product whose defining state is fixed by its earlier reputation. They do not, by themselves, establish detailed ability-by-ability balance or a mechanical comparison with OSRS.

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Which version should you try?

Use your preferred experience—not a presumed winner—as the deciding factor:

  • Choose OSRS if you want its retro presentation and prefer a version where major changes are subject to player voting, and you are comfortable creating a new character.
  • Choose RuneScape if you want to continue an existing RuneScape profile or are more interested in Jagex’s current restoration, modernised systems, and remastered-journey direction.
  • Try both if you are curious about each approach and do not mind maintaining separate characters. Having access to both through one account does not combine their progress.

Think about the interface and presentation you enjoy, how you feel about starting over, and which update process sounds more appealing. Those preferences provide a more grounded comparison than treating RS3 and OSRS as a simple old-versus-new ranking.

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Will your PC, Mac, or phone run them?

Jagex publishes separate recommended specifications for RuneScape and Old School across PC, Mac, Android, and iOS. Check its recommended specifications for the particular game and device you plan to use, rather than assuming requirements are interchangeable. Jagex also warns that Steam Deck is unsupported and may not provide full functionality.

Are player numbers a useful way to choose?

Jagex’s January 2026 RS25 announcement says the RuneScape franchise had welcomed over 300 million player accounts. That is a franchise-wide account total, not a current active-player count for either RuneScape or OSRS, and it does not show how the games compare in population. The announcement also described a planned RuneFest 2026 event for 6,000 fans; event capacity is not a measure of players in either game.

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