When was RuneScape: Dragonwilds released?

The full 1.0 release was **15 September 2026**, worldwide and simultaneously on every platform. Before that the game sat in Steam Early Access from 15 April 2025, so the finished version arrived roughly 17 months after Early Access began. The date was announced on 5 June 2026 during Summer Game Fest. (double-sourced: Jagex press release + official channels)

What platforms did the 1.0 launch cover?

Four families of hardware on one day: PC (Steam, Epic Games Store and the Jagex Launcher), PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and Nintendo Switch 2. See the platform table above and [Is it on PS5?](/ps5), [Xbox](/xbox) and [Switch 2](/switch-2). (double-sourced)

Did Dragonwilds launch on consoles, or is it PC only?

It launched on consoles. That made it the **first RuneScape game to release on consoles in the IP's 25-year history** — the main RuneScape MMO and Old School RuneScape remain separate games with their own PC and mobile releases.

Is the Nintendo Switch 2 version out yet?

Yes. The Switch 2 version was confirmed in June 2026 through Nintendo Direct and released on **15 September 2026**, the same day as PC, PS5 and Xbox. It is a digital release on the Nintendo eShop; a physical Switch 2 edition has not been confirmed.

When did Early Access start, and was it a surprise launch?

Early Access opened on **15 April 2025** on Windows only, as a shadow drop a few weeks after the game was first teased. Jagex later said the uptake surprised the studio and that it would communicate more openly from June 2025 onward.

Release Info · Page

RuneScape: Dragonwilds Release Date: 1.0 Launch & Platforms

The RuneScape Dragonwilds release date was 15 September 2026, when the full 1.0 build shipped on PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S and Switch 2 after Early Access.

Keyword: runescape dragonwilds release dateUpdated: 2026-09-216 sources

RuneScape: Dragonwilds released in full on 15 September 2026, leaving Steam Early Access after around 17 months. The 1.0 launch went out on the same day across PC (Steam, Epic Games Store and the Jagex Launcher), PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and Nintendo Switch 2 — the first time a RuneScape game has launched on consoles in the IP's 25-year history.

That matters for search: this is the standalone co-op survival game, not the long-running RuneScape MMO (2001) and not Old School RuneScape. Their release dates, platforms and memberships are unrelated to Dragonwilds.

Release date at a glance

Milestone	Date	Notes
Early Access opens (Windows only)	15 April 2025	Shadow drop, no advance launch date
1.0 date announced	5 June 2026	Revealed during Summer Game Fest 2026
1.0 full release	15 September 2026	All platforms, same day, worldwide
Physical editions (PS5, Xbox Series X / S)	5 November 2026	Stated by the retail listing and by the official 1.0 update video; the price attached to that listing is single source and is not on an official store page

Jagex's press release for the announcement is dated 5 June 2026 and names the 15 September date directly; the studio's launch-day release again lists PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S, with the Switch 2 version added by the June 2026 Nintendo Direct announcement.

Every platform, one release date

Platform	Launch day	What is worth knowing
PC — Steam	15 September 2026	Where Early Access ran; full 1.0 build
PC — Epic Games Store	15 September 2026	Listed in the 1.0 announcement
PC — Jagex Launcher	15 September 2026	A separate platform: owning the game on Steam does not give access here (single source — official FAQ)
PlayStation 5	15 September 2026	Arrived as a day-one title in PlayStation Plus Extra and Premium
Xbox Series X / S	15 September 2026	Arrived day one with Xbox Game Pass
Nintendo Switch 2	15 September 2026	Confirmed June 2026; digital release on the eShop

For the subscription side of that picture, see PS Plus availability and Xbox Game Pass; for pricing, see the price page.

Early Access: 15 April 2025 to 15 September 2026

Early Access began on 15 April 2025 on Windows only, and it was a surprise launch delivered a few weeks after the game was first teased. Steam Early Access sales passed one million copies by the time the 1.0 date was announced in June 2026, and the studio's own 1.0 update video speaks of more than 1.5 million players having joined since the gates to Ashenfall opened (single source — official video). Jagex also says the reaction to that shadow drop took the studio by surprise and prompted it to expand the development team.

Four major content drops arrived during Early Access, in this order:

Update	Window	Region focus
Fellhollow	December 2025	The game's first major expansion
Dowdun Reach	March 2026	Mountainous region
Umbral Sands	June 2026	Desert region, described as the largest to date
Scorned Wilderness	15 September 2026	Shipped with 1.0, completing Kuldra's Saga

Dragon over the Ashenfall landscape — Official screenshot — dragon encounters define the game's release marketing. (© Jagex Ltd)

What the 1.0 release contained

Jagex frames the 1.0 build as the complete Kuldra's Saga plus the two updates surrounding it: the new Scorned Wilderness content that shipped on launch day, and all the content from the Umbral Sands expansion that arrived earlier in the summer. Early Access buyers did not have to buy anything again — the studio confirmed that the price stayed the same at 1.0 and that the free updates are part of the same purchase. For the numbers, see the price page; for what comes next, see the roadmap.

Why the console launch was a first

Jagex frames the console launch as a first for the franchise: its own launch-day release is titled around Dragonwilds being "RuneScape's first ever console release", and the 1.0 update video repeats the same framing, describing it as the first time in 25 years that a RuneScape game has come to console. Crossplay is supported, and Jagex's patch notes show cross-platform play can be interrupted while one platform's patch is still going through approval (single source — official patch notes) — see crossplay for what is and is not documented.

Players exploring a region in Dragonwilds — Official screenshot — Ashenfall regions explored during Early Access. (© Jagex Ltd)

FAQ

When was RuneScape: Dragonwilds released?: The full 1.0 release was **15 September 2026**, worldwide and simultaneously on every platform. Before that the game sat in Steam Early Access from 15 April 2025, so the finished version arrived roughly 17 months after Early Access began. The date was announced on 5 June 2026 during Summer Game Fest. (double-sourced: Jagex press release + official channels)
What platforms did the 1.0 launch cover?: Four families of hardware on one day: PC (Steam, Epic Games Store and the Jagex Launcher), PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and Nintendo Switch 2. See the platform table above and Is it on PS5?, Xbox and Switch 2. (double-sourced)
Did Dragonwilds launch on consoles, or is it PC only?: It launched on consoles. That made it the **first RuneScape game to release on consoles in the IP's 25-year history** — the main RuneScape MMO and Old School RuneScape remain separate games with their own PC and mobile releases.
Is the Nintendo Switch 2 version out yet?: Yes. The Switch 2 version was confirmed in June 2026 through Nintendo Direct and released on **15 September 2026**, the same day as PC, PS5 and Xbox. It is a digital release on the Nintendo eShop; a physical Switch 2 edition has not been confirmed.
When did Early Access start, and was it a surprise launch?: Early Access opened on **15 April 2025** on Windows only, as a shadow drop a few weeks after the game was first teased. Jagex later said the uptake surprised the studio and that it would communicate more openly from June 2025 onward.

References

Facts on this page are compiled from the references above. Items marked "to confirm" are single-source and not yet verified.