RuneScape Just Nuked Treasure Hunter And Dropped The Best Roadmap In A Decade
I had to check my calendar to make sure it wasn't April 1st because Jagex just promised to fix almost everything we have been complaining about for the last ten years.
We are celebrating RuneScape’s 25th anniversary and I fully expected a generic "thanks for playing" post with maybe a double XP weekend announcement. Instead, the team dropped the "Road to Restoration," a roadmap so ambitious it genuinely feels like a different game studio wrote it. They aren't just adding content. They are ripping out the rot that has plagued RS3 for years and rebuilding the foundation. From the death of gambling mechanics to the long-awaited avatar refresh, here is why 2026 might actually save the game.
Treasure Hunter Is Dead
Let’s start with the headline that is going to break the subreddit. Jagex is removing Treasure Hunter.
For years, this loot box mechanic has been the symbol of everything wrong with the modern game. It was predatory, it devalued skilling, and it was a visual eyesore. Today, they announced that it is gone. Not "reworked," not "rebranded." Gone.
This is part of their new "integrity-focused" approach. They are removing hundreds of gameplay-impacting MTX items from sale immediately. This is the single biggest show of good faith I have seen from this company in my adult life. It signals that they are finally prioritizing the game's health over squeezing every last penny out of the whale population.
We Are Finally Getting Plugins And Free Metrics
If the death of MTX wasn't enough to make you dizzy, Jagex also announced they are building official API Plugin Support.
This is clearly a nod to the success of RuneLite on Old School RuneScape. For years, RS3 players have looked at the incredible tools OSRS players get with envy. By the end of 2026, we should have a similar ecosystem where community developers can build tools to customize the client.
To sweeten the pot, RuneMetrics is becoming free for all members. Charging extra for data logs and XP tracking was always a slap in the face when you were already paying a subscription. Making it a baseline feature is a massive win for accessibility.
The Skill Cap Is Breaking
The content roadmap is heavy. We aren't just getting a new coat of paint. We are getting fundamental changes to how the game is played. The level cap for multiple skills is jumping to 120 to match the precedent set by Necromancy and Herblore.
Welcome To Havenhythe
Somewhere in between deleting microtransactions and fixing the code, they also found time to build a massive new landmass.
Havenhythe is launching in two parts. It sits east of Morytania and seems to lean heavily into the dark, vampiric aesthetic that Jagex does so well. Part One brings two new early-game bosses, Silverquill (a blood-thirsty hedgehog?) and Ivar, the King of Bones.
I appreciate the focus on early-game bossing. The gap between "killing goblins" and "killing gods" in RS3 has become a canyon. Bridging that gap with accessible mechanics is smart design.
Is RuneScape 3 Back?
I am naturally cynical. I have seen "roadmaps" before that turned into dead ends. But this feels different. The removal of Treasure Hunter is a financial risk that implies they are betting the house on player goodwill and subscription retention.
If they actually deliver on 120 Construction, a polished Avatar refresh, and a plugin API within a single calendar year, 2026 will go down as the most important year in the game's history since the release of RuneScape 2. I am ready to be hurt again, but for the first time in a long time, I am excited to log in.
Got a hot take on this? I know you do. Head over to r/neonlightsmedia to discuss it.
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