RuneScape Is Getting Two Tabletop Games This Year

RuneScape's fantasy world of Gielinor will soon be coming to a tabletop near you, with both a tabletop RPG and a board game slated to arrive in 2022.

The TTRPG will come in the form of a "lavishly illustrated, hardback core book" with information and rules on how to build characters and stories in the long running MMORPG's universe. According to a press release, the book will be fully compatible with "the fifth edition of the world's favorite roleplaying tabletop game," aka Dungeons and Dragons. The TTRPG will be heading straight to storefronts later this year.

On the board game front, players can expect to craft and upgrade equipment, learn new skills for their characters, cook recipes, and explore the world of Gielinor while completing various quests in a game for up to five players. The board game is set to launch via a Kickstarter campaign sometime this year.

RuneScape developer Jagex is partnering with Steamforged Games for the two tabletop projects. Steamforged Games is no stranger to licensed tabletop adaptations, having previously created board game versions of Dark Souls, Monster Hunter, Resident Evil, and Horizon Zero Dawn. Some of those tabletop versions, like Dark Souls, have seen huge success on Kickstarter, so it's no surprise Steamforged Games is going that route with its RuneScape adaptation as well.

Jagex CEO Phil Mansell in a press release likened the board game launching via Kickstarter campaign to how Jagex approaches RuneScape's development, where new features and ideas are often decided by the community via in-game polls. The franchise celebrated its 20th anniversary last year.

Jagex currently operates two versions of RuneScape, a more modern version simply titled RuneScape (but is technically RuneScape 3) and an updated version of the 2007 version of the game called Old School RuneScape. Both versions of the game are available on PC and mobile with crossplay support.