RuneScape: Dragonwilds Transforms Survival Gaming with Classic MMO Skills and Magic!

by

Among the distinctive features that make the enduring MMORPG, RuneScape, stand out is its intricate skill system. Gamers can enhance numerous skills, ranging from combat-oriented ones like attack and defense to more diverse activities such as farming, fishing, potion-making (herblore), and even esoteric talents like necromancy and summoning. The upcoming spinoff, RuneScape: Dragonwilds, intends to adapt this skill system into the survival genre by allowing players to delve into the enchanted, dragon-abound continent of Ashenfall. By doing so, RuneScape: Dragonwilds will offer a unique gaming experience that hasn’t been seen in the original RuneScape before.

The Survival Game Genre Fits Well With RuneScape

In an interview with Game Rant, Dragonwilds executive producer Jesse America disclosed that developer Jagex has harbored a keen interest in incorporating survival aspects into RuneScape for quite some time now. On certain occasions, a survival-oriented mode has been contemplated not just for the main version of RuneScape but also for Old School RuneScape. America and his team believe that survival gameplay aligns well with RuneScape as it provides ample freedom, which is consistently emphasized by players as a key aspect in surveys regarding the game.

In his words, “The games like RuneScape, particularly Old School, don’t force the player to follow a strict guide, which is similar to the survival aspect and freedom they offer.” He went on to note that the liberty provided in Dragonwilds is reminiscent of popular survival sandbox games such as Valheim, Ark, V Rising, and so forth.

In the upcoming expansion, Dragonwilds, RuneScape’s existing skill-based system, which emphasizes abilities beyond combat, could prove highly beneficial in a survival game environment. RuneScape has always offered more than just fighting; it also requires players to improve their skills such as hunting, fishing, woodcutting, crafting, cooking, and herb gathering. The continent of Ashenfall, where Dragonwilds is set, increases the importance of these skills due to its sparsely populated and uncivilized nature compared to RuneScape’s past settings.

RuneScape: Dragonwilds Will Blend Survival And MMORPG Elements

The team at Jagex views games in the survival genre as being “similar but separate” from Massively Multiplayer Online (MMO) games, since they often include expansive worlds, a high degree of player autonomy, and an emphasis on developing skills. The upcoming game Dragonwilds will blend survival mechanics with RPG aspects, offering both melee and magical combat, as well as regular updates reminiscent of MMOs – smaller monthly updates combined with larger quarterly and annual ones that introduce substantial content to the game.

As an avid gamer, I share the sentiment that this merging of survival sandbox games with MMORPGs is merely the start of something extraordinary.

The survival genre is set to evolve more and more, and Dragonwilds appears to be embarking on its initial steps. The boundaries between what constitutes an MMO and what constitutes a survival game, particularly the innovative approaches in future releases, will become increasingly indistinct, much like the lines that are soon to appear elsewhere.

In the game of Dragonwilds , players have numerous abilities to enhance, which they can employ individually or in collaboration with companions, for constructing homes and societies, vanquishing dragons, and producing a variety of useful equipment, weapons, and other items. However, Ashenfall’s magical landscape lends an unusual dimension to the skill-based survival gameplay in Dragonwilds, as players gain access to spells that can simplify certain tasks. For instance, they might employ magic to fell several trees at once or transform one resource into another.

In Q1 2025, RuneScape’s new expansion titled Dragonwilds is set to debut in Early Access. Upon its release, the developers and American team intend to gather player feedback to enhance and refine the game. Expect additional quests, battles against more dragons, new crafting recipes, as well as a wealth of other content. Players eager to traverse a vast realm that combines survival aspects with traditional RuneScape skills, or those who wish to confront the fearsome dragons of Ashenfall, can do so when the game goes live in Early Access.

Read More

2025-04-12 15:25