Old School RuneScape sets Hardcore Worlds for November and Fractured Archive for October

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Jagex used its RuneFest 2026 Summit to lay out the next stretch of Old School RuneScape updates, with two dated releases leading the show: The Fractured Archive raid arrives on October 20, and permanent Hardcore Worlds open on November 4.

Hardcore Worlds are separate from the main game, with their own economy and fresh characters. Everyone plays with regular main account freedoms, including trading and Grand Exchange access, but each character gets one life. There are no League-style XP boosts or drop-rate bonuses. If you die, you can either restart from scratch on Hardcore Worlds or move that character to the main game, keeping progress and gear except for items lost on death.

Jagex says unsafe death rules will apply in places like the Fight Caves, Inferno, and Nightmare Zone, similar to Hardcore Group Ironman. A dedicated blog with more details is still coming.

The Fractured Archive is the next raid, set beneath Lumbridge. Jagex plans to publish an “Everything You Need To Know” blog later this week, with a Twitch watch party on launch day featuring Mod Ayiza, Mod Kieren, and guests.

The Summit also opened voting on several larger proposals:

  • Menaphos, the long-closed Kharidian Desert city, is being pitched as a major expansion with the Master-level quest Fool’s Gold, the true Soul Altar at 90 Runecraft, a skilling dungeon, a Sailing port, and other city features.
  • Dungeons of Gielinor would add at least five standalone bosses, plus demi-bosses, Slayer creatures, a short early-game quest, and dungeon quality-of-life changes.
  • A Mining and Smithing rework framework is in the works, with a player survey planned before Jagex locks in a direction.
  • Fairytale III: Nexus of Power is proposed for 2027 as a Master-tier finale for the fairy questline, with fairy ring upgrades and a repeatable boss among the reward ideas.
  • The Chosen Commander, originally a 2009 RuneScape quest, is being proposed as a Master-tier Old School backport tied to Dorgesh-Kaan.
  • Quest Month in November 2026 would add The Graveyard plus at least five more Novice to Experienced quests, alongside quest log and starter quest improvements.

Smaller teases included a PvP tutorial on October 7, Community Bingo, a diving expansion for Sailing, and another Summer Sweep Up planned for 2027. The Summit poll is open now.

Further reading: Official OSRS RuneFest 2026 Summit overview