Jagex Announces Major Asia-Pacific Expansion for RuneScape: Dragonwilds With Full Three-Language Localisation

Jagex CEO Jon Bellamy confirms RuneScape: Dragonwilds will expand to APAC with Japanese, Korean, and Chinese localisation to drive global growth.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 18, 2026, 11:05 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from GamesIndustry.biz

Strategic Entry Into the Global Gaming Epicenter

Jagex has officially detailed its plans to bring RuneScape: Dragonwilds to the Asia-Pacific (APAC) market, a move characterized by leadership as the firm's most vital international expansion. According to CEO Jon Bellamy, the APAC region currently serves as the center of gravity for the global gaming population, housing some of the world’s most discerning player communities. The expansion is designed to move beyond simple translation, with the company aiming to establish the RuneScape brand as a global franchise capable of thriving for another quarter-century.

Localisation and Cultural Integration Efforts

The upcoming launch will include comprehensive localisation in Simplified Chinese, Japanese, and Korean. Bellamy emphasized that providing native language support is a core statement of Jagex’s commitment to these specific markets. By integrating these languages, the developer hopes to lower the barrier to entry for a region that represents the natural next step in the company's evolution. This strategy follows a previous expansion into Latin America in September 2025, which introduced Portuguese and Spanish support to the game's ecosystem.

Genre Resonance and Gameplay Adaptation

The survival crafting genre has shown strong performance in APAC markets, making it a logical fit for the newest RuneScape iteration. RuneScape: Dragonwilds combines deep skilling systems and cooperative play with rich world-building, offering a format that Jagex believe will feel familiar yet distinct to players in these regions. The company’s ambition is to transition into a multi-product, community-powered franchise with a global outlook, leveraging the established mechanics of the RuneScape IP within a modern, genre-specific framework.