Return guide
Returning to Old School RuneScape?
Coming back is a different decision than starting fresh — you want to know what you missed, whether your progress survived, and if the game deserves your comeback. Pick roughly when you left; we'll fill in the rest.
When did you drop off?
What you missed since the early era
2016–2019 (raids era)
- · Leagues began — the yearly limited-mode event that takes over the whole community
- · Group Ironman landed, plus Nightmare and Nex for PvM
- · Tombs of Amascut (2022) added the third raid
2019–2022 (Leagues era)
- · Varlamore opened across 2024–25: a whole new continent in stages
- · Desert Treasure II brought the Virtus-era bosses
- · Sailing — the first genuinely new skill — passed its vote and has been in open development
2022–now
- · You're nearly current — catch the latest Leagues if one is running; it's the best re-entry drug the game has
- · Check what tier of Varlamore content has shipped since you left
8 major changes across 3 eras since you left Old School RuneScape.
Did your progress survive?
Nothing has ever been removed. Your 2015 bank is intact and — thanks to inflation — probably worth more than you remember. Your quest cape needs a few new quests, that's all.
Catching up
- ✓ There is no catch-up mechanic because there is no power reset — your stats are your stats
- ✓ The wiki (now official) makes every grind plannable
- ✓ Bonds let you pay for membership with GP if your bank can carry it
Your first week back
- Log in and open the bank. Sit with it. Welcome home
- Do a Slayer task — muscle memory does the rest
- If a Leagues is live, play that instead of everything else
Worth playing in 2026?
Yes — easy to recommendOld School RuneScape in 2026 scores 91/100 on the overall lens — updates land constantly, and reviews aggregate to 85/100. Its crafting and economy depth is about as good as the genre offers. Budget for the grind — it's very high.
Worth it if
- ✓ Long-term goal chasers
- ✓ Ironman enjoyers
- ✓ Second-monitor gamers
- ✓ Mobile grinders
Skip it if
- ✗ you want your time respected — grind is very high
- ✗ losing your gear in PvP would ruin your night
- ✗ click-intensive dated interface
- ✗ wilderness PvP can gatekeep content
Composed from this page's data — score, update cadence, monetization — not from a reviewer's mood. Same inputs as the tier list.
What it costs to start
Free to start- · Free to download and play — no purchase required
- · Optional subscription adds perks or removes limits
- · Genuinely playable free forever on the F2P map and skills
- · Membership (~$14/mo) unlocks the full world; also covers RuneScape 3
- · Buyable in-game with gold via Bonds
Prices and bundles change — verify on the official site ↗.
Guilds recruiting
No guilds recruiting for Old School RuneScape yet
Playing with a community? Yours could be the first listing here — an evergreen recruitment page beats weekly forum posts.
List your guildNot ready to come back yet?
The MMOlist Monthly includes a returning-player deep dive every issue — we'll tell you when Old School RuneScape is worth another look.
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