Jagex is taking RuneScape beyond the game client. At RuneFest in Birmingham, UK, on Saturday, CEO Jon Bellamy announced that the company is working with Lyrical Animation and creator Charlie “MoistCr1TiKaL” White to develop an animated series based on the world of Gielinor.
The project is in early development. Lyrical Animation will produce alongside White’s Meatier Productions; Jagex said more details are expected in 2027. No streaming or network partner was named.
What the package contains
Jagex first released RuneScape in 2001. Since then, the fantasy multiplayer online role-playing game has expanded into a franchise that includes RuneScape, Old School RuneScape and RuneScape Dragonwilds. The series would draw on Gielinor, the medieval fantasy setting where players quest, fight, explore and cooperate.
- IP: A 25-year-old game world with an active player base.
- Creator: White has played RuneScape for 22 years and reaches more than 25 million followers across channels and platforms.
- Production: Lyrical Animation and White’s Meatier Productions are developing the project.
- Stage: Early development, with further details promised in 2027.
Why the numbers matter
This is a creator-led IP package as much as a game adaptation. White is not a casual ambassador; he is a long-tenured player with a large cross-platform audience. That gives the pitch a built-in discovery story for streamers and networks: the audience already exists, and the creator can activate it when a platform commits.
Bellamy framed the move as a response to 25 years of player participation. It positions the franchise as more than a games business—a story universe ready for screen buyers. For marketing teams, that changes the pitch from licensing a game to selling an audience with measurable reach.
“We see huge potential to bring Gielinor to life in new ways,” Bellamy said, “both for the millions who already know and love it and for a whole new audience.”
Lyrical Animation creative director Daniel Dominguez called the game’s storytelling voice “laugh-out-loud funny and effortlessly insightful.” That signals a tonal lane for buyers, but the absence of a platform means the package is still being shaped.
What media buyers should track
The first real milestone is the platform decision. Until then, the relevant questions are: which streamer or network takes it, whether the series is built for legacy players or new viewers, and how heavily White’s channels are used to market the launch. Creator reach lowers discovery risk; it does not guarantee a commission.
The package also gives media planners an early test case for creator-led animation. A pre-existing fandom is valuable, but the format, episode count, and release window will determine whether the series can reach beyond White’s core audience.
Jagex is using a superfan with 25 million followers to make a legacy franchise legible to screen buyers. The 2027 update will show whether that audience converts into a green light.
Source: Variety
