RuneScape 3 Announced

RuneScape developer Jagex has sent a press release announcing that a new update to the title, dubbed RuneScape 3, will be launched this Summer, with numerous technical improvements and some unspecified content changes that should empower players with the "ability to shape the world". We'll see how that translates into real features later down the line, I suppose:
JAGEX ANNOUNCE RUNESCAPE 3

A NEW AGE DAWNS FOR RUNESCAPE WITH GROUND BREAKING HTML 5 UPGRADE COMING THIS SUMMER


Monday 25th M arch 2012, Cambridge, UK Jagex, the creators of the hugely popular and BAFTA nominated free-to-play adventure game, RuneScape, has formally announced to the games community that RuneScape 3 will launch this summer.

The massively successful game, which has welcomed more than 220 million adventurers since it was first released in 2001, is set to undergo one of the most significant updates in its history. RuneScape 3 will see a massive leap forward in technology, with a new fully HTML5 engine, improved graphics, longer draw distances, new audio, new design features and a world changing content update as the game moves into a new age.

Full details of the update remain a closely guarded secret but RuneScape's Executive Producer, Phil Mansell gave the community a teaser of what's to come, saying, (RuneScape 3 is a massive update to RuneScape building on 12 years of content to make improvements on all fronts. RuneScape 3 is going to run faster, look better and feel so much more immersive.)

The updates aren't limited to tech improvements, however, RuneScape's Creative Director, Mark Ogilvie commented, (RuneScape 3 marks a significant moment in RuneScape's history as the world enters the 6th Age. All our recent content updates have been building up to this point, massive change is coming, and our players will be able to shape the game with the choices they make. Every single player will have the ability to shape the world.)