The Hype and the Hesitation
When Dragonwilds launched in Early Access, it sent ripples through the survival genre. Built by Jagex, the minds behind RuneScape, it promised a RuneScape-inspired take on open-world crafting, monster hunting, and dynamic magic systems. The community showed up — SteamDB numbers peaked at over 60,000 within the first 72 hours.
But where are they now?
As of late June 2025, active concurrent players have reportedly dropped to under 10,000, raising questions about staying power. Is Dragonwilds just another Early Access burnout, or is there real fire under these dragon wings?
⚔️ Combat and Crafting: Runescape Meets Rust?
Players expected a hybrid of RuneScape nostalgia with the depth of games like Valheim, Conan Exiles, or V Rising. What they got was… something in between.
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The combat feels fresh — dodging, spellcasting, and weapon skill trees are clearly designed to grow.
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The crafting system is detailed but currently shallow — many Tier 3+ items remain unobtainable or buggy.
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Server stability at launch caused frustration, but was mostly fixed within the first week.
Still, most players say the game feels more alive in co-op. Solo play? Not ideal — especially with brutal respawn rates and poor fast travel.
Map Size: Room to Grow
Players recently discovered that Dragonwilds’ current world spans six handcrafted biomes, including swamps, forests, highlands, and mountain regions (pcgamesn). Reddit users estimate that the entire map is about the same size as the initial Meadows biome in Valheim — roughly 314 km², but nothing like the full-scale open world yet (steamcommunity).
This maps it clearly: a small but focused sandbox, memorable for its RuneScape flavor but limited in scale.
In a recent developer Q&A, Jagex confirmed that the upcoming Fellhollow patch will double the map, making the world bigger and breathing new life into exploration and content (massivelyop).
Developer Roadmap: Promises vs. Progress
Jagex has kept relatively close to their update schedule:
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✅ Stability patch released 1 week after launch
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✅ UI improvements + key rebinding update (early June)
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✅ First community Q&A answered some key concerns
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Fellhollow Patch (July): New biome, more spells, better inventory
Reception to updates has been lukewarm but hopeful. The Q&A hinted at AI improvements, weather systems, and expanded magic trees, but lacked firm dates. Many players remain skeptical: “Don’t roadmap me to death, just patch the damn thing,” one Steam review writes bluntly.
✍️ Editor’s Note: The Wilds Are Worth Watching
“Dragonwilds might not be your new forever game — yet. But there’s a spark in it. A weird, RuneScapey, dragon-roasted spark that could turn into something big.”
At NOG, we’ve seen dozens of survival games launch strong and vanish just as fast. But Dragonwilds at least feels like a game that wants to last. The lore is good. The art style is charming. And the team hasn’t ghosted the community.
If you’re burnt out on swords, sticks, and stumps — maybe pass for now. But if you’ve got a squad and nostalgia for RuneScape with fangs? Jump in and watch this one evolve.