Jagex Releases 38 Million Abandoned RuneScape Names
Qualified players can now claim names from inactive characters in daily weekday batches, alongside a second batch of official plugins.
Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Gaming
Jagex has released 38 million abandoned RuneScape character names for qualified players to claim, distributed in batches every weekday at 11am UTC. The studio also released a second batch of official plugins and the RuneScape Platform API.
Why it matters
Players who want a specific name can now compete for names freed from long-inactive characters, which makes the claiming process a practical concern for returning and new players alike. The plugin release also expands tools available to the RuneScape community.
Names are released in weekday batches at 11am UTC, and players must have a skill total of at least 1200 to claim one. The second plugin batch includes 13 new plugins plus dependency plugins, though the source does not specify how many players have claimed names so far.
The players
Jagex
Jagex is the British game studio that develops and operates RuneScape, one of the longest-running massively multiplayer online role-playing games.
The details
Eligible names come from characters inactive for at least two years, including permanently banned or deleted accounts and bond-only accounts whose membership ended over five years ago. Players can use the check names function on the site to see whether a desired name is available, though short queues may occur due to demand.
Timeline
Every weekday at 11am UTC (6am ET / 3am PT), a new batch of names is released for claiming.
November 5, 2026: Jagex released the name batch and the second plugin batch.
Culture Shift
The release extends RuneScape's official plugin system, which has been expanding toward community-built tools through the RuneScape Platform API. Making abandoned names available reflects a broader practice among long-running online games of recycling identifiers from dormant accounts.
Players can check name availability on the RuneScape site and claim eligible names as they are released each weekday at 11am UTC. Players must reach a skill total of at least 1200 to claim, so returning accounts below that threshold cannot yet participate.
The takeaway
Players hoping to claim a specific name should check availability early each weekday, since demand may create short queues. Reaching a skill total of 1200 is the main requirement to take part in the claiming process.
What happens next
Names will continue to be released in weekday batches until the full inventory of 38 million is distributed.
Further reading
For more on the games shaping this release, browse Gaming.
Source note: This article includes information reported by MMORPG.
