Concept for the elf city of PrifddinasThough PC MMO RuneScape has been steadily supported through updates and tweaks since its launch in 2001, never has the game received an official expansion pack. That changes today, as developer Jagex Games Studio has announced a three-part expansion called Lost City of the Elves, an ambitious add-on that introduces new environments, mini-games, and weapons.

　　Lost City of the Elves is the largest piece of content ever to be released for RuneScape, Jagex says, and it serves as the final part of the game's Elf Quest storyline that has been unfolding since 2001*. The first part of the Lost City of the Elves expansion, available today, is called Plague's End. It introduces the elf city of Prifddinas, the largest city in RuneScape, as well as a new quest.

　　Though Jagex did the actual development work on Lost City of the Elves, the studio says the content was a "considerable" collaborative effort between the company and the community. The second and third chapters in Lost City of the Elves will allow players to unlock further zones in September and October, respectively.

　　Per Jagex, the Lost City of the Elves contains:

　　Largest quest (Plague's End) and largest city in RuneScape (the elf city of Prifddinas)Dozens of new skill training methods, new weapons, and armorsNew mini-games, including a combat horde modeA max guild social hub for 'Completionist' playersHundreds of hours of new gameplayRuneScape senior narrative designer David Osborne said the release of Lost City of the Elves today is a "landmark" in the history of the browser-based free-to-play game. Over the game's 13-year run, Osborne said it has "captured the imagination of hundreds of millions of players."

　　*The Elf Quest story began in August 2002 with The Plague City. Subsequent installments were Biohazard (October 2002); Underground Pass (March 2003); Regicide (September 2004); Roving Elves (February 2005); Mourning's End Part I (July 2005); Mourning's End Part II (October 2005), and Within the Light (October 2009).