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RuneScape 3: "received an unexpected response (26)"

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IsThisGameDown

Last checked

September 25, 2026

RuneScape Steam Discussions: Can't login the game (September 23, 2026) ↗

Logging in fails with "RuneScape received an unexpected response (26)", usually through the Steam client, and nothing else happens. Players in the same threads often say the Jagex client or the mobile app still let them in.

Also appears as: RuneScape received an unexpected response (26), RuneScape received an unexpected response 26, runescape unexpected response (26), runescape error code 26, runescape steam login unexpected response, runescape cant log in through steam, unexpected response (25) runescape

Jagex has no support article for this message that we could find, so everything here is player-reported. At least seven Steam Discussions threads since October 2021 describe it, most recently one opened on September 23, 2026 with 12 replies, where players in the EU, Finland and the US all reported the same error and one reply said it was still down after more than 24 hours. In several threads, players say the Steam-launched game fails while the Jagex client or mobile still works. In a May 2022 thread, some players said they got back in within about an hour without changing anything. No Jagex reply appears in any thread we read, and we could not confirm the September 2026 case had cleared by September 25. Treat it as Jagex's side, or the Steam login path, until Jagex says otherwise.

Operational

No problems reported in the last 15 minutes.

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What to try

  1. 01

    Wait and retry later

    Wait and retry later. The message itself tells you to try again later or check the RuneScape website for server maintenance, and in the May 2022 thread several players got back in within about an hour without changing anything. No Jagex fix has been posted.

    Reported
  2. 02

    Try the Jagex client or mobile app instead of Steam

    If you launched through Steam, try logging in through the Jagex client or the mobile app instead. Players in several threads say those still worked while the Steam route failed. Jagex has not confirmed this.

    Reported
  3. 03

    Upgrade a Steam-created character to a Jagex Account

    If your character was created through Steam, Jagex says it has to be upgraded to a Jagex Account before the Jagex Launcher will accept it, and that a Steam-linked character can still be played through Steam afterwards. Do the upgrade while the game is working, not during an outage.

    Confirmed
  4. 04

    Check @RuneScape and the Steam news hub for an outage notice

    Check the official @RuneScape account on X and the Steam news hub for an outage notice. Neither had acknowledged this error in the threads we read.

    Unconfirmed
  5. 05

    Verify game files and restart Steam (one report, different code)

    One player in a related December 2020 thread, for the near-identical "unexpected response (25)" message, said verifying game files in Steam and retrying, then restarting Steam, got them in on the second attempt. A single report for a different number, so unproven for (26).

    Unconfirmed
  6. 06

    Turn off a VPN before launching (unproven for this error)

    If you use a VPN, turn it off before launching, as Jagex advises for its separate "Access Blocked" message. One June 2026 poster suspected a VPN for this error, but the September 2026 poster said they were not using one, so this is unproven for (26).

    Unconfirmed

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What people are saying

Notes from players who've hit this one — no time limit, an answer from months ago is still an answer.

  • Nothing reported here yet.
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