With the clock running down on 2012, one might be forgiven for overlooking the rest of the year in favor of what the next will bring. That's a mistake with RuneScape , as the devs have promised that they've saved the best for last with a couple of sizable updates to the game.

On tap for the remainder of the year is the addition of a super-tough Grandmaster-level quest, player-owned ports, and a very lonely dog that will need help come Christmas-time.

Looking ahead to 2013, Jagex revealed its ambitious plans for a variety of content as well as something called RuneScape Next Gen. The description of the latter is quite intriguing: "Featuring our innovative new browser-based technology and with big investments in graphics and gameplay, RuneScape is set to take a monumental leap forward in 2013. Higher visual and audio fidelity, improved camera mechanics and a much more customizable interface system are but a taste of what you can expect."