A Mismatched Build error in RuneScape: Dragonwilds means your game and the server are running different versions. Install the available game update, have the administrator update and restart the server, then relaunch your game and reconnect. A server restart downloads updates automatically only when the hosting service supports and enables that behavior.
Update both sides of the connection
An update can leave your game ahead of a server that has been running continuously. Updating your own installation fixes only your side of the connection; the server also needs the matching build.
Both Shockbyte’s troubleshooting guide and XGamingServer’s documentation identify an outdated server as a cause of this error after a patch.
Work through these steps:
- Players: Fully close Dragonwilds and install any pending update through your game platform. Ask everyone joining the session to check their installation.
- Server administrator: Apply the available server update using the hosting panel’s update controls. On Shockbyte, a restart handles this when Steam Auto Updates is enabled.
- Before reconnecting: Wait for the server to finish downloading updates and starting. Use the hosting panel’s console output to check its progress.
- After startup: Launch the updated game and try joining again.
If you rent a server with friends but cannot access its control panel, send the administrator the exact error. Restarting your own game cannot update their server.
Confirm that the server actually updated
A successful restart does not necessarily mean the server installed a patch. Check its update settings and running version before repeating the same restart.
XGamingServer recommends comparing the version in the server log header with the client version displayed in the top-left corner. That comparison helps identify which installation still needs attention.
| What you find | What it means | Next action |
|---|---|---|
| The client has a newer build | The server has not caught up with the game update | Update the server, then restart it |
| The server has a newer build | The client needs the corresponding update | Install the client update when available |
| The server is missing from the browser | A version mismatch is possible, alongside startup or configuration problems | Compare versions and check startup logs |
For Shockbyte specifically, its guide places Steam Auto Updates under Settings → Server → Steam Server Properties. If automatic updates are disabled, restarting preserves the installed server build. Enable the setting, save the change, and restart when your group is ready to update.
Keep the console open during startup. A larger patch may take longer to download, so wait for completion before testing the connection.
Handle updates that arrive at different times
Shockbyte notes that updates can become available on different platforms at different times. If the server already has a newer build and your platform has no matching download yet, another server restart will not resolve that gap.
Check the official Dragonwilds news page or official Discord for release announcements. Install the matching update once it becomes available, then close and relaunch the game.
Shockbyte also documents an option to keep a server on its existing build by disabling Steam Auto Updates before a startup installs the new patch. This can help only while the server and participating players still have matching versions.
Disabling automatic updates does not roll back an update already installed. Players who have moved to a newer build will also be unable to join the older server. Reenable updates and restart once the group can use the matching release.
FAQ
What fixes the runescape dragonwilds mismatched build error after a hotfix?
Bring the game client and server onto the same build. Even a small hotfix can require a server update and restart. After updating, fully relaunch the client before reconnecting.
Why can one friend join while another cannot?
Check each player’s installed version. A working connection for one person does not establish that everyone has downloaded the same patch. Compare the affected player’s version with the server’s running build.
What if the versions match but joining still fails?
Record the error and inspect the server console for startup problems. XGamingServer identifies incomplete startup, configuration issues, and connection problems as additional causes of failed joins. If the same mismatch message persists, give your hosting provider the client version, server version, and relevant log entries so support can investigate the specific failure.
