Jagex has pulled a new RuneScape 3 trailer from every official channel and promised to investigate the matter “urgently” after players accused the clip of containing generative AI artwork. The Jagex generative AI trailer saga erupted just days after the footage debuted at RuneFest, the studio’s annual fan convention, turning what should have been a nostalgic reveal into a genuine headache for the long-running MMO’s developer.
Key takeaways
- ✓Jagex pulled its RuneScape 3 Dragon Slayer 2 trailer after fans flagged AI-like art glitches
- ✓The studio says it will investigate the generative AI claims urgently
- ✓Jagex states it does not knowingly use GenAI for games, artwork or creative assets
- ✓The trailer debuted at RuneFest before backlash forced it offline within days
- ✓The row follows similar generative AI controversies at Level-5 and Insomniac Games
The trailer in question announced Dragon Slayer 2, a sequel to one of the most celebrated high-level quests in RuneScape‘s history. For players who cut their teeth on the original Dragon Slayer quest line back in the old-school version of the game, the announcement should have landed as a highlight of the convention. Instead, it became the story everyone was talking about for the wrong reasons.
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A beloved quest reveal turns into a flashpoint
The Dragon Slayer 2 trailer used a sketchbook-style animation technique, sweeping across illustrated scenes rather than relying on in-engine footage. Almost immediately, sharp-eyed fans began circulating screenshots pointing out odd visual quirks that have become familiar hallmarks of AI-generated imagery. One widely shared clip showed a knight with six fingers on one hand. Another appeared to show a character wearing shoes that closely resembled a Nike design, an incongruous detail for a medieval fantasy setting.
Clips of the trailer spread quickly across Reddit and social media, with one post on the LivestreamFail subreddit racking up hundreds of upvotes and dozens of comments within a day. Streamers who had reacted live during the RuneFest broadcast kept their footage online even after Jagex removed the original trailer from official channels, which meant the disputed frames stayed in circulation regardless of the takedown.
Jagex says it will investigate
Jagex responded on social media rather than staying silent, a decision that at least signalled the studio was taking the backlash seriously. In a statement posted by its social media team, the company said it does not use generative AI to create its games, artwork or creative assets, and that it will not knowingly allow it to be used on its behalf. Jagex added that it would look into the claims urgently, though it stopped short of confirming or denying how the specific trailer was produced.
That ambiguity is part of why the story has legs. Pulling a trailer and promising an investigation is a meaningful admission that something in the footage warranted scrutiny, but it is not the same as a confirmed explanation. Until Jagex publishes findings, the Dragon Slayer 2 reveal sits in limbo, a quest announcement overshadowed by questions nobody at the studio has fully answered yet.
Not the first generative AI storm to hit games
Jagex is far from alone in facing this kind of scrutiny. Developers across the industry have been fielding similar accusations as generative AI tools become cheaper and more accessible for marketing and concept work. Earlier this year, Insomniac Games had to push back against claims tied to Insomniac’s denial of generative AI claims around Marvel’s Wolverine, while Japanese studio Level-5 found itself issuing a public apology after a similar episode, detailed in coverage of Level-5’s boss apologising over a similar generative AI backlash.
The pattern is becoming familiar: a piece of promotional art or footage circulates, fans spot the telltale glitches of AI generation, and the studio is forced to respond publicly regardless of whether the tool was actually used in the final product or only somewhere in the production pipeline. For a community-driven game like RuneScape, where player trust underpins decades of goodwill, that kind of accusation lands harder than it might for a studio with less history to protect.
What the Jagex generative AI trailer row means for players
The timing is awkward for Jagex, which has had a busy year of announcements to manage. The studio recently revealed RuneScape 4, which Jagex is rebuilding from the ground up in Unreal Engine, a project that will define the franchise’s next decade. It has also faced criticism on a separate front following its recent admission that the RuneScape Dragonwilds Switch 2 port looked rough, suggesting a studio stretched across multiple ambitious projects at once.
For longtime fans, the practical impact of the trailer controversy is still unclear. Dragon Slayer 2 itself has not been cancelled or delayed as far as any official statement indicates, and the quest content could well arrive on schedule once the marketing material is reworked or re-approved. What matters more in the short term is whether Jagex’s investigation produces a clear, specific answer about how the trailer was made, rather than a vague reassurance. Players have shown they notice the difference, and in an era where generative AI suspicion can attach to almost any piece of digital art, transparency is quickly becoming the only way developers can keep that trust intact.
Frequently asked questions
What did the RuneScape trailer actually show?
The trailer announced Dragon Slayer 2, a sequel quest for RuneScape 3, using sketchbook-style illustrated scenes rather than in-game footage. It debuted during RuneFest before being pulled from official channels.
Why do fans think generative AI was used?
Viewers spotted visual errors commonly associated with AI image generation, including a character drawn with six fingers on one hand and another appearing to wear a modern sneaker design in a medieval fantasy scene.
Has Jagex confirmed it used generative AI?
No. Jagex has said it does not use generative AI for its games, artwork or creative assets and will not knowingly allow it on its behalf, but it has not yet published the results of its promised investigation.
Is Dragon Slayer 2 still coming to RuneScape 3?
Jagex has not announced any delay or cancellation of the quest itself. The controversy so far concerns the trailer’s artwork rather than the quest content players will eventually get to play.
