Over the weekend, Jagex, the developer behind RuneScape, hosted its annual RuneFest in Birmingham, UK. During the event, the company unveiled a trailer for the highly anticipated Dragon Slayer 2 quest. However, the presentation was marred by noticeable flaws, including a player character sporting six fingers and peculiar sneaker-like soles on their otherwise traditional armoured shoes.
As the trailer circulated online, social media users quickly identified the evident use of generative AI, a situation that became particularly sensitive for Jagex following a recent controversy involving a clothing collaboration with 100 Thieves. In response to the backlash, Alec ‘Mod Sween’ Sween, a prominent figure in Old School RuneScape, took to the 2007scape subreddit to address the concerns raised by the community.
Addressing the Concerns
Sween acknowledged the issues with the Dragon Slayer 2 trailer, stating, “We’re aware of the concerns raised about the Dragon Slayer 2 trailer and have taken it down, while we investigate this urgently.” He clarified that the trailer was produced by a trusted external partner who had assured Jagex that generative AI would not be utilized. However, the presence of the sixth finger was difficult to overlook, prompting an apology from Sween.
Reiterating the company’s commitment to quality, Sween emphasized, “Our position is clear at Jagex: we don’t use GenAI to create our games, artwork or creative assets, and will not knowingly allow it to be used on our behalf.” He expressed concern that this incident, following closely on the heels of the 100 Thieves issue, highlighted weaknesses in their internal processes that needed to be addressed.
In light of these challenges, Sween announced that Jagex would be overhauling its review procedures. Furthermore, the developer plans to collaborate with community creators to ensure that the narrative of Dragon Slayer 2 meets the high standards expected by players.
Reflecting on the oversight, Sween admitted, “We should have caught these things,” acknowledging that the team fell short of their own expectations. As Jagex navigates this turbulent period, the hope remains that the phrase “bad things come in threes” does not hold true for generative AI controversies in the gaming industry.
