RuneScape Developer Pulls Dragon Slayer 2 Trailer Following Generative AI Backlash
RuneScape developer Jagex has pulled its newly released promotional video for the RuneScape 3 Dragon Slayer 2 quest following intense fan backlash over apparent generative artificial intelligence artifacts. Viewers quickly spotted anatomical errors in the footage, most notably a knight rendered with six fingers and another frame featuring a fully armored warrior wearing modern athletic sneakers.
RuneScape 4 is currently a few years away from release and will be the first mainline entry developed in Unreal Engine, running concurrently with active legacy RuneScape titles. Jagex leadership committed that generative AI will never be used in any player-facing asset experienced by players, limiting AI strictly to developer tooling efficiency.
The controversy erupted following reveals at RuneFest 2026, forcing the studio to remove the promotional clip from official channels while launching an urgent internal investigation. Jagex social media manager Alex Sween addressed the community in a statement posted to Reddit, acknowledging that the errors were difficult to refute and offering an apology to players.
External Partner Accountability and Past Incidents
The pulled promotional asset was outsourced to an external vendor that had explicitly assured the studio that generative tools would not be utilized in production. Despite these assurances, the visible anomalies triggered widespread criticism across social media platforms, compounding tensions after a separate recent incident involving 100 Thieves and Old School RuneScape.
GamesIndustry.biz reported that Jagex pulled the Dragon Slayer 2 promotional trailer shown at RuneFest 2026 after discovering an external contractor used generative AI despite explicit contractual assurances prohibiting it.
Jagex reiterated its formal stance against the technology, maintaining that the studio does not employ artificial intelligence to build games, artwork, or creative assets, nor will it knowingly permit vendors to do so on its behalf. In follow-up statements, Sween accepted responsibility for the oversight, noting that the internal team failed to catch the errors before publication and cannot simply shift the blame entirely onto external collaborators.
Review Overhauls and Community Creator Strategy
According to GamesIndustry.biz, in response to the controversy, Jagex announced an immediate overhaul of its asset review procedures following RuneFest. The studio intends to shift away from traditional outsourced pipelines by commissioning community creators directly to ensure upcoming promotional materials reflect the standards expected for major updates like Dragon Slayer 2.
While official uploads of the contested video have been scrubbed, archival footage remains accessible via the complete RuneFest 2026 livestream broadcast. Meanwhile, development continues on broader studio initiatives, including the upcoming RuneScape 4 project and an animated adaptation being produced in collaboration with content creator MoistCr1tikal.
Concerns about generative AI have arisen through trusted partners in quick succession, following a previous incident involving 100 Thieves.
Why disclosure matters in a game trailer
Players may object to generated art for reasons that extend beyond visual quality: authorship, training-data concerns and whether a trailer accurately represents work produced by the game's artists. Removing a trailer after criticism is a meaningful response, but it does not by itself explain which assets were generated or what production policy will apply in future. Developers can rebuild confidence through a clear account of the material used, the approval process and whether replacement footage comes from the actual game. Reported backlash and the studio's confirmed action should remain distinct.