Long-running MMORPG RuneScape has a strict “No AI” policy. Earlier this year, the studio promised that “no generative AI will ever be present in any asset” of the MMO, but a recent trailer unfortunately showed definitive usage of the controversial technology, although this wasn’t Jagex’s fault.

During the MMO’s annual RuneFest celebration, a trailer for the game’s upcoming Dragon Slayer 2 quest was shown. In this trailer, fans noticed that there were noticeable generated pieces of artwork, including a player character with six fingers and modern trainers.

It didn’t take long for fans to notice, and Jagex eventually pulled the trailer from all social media platforms. In a statement to fans on the 2007scape forums, Alec ‘Mod Sween’ Sween popped up to explain that Jagex was not involved in the creation of the trailer, and specifically forbade the use of GenAI when commissioning it.

“This trailer was produced by a trusted external partner who had explicitly confirmed that GenAI would not be used,” the moderator told upset fans. “But, among other things, there’s a sixth finger and, well, that’s pretty hard to explain away. For that we apologise.”

This isn’t the first issue that Jagex has been involved with concerning Generative AI. Last month, clothing brand 100 Thieves was caught using the technology in a collaboration with Runescape who admitted that Jagex “would not have approved of the use of AI in this” after being called out by fans on social media.

In their statement to fans, Sween continued to explain that Jagex is firmly against the use of Generative AI, and it will not be publishing content knowingly made using the technology. While the studio has now been duped multiple times, it will not be using the tech to create its games, including the newly-announced RuneScape 4.

“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,” Sween said. “This is the second time in quick succession that concerns about generative AI have arisen through partners we trusted, and for us that highlights an issue with our own processes which we must address.”

After being hit with two AI controversies in a row, Jagex is now changing how it approaches third-party partnerships. For Dragon Slayer 2, the studio is now looking to “work with and commission creators from the community” to ensure that no Generative AI touches the special quest, and the studio is “overhauling” its processes to make sure that third parties don’t muddy the brand with more AI.

Similarly to Games Workshop, the company behind Warhammer 40,000, Jagex is one of the loudest anti-AI studios around. Games Workshop has enforced a blanket No AI ban on any third-party working with its iconic IP as well as internally as the company strives to “respect our human creators” in the face of AI.

Hopefully, this will be the last instance of Generative AI to stain the RuneScape brand as Jagex continues to work on the future of the franchise.