The world of Gielinor has made an unlikely crossover into mainstream pop culture, with Old School RuneScape appearing in the new music video for Phoebe Bridgers' single "Lost Boys." This marks a significant moment for the long-running MMORPG, as it's the first time the game has been featured in a music video by such a prominent artist.
The video integrates Old School RuneScape at the 1:29 mark, depicting a character playing the game during their shift at a petrol station. This particular gameplay footage was not filmed for the music video itself, but was sourced from Spoonkid's extensive YouTube video titled 'I played Old School RuneScape for 1,000 hours.' Spoonkid has since acknowledged the cameo on social media.
Within the narrative of the video, the player is interrupted by Phoebe Bridgers and her companions, who request that their hand be scanned with a price scanner. Following this peculiar interaction, the character returns home to gather equipment, including a pickaxe and a farming hoe, before joining Bridgers and her group in a fantastical, cosplay-like scenario. The player is eventually given a knight's helmet and experiences a dazzling light effect before the video concludes.
While the appearance is presented humorously, it serves as an unexpected and engaging placement for RuneScape. The game has had previous, albeit less prominent, multi-media nods, including a reference in the television show "White Collar." However, its inclusion in a contemporary music video highlights RuneScape's enduring presence and appeal nearly 25 years after its initial release.
It remains to be seen if this inclusion will lead to any direct acknowledgment within Old School RuneScape itself, similar to how Jagex previously incorporated a "White Collar" reference into the game. The developers and Bridgers' team have been contacted for comment.