Jagex, the developer behind RuneScape, has pulled a newly released trailer for RuneScape 3's Dragon Slayer 2 quest following a strong backlash from players who believe generative AI was used in its creation. The concerns were amplified by a visual anomaly within the trailer: a knight with six fingers.
Social media users voiced their unease over the weekend, prompting Jagex to issue a statement and remove the trailer for an urgent investigation. Alex Sween, social media manager for Jagex, addressed the issue on Reddit, acknowledging the validity of some concerns. "We’re aware of the concerns raised about the Dragon Slayer 2 trailer and have taken it down, while we investigate urgently," Sween stated. "This trailer was produced by a trusted external partner who had explicitly confirmed that GenAI would not be used. But, among other things, there’s a sixth finger and, well, that’s pretty hard to explain away. For that we apologise."
While the official upload of the trailer has been removed, it remains accessible via the full RuneFest 2026 livestream. The incident marks a second instance of AI-related controversy for Jagex this year, following a previous situation involving the esports organization 100 Thieves and Old School RuneScape. Jagex has previously maintained a firm stance against the use of generative AI in its game assets.
In response to the incident, Jagex plans to overhaul its review processes for commissioned content. "Immediately following RuneFest we’re overhauling our review processes," the statement read, "and we’re going to work with and commission creators from the community to make sure that the story of Dragon Slayer 2 is told to the standard befitting of such an update."
Adding to the visual oddities noted by fans was an image of a fully armored knight appearing to wear modern sneakers. Sween acknowledged these issues, stating that Jagex "didn't do well enough and can't simply place the blame elsewhere." The developer is reportedly working on other new projects, including RuneScape 4 and an animated adaptation with YouTuber MoistCr1tikal.