Jagex Removes Dragon Slayer 2 Trailer After Generative AI Concerns

Jagex has removed a promotional trailer for RuneScape's Dragon Slayer 2 after players pointed to apparent generative AI imagery in the video. The studio has apologized, said it is urgently investigating what happened, and acknowledged that its process for reviewing work supplied by outside partners needs to change.

The trailer arrived alongside major RuneScape announcements at RuneFest, where Dragon Slayer 2 was confirmed as a forthcoming continuation of one of the MMO's most celebrated quest lines. Instead of allowing that news to stand on its own, the footage quickly became the focus of player criticism. Viewers highlighted visual details commonly associated with AI-generated images, including a knight depicted with six fingers and footwear that appeared to combine heavy armor plating with tennis-shoe-like styling.

Those details were particularly damaging because Jagex had previously adopted a public, firm position against using generative AI in player-facing creative work. The company now says the trailer was created by a trusted external partner that had explicitly said GenAI would not be part of the production.

Trailer Pulled as Jagex Begins an Investigation

In a message posted to the Old School RuneScape community, Jagex moderator Mod Sween said the team was aware of concerns surrounding the Dragon Slayer 2 trailer, had taken it down, and was investigating urgently. A matching clarification on Jagex's stance regarding generative AI was shared with the main RuneScape community by Mod Anvil.

For useful background on this topic, read Breath of the Wild Reportedly Runs in 4K on Jailbroken PS5, Sparking Switch 2 Debate.

Jagex did not attempt to argue that the images were being misread. Instead, the company directly addressed one of the most visible issues in the trailer.

"This trailer was produced by a trusted external partner who had explicitly confirmed that GenAI would not be used," Mod Sween said. "But, among other things, there's a sixth finger and, well, that's pretty hard to explain away. For that we apologise."

The response leaves an important unresolved question: how marketing for one of RuneScape's most high-profile annual events reached release without a closer creative review. Jagex has not detailed the approval chain behind the trailer, identified the partner involved, or said whether additional material from that partner is being examined. It has, however, framed the incident as a failure in its own processes rather than solely an issue caused by a contractor.

That distinction matters. Outsourcing promotional production is common across the games industry, but companies remain responsible for the material released under their brands. In this case, players were not merely objecting to an isolated visual oddity. They were responding to a perceived breach of a policy that Jagex had presented in unusually clear terms earlier in 2026.

A Previous Promise Put the Trailer Under Greater Scrutiny

In January 2026, Jagex product senior vice president James Dobrowski described the company's approach as a "hard line stance" on AI. He said that no generative AI would appear in assets a player could touch, hear, or feel. The statement established an expectation that the studio would keep GenAI out of the art, audio, and other creative material directly associated with the player experience.

Following the Dragon Slayer 2 reaction, Jagex reiterated that position. The company said it does not use generative AI to create its games, artwork, or creative assets, and that it will not knowingly permit its use on the company's behalf. At the same time, the studio conceded that the repeat nature of these concerns has exposed a weakness in how it handles external relationships.

"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," Jagex said.

The wording is notable because it recognizes that a policy is only as effective as the checks that support it. A partner's assurance may be part of a production agreement, but it does not replace review--especially in a context where the company has made a public commitment that many players regard as part of its creative identity.

For RuneScape, that identity carries extra weight. The game's visual history spans decades, from early web-era experimentation to modernized art and presentation, while its quests have cultivated a distinctive mixture of fantasy, humor, and player nostalgia. Dragon Slayer is not a minor name in that history. A sequel to its story naturally draws attention from longtime players, including those who have closely followed the parallel development of the original game and Old School RuneScape.

The Second Partner-Related AI Controversy in Days

The trailer controversy followed another recent dispute connected to RuneScape partnerships. Around RuneFest, esports organization 100 Thieves faced criticism over designs made for an Old School RuneScape collaboration. Players argued the artwork included AI-generated elements. On September 30, 100 Thieves acknowledged the criticism, saying that the design clearly included AI and that it had missed the issue.

Mod Sween also responded separately on September 30, expressing anger over the situation and saying Jagex would not have approved AI use in the designs. He said the company does not use generative AI to replace the artists and developers who make its games, does not use it in marketing materials, and would not use it in merchandise or allow it within partnerships.

That statement resurfaced quickly once the Dragon Slayer 2 trailer was shown. For players, the proximity of the two episodes made the later trailer difficult to view as an unrelated one-off. Some community members challenged the apparent contradiction between the earlier assurance and the footage shown at RuneFest.

Mod Sween responded bluntly to that criticism, saying he had not knowingly lied, that he felt awful, and that he understood why people would interpret the situation as they did. The answer does not erase the frustration, but it does clarify Jagex's stated position: staff members say they were not knowingly approving GenAI content and believe partner disclosures failed them.

Still, the controversy has moved past the question of whether the studio intended to use AI. The practical concern for players is whether Jagex can reliably detect it before material is published. Its latest statement suggests it understands that concern.

Jagex Plans New Review Steps and a Community-Creator Push

Jagex says it will overhaul its review processes immediately following RuneFest. The company also plans to work with and commission creators from the RuneScape community so that Dragon Slayer II can be presented at a standard the update deserves.

The language indicates that the trailer will not simply return unchanged. No new version has been dated, and Jagex has not confirmed when promotional material for Dragon Slayer 2 will be republished. It is also not yet clear whether the replacement will use animation, illustrated work, in-game footage, or another format.

Bringing in community creators could be a meaningful gesture if it is paired with a clearer approval structure. RuneScape has a long-standing ecosystem of fan artists, video makers, lore enthusiasts, and creators with a detailed understanding of the world's tone. A campaign shaped with those contributors may help restore confidence, but players will likely look for more than a new trailer. They will want evidence that the internal process behind it has changed.

• Jagex has removed the existing Dragon Slayer 2 trailer.
• The studio says a trusted external partner had confirmed that it would not use GenAI.
• Visible imagery in the trailer, including a six-fingered character, led to the backlash.
• Jagex says it is urgently investigating and revising how it reviews outside work.
• A replacement trailer has not received a release date.

Questions Spread to Other RuneScape Promotional Material

The fallout has also encouraged players to scrutinize other recent RuneScape announcements and videos. Comments on the reveal for Temple of Ah Za Rhoon, for example, have questioned whether any AI tools were involved in that material. No confirmation has been provided that the Temple of Ah Za Rhoon reveal used generative AI, but the suspicion reflects how quickly trust can erode once an obvious problem reaches a major presentation.

That broader uncertainty arrives during a busy period for the franchise. Alongside new quest content, Jagex is developing a new RuneScape MMO, currently referred to as RuneScape 4, built in Unreal Engine. The scale of those plans makes consistency in public-facing communication especially important. Every trailer, collaboration, merchandise design, and social campaign has the potential to be treated as a test of the company's stated standards.

There is also a difference between a company saying it has a policy and demonstrating that policy under pressure. Jagex has been explicit that it does not want GenAI replacing artists and developers, and it has now accepted responsibility for shortcomings involving third parties. Its next steps--how it vets vendors, whether it establishes concrete review requirements, and how openly it communicates corrections--will determine whether that commitment feels dependable to the RuneScape community.

For now, Dragon Slayer 2 remains a significant upcoming RuneScape quest without the trailer intended to introduce it. The original video has been removed, an investigation is underway, and Jagex has promised a different approach to telling the sequel's story. Given the history attached to Dragon Slayer and the intensity of the reaction, the eventual replacement will be judged not only as marketing for a quest, but as proof that the studio has learned from two partner-related controversies in rapid succession.