Jagex overhauls vendor review process as GenAI leaks through trusted partner twice
Summary
Jagex pulled a RuneFest trailer for RuneScape 3's Dragon Slayer 2 quest after fans spotted GenAI artifacts.
Flagged elements included a six-fingered hand and fantasy Air Jordan boots.
The external partner had explicitly confirmed GenAI would not be used, Jagex said.
This marks the second GenAI leak through a trusted partner in quick succession, following a 100 Thieves collaboration.
"That highlights an issue with our own processes which we must address."
01
Vendor assurances fail twice despite explicit no-GenAI terms
Jagex stated its external partner had explicitly confirmed GenAI would not be used in the trailer.
The output still contained visible GenAI artifacts, prompting removal and an investigation.
Jagex named a second, separate incident months earlier involving GenAI in 100 Thieves branded designs.
Jagex said it would not have approved AI use in either case.
02
Pre-existing audit commitment did not catch the leak
Jagex SVP of product James Dobrowski told GamesIndustry.biz earlier this year that Jagex audits external partners for inappropriate AI use.
Dobrowski described ongoing conversations with partners to ensure no GenAI filters into end-game assets or marketing.
The Dragon Slayer 2 trailer passed through Jagex's process and reached public RuneFest display before detection relied on community callouts.
Reddit users, not Jagex's internal review, first identified the six-fingered hand and the GenAI boots.
03
Response adds process overhaul and in-house creator sourcing
Jagex said it is overhauling its review processes immediately following RuneFest.
Jagex will commission community creators to produce future Dragon Slayer 2 content instead of relying solely on external partners.
Jagex reiterated a standing commitment that no generative AI will appear in any asset a player can touch, hear or feel.
The company confines permitted AI use to internal tooling efficiency, not creative or player-facing output.
What this means
For Publishers & Developers: Require process evidence like layered source files and WIP captures from art vendors before sign-off.
For Service Vendors: Pitch auditable human-only pipelines with provenance documentation to no-AI publishers revising vendor reviews.
For UA & Marketing: Add pre-launch AI-artifact screening of partner creatives to every trailer and campaign checklist.
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