RuneScape Generative AI Copycat Shut Down Following Notice From Jagex

A generative artificial intelligence clone of Old School RuneScape that appeared online sparked immediate backlash from the community and has now been shut down. The project, named Elderwood, was created by OpenAI employee Rohan Varma using GPT-6 Astra and was playable directly in a web browser. Promotional videos shared on X showed a character spawning outside Lumbridge castle with basic tools and bread, fighting giant rats, and chopping trees. The project bore a heavy visual and asset resemblance to Old School RuneScape.

As Varma shared development progress, the posts caught the attention of players on the 2007scape Reddit board. Members of the community strongly criticized the project. Users accused the creator of shamelessly ripping art assets, while others dismissed the experiment. Following the Reddit thread, player traffic spiked. The creator updated Elderwood with content moderation features alongside additional areas from the game, including Varrock and Falador.

The operation was short-lived. Jagex issued a notice to take down the website, leading to the immediate discontinuation of the project. A farewell message posted in place of the game confirmed that operations were halted following the notice from Jagex, though high scores were kept online as a record. RuneScape players quickly scrutinized the farewell statement on social media, mocking the dramatic tone of a project that existed for only a few days.

The intense community reaction stems from both the direct asset copying and broader tensions surrounding artificial intelligence. RuneScape players and developers have battled long-term botting issues, and the rise of autonomous AI agents poses additional concerns for the game ecosystem. Players looking for genuine content can turn to official updates, as Jagex recently released two new quests for Old School RuneScape, including an adventure involving musical crabs and a quest allowing players to adopt stray dogs.