Clone of Old School RuneScape Quickly Shut Down Following Community Backlash
- A copy of Old School RuneScape called Elderwood was shut down shortly after its release.
- Developed by OpenAI employee Rohan Varma, it faced criticism for its similarities to the original game.
- Jagex issued a takedown notice leading to Elderwood’s discontinuation.
This week, a clone of Old School RuneScape named Elderwood surfaced online, triggering significant backlash from the RuneScape community. The browser-based game was developed by Rohan Varma, an employee at OpenAI, utilizing the GPT-6 Astra technology.
In a promotional video, which was also created using generative AI, Elderwood showcased gameplay elements reminiscent of Old School RuneScape. Players could create characters, spawn outside Lumbridge castle, and engage in activities such as battling giant rats and gathering resources, closely mimicking the original game.
As Varma shared updates about Elderwood on social media platform X, the RuneScape community reacted negatively. Criticism was prevalent in a Reddit thread, where users voiced their discontent over apparent art asset theft and the overall quality of the clone. User RangeCreed articulated the sentiment by stating, “What in the vibe coded shit is this. They even straight up ripped art assets shameless.” Other commenters echoed similar sentiments, with one user summarizing the situation as “tl;dr garbage.”
Despite an influx of players following the Reddit discussion, Elderwood was subject to updates aimed at enhancing content moderation and expanding the game world with two new areas, Varrock and Falador. However, the following day, the game was taken offline after Jagex issued a takedown notice. A farewell message on the Elderwood site indicated that it would no longer be operational, stating, “We received a notice from Jagex asking us to take down the website. Following that notice, we are discontinuing Elderwood’s operation, and the game is no longer available.”
The farewell message continued, expressing gratitude to players for their contributions, emphasizing the collaborative development approach: “Thank you to everyone who joined us… you made this a joy to build and a world worth sharing.”
Reactions continued on social media, with many RuneScape players criticizing the tone of the farewell message. One Reddit user questioned, “Why [are] they acting as if they had some glorious adventure and legacy to leave behind lol,” reflective of the community’s overall disdain toward the clone.
Concerns about generative AI’s impact on gaming persist within the RuneScape community, particularly regarding the potential for AI-operated bots, which have been an ongoing issue for developers and players alike.
For those interested in traditional gameplay, Jagex announced the release of two new quests in Old School RuneScape, including one themed around musical crabs and another involving the adoption of stray dogs. These new features highlight the appeal of the original game amidst the controversy surrounding Elderwood.
News Courtesy of Eurogamer
