Developer Rohan Varma gave the neural network the task of “making RuneScape” and received a working multiplayer game that runs directly in the browser. The experiment went beyond a technical demonstration and attracted thousands of players in the first 24 hours.
The project was named Elderwood Realms and created using GPT-6 Astra in the Codex environment. It’s based on Old School RuneScape, including recognizable locations and skill systems from Jagex’s MMO studio, which has been running for over two decades.
Interestingly, the clone actually takes RuneScape back to its roots. The original started more than 25 years ago as a browser game in Java, but over time Jagex abandoned browser support in favor of its own client and version on Steam.
According to Varma, he asked GPT-6 Astra at Codex to build RuneScape and deploy the result to the ChatGPT Site. The result is a “fan prototype” that places players in a recreated Lumbridge with support for online play.
Playability is extremely conditional. The clone often produces connection errors, iconic landmarks like Varrock and Falador are located completely differently than in the original, and textures are practically absent.
Varma said that in the first 24 hours, 3,000 accounts were registered in the game, and in total users spent more than 1,000 hours in it. The similarities to Old School RuneScape were quickly noticed by the original game’s community.
On profile a post appeared on the OSRS subreddit calling on Jagex to send letters demanding it stop infringing. Players were outraged by the use of recognizable elements of the original in the AI-generated copy.
Varma himself responded to the criticism and admitted that after Elderwood Realms “accidentally went viral on the OSRS subreddit,” the influx of players only grew. This did not stop development: Codex later added Varrok and Falador, a quest system for leveling up skills, and a duel mode.
The Jagex Rules expressly state that RuneScape, Old School RuneScape and related materials are protected by intellectual property rights. It is specifically prohibited to create alternative ways to play studio products, including:
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third party replacement clients
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modified clients
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server emulators
At the same time, Elderwood Realms positions itself as a fan prototype, and not as a client for access to RuneScape itself. Jagex had not publicly announced any action against the clone at the time of publication.
Game remains accessible in the browserand Varma notes that Astra continues to work on optimizing performance and expanding game mechanics.
