Microsoft has released an AI-generated, browser-based version of the classic first-person shooter Quake II. The demo is available to play for free online, where users can enjoy for a few minutes.
The demo was created using Muse, a family of generative AI models for video games. It allows the user to use their keyboard or controller to interact with the model and immediately observe the effects of these actions instantly. According to Microsoft researchers, this essentially lets the users play inside the model.
Microsoft has created an AI-generated replica of Quake II that you can play in browser.
"Every frame is created on the fly by an AI world model."
Play it here:https://t.co/WGQymDOmsj pic.twitter.com/35MX5aHPbF
— Geoff Keighley (@geoffkeighley) April 5, 2025
To create the demo, Muse was trained on a single level of Quake II. The researchers reportedly used one week’s worth of data to train the model. The resulting demo allows users to move around the level, jump, crouch, shoot, and blow up barrels like in the actual game.
However, this AI version of the game has its shortcomings, which the researchers also acknowledged. The model struggles to keep the environment consistent as it will forget about objects that remain out of the player’s view for longer than 0.9 seconds. This means that enemies can be spawned or defeated simply by looking in one direction for one second and then looking in a different direction. The player can also teleport in this manner.
Another limitation is in relation to enemy interaction. Enemies appear fuzzy on the screen, and combats are inaccurate or even outright incorrect as the model seemingly cannot keep track of the damage dealt.
While the researchers said the model’s shortcomings can become a source of fun, not everyone has a positive outlook on the demo. Writer and game designer Austin Walker shared his experience on Bluesky, in which he spent most of the time in a dark corner. YouTuber Famix claimed the demo made him motion sick and argued that the teleporting enemies made the game unsatisfying. However, the researchers clarified that the model was not intended to replicate the actual experience of playing the game and was meant to be an exploration of what could be created with the existing AI models.
(Source: Microsoft, TechCrunch)
