Microsoft’s AI-generated Quake II redefines game preservation without original code

Microsoft‘s AI-generated version of Quake II represents a significant shift in how classic games could be preserved and reimagined through artificial intelligence. By leveraging its Muse AI model to create a playable version that doesn’t require the original code or hardware, Microsoft demonstrates both the creative potential of generative AI in gaming and raises important questions about the technology’s impact on game developers and the industry’s future.

The big picture: Microsoft has launched a free browser-based version of ’90s classic Quake II that’s completely generated by AI rather than running on the original game engine.

• The game is powered by Microsoft’s Muse AI model, which was trained on data from humans playing games, including “more than 1 billion images and controller actions.”
• Unlike traditional games with preset locations and enemies, this AI version generates content dynamically based on the style and content of the original Quake II.

Key details: The new game features notable technical limitations compared to modern gaming experiences.

• The browser-based version has capped resolution, slow and laggy controls by modern standards, and appears to limit how long players can use it.
• Microsoft developed the Muse AI model in partnership with UK-based game studio Ninja Theory to assist video game developers.

Why this matters: Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer has highlighted AI’s potential to preserve classic games that might otherwise become lost media or fade into obscurity.

• Spencer noted that these AI models can “learn completely how a game plays without the necessity of the original engine running on the original hardware,” creating “a ton of opportunity” for game preservation.

Industry implications: The gaming sector’s long-term reaction to AI-generated games remains uncertain amid broader concerns about creative compensation.

• Creative professionals in music, visual art, and fiction have already voiced concerns about AI potentially depriving them of deserved revenue.
• The video game industry has recently experienced significant layoffs, including within Microsoft’s own gaming division, raising questions about how AI might further impact game development jobs.

Competitive landscape: Multiple tech companies are exploring AI-generated gaming as a potential growth area.

• Google previously showcased an AI-generated simulation of the iconic ’90s shooter Doom that, like Microsoft’s effort, didn’t rely on the original game’s code.
• Startup Virtual Protocols demonstrated a text-to-video-powered version of 1985’s Super Mario in September 2024.