It is widely acknowledged that the use of generative AI in gaming has serious drawbacks. This technology not only threatens employment opportunities for humans but also stands against the core principle of art as a form of personal expression. Furthermore, its environmental impact raises significant concerns. However, even if one can overlook these substantial ethical issues, Microsoft’s latest AI-driven Quake 2 demonstration, which is part of the broader Copilot Gaming Experiences initiative, illustrates that the technology still lacks refinement when assessed from a gameplay standpoint.
When I initiated this web-based experience, I had uncertain expectations. Microsoft describes it as providing an early glimpse of how generative AI can replicate interactive gameplay. What I encountered, however, were vague, amorphous settings and enemies that bizarrely dissolved as I moved past them, all while being limited to WASD controls. The experience left me feeling almost nauseous, possibly due to the horrible frame rate or the previously mentioned shapeless graphics.
Honestly, it’s difficult to find more to say about this. The experience was subpar—not only from an ethical perspective, which it fails spectacularly at, but also as a tech demonstration, an interactive experience, and as a game overall. I have no desire to engage with anything like it again. Microsoft claims, “By generating gameplay in real-time, the underlying Muse shows how classic games like Quake II can be reimagined through modern AI techniques.” Yet, if this is a glimpse into the future of AI-generated gaming, it feels as if this reveal should be sealed off entirely, like a quarantine zone protecting us from a potential disaster. Simply put, Microsoft, this misses the mark on every level.
It’s time to choose a title from our selection of the best PC games to help forget about that unsettling “experience.”