Microsoft has released a browser-based, playable version of the classic video game Quake II as a demonstration of its Copilot AI’s gaming capabilities. The brief tech demo allows users to play a single level of the game for a few minutes before hitting a time limit. Microsoft clarified that the experience, while interactive, should be seen as playing an AI model rather than a fully developed game.
According to the company, the project leverages its Muse family of AI models, which can respond in real-time to keyboard or controller inputs, effectively simulating a playable environment. The researchers trained the model on a Quake II level — a property Microsoft owns through its acquisition of ZeniMax — and were able to mimic movements like jumping, crouching, and shooting, reminiscent of the original game.
However, Microsoft noted that the demo has limitations. Visual elements such as enemies appear fuzzy, health and damage stats can be inaccurate, and the AI struggles with object permanence. Objects disappear if not viewed for more than 0.9 seconds, leading to unexpected effects like teleporting or respawning enemies by briefly looking away.
Game designer Austin Walker criticized the project, saying it misrepresents how video games function at a core level. He argued that simply simulating parts of a game ignores the importance of the original code, design, and edge-case interactions that make games truly engaging. Walker emphasized that without preserving the full internal mechanics, such demos fall short of genuine game preservation.