Quake 2 / Microsoft Copilot
Microsoft has unexpectedly revived Quake 2 (1997), but it’s not a remaster or remake — all the work was done with the help of Copilot artificial intelligence.
Yes, you read that right. You will be able to run the same Quake 2 released in 1997 directly in a browser without an engine or classic code. Of course, this is not Doom, which run on intestinal bacteria or clock. It was not enthusiasts who made all the magic here, but Copilot, Muse AI, and generative AI, which not everyone liked.
«In this real-time tech demo, Copilot dynamically generates gameplay sequences inspired by the classic game Quake 2. Enjoy the experience, share your thoughts, and help shape the future of AI-powered gameplay experiences», — writes Microsoft.
You can open Quake 2 on the website Copilot Gaming Experience with an easy confirmation that you are an adult. That’s all: the game runs right in the browser window and is supported in Chrome and Firefox. The graphics are 640×360, the frame rate is about 15 frames per second, and it is not always stable. Everything you see is generated by AI in real time.
Every action — every turn, shot, or movement — provokes Muse AI to create the next moment of the game. That is, there is no engine as such, only a model that simulates the gameplay in real time.
«This bite-sized demo pulls you into an interactive space inspired by Quake II, where AI crafts immersive visuals and responsive action on the fly», — the company says.
After The Game Awards executive producer Jeff Kaley shared a video of the demo Xcomments came from all sides.
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
Many users are outraged that the future of gaming is even more threatened. Both the quality of such games and their originality are in question.
«Man, I don’t want the future of games to be AI-generated slop. There will be a point where it will be easier to use AI, and then all the greedy studios will do it exclusively. The human element will be removed. And the worst part is gamers will buy it. They buy skins for $100. They will buy whatever you sell them», — writes one of the users Reddit.
Other, he added that it seems Microsoft wants to «create a whole catalog of games that use this new AI model». Although, it is unclear whether the AI will be able to come up with an original game.
This is not the first attempt to create something based on AI in gaming. Let’s go back to Doom, which in 2023 Google showed in real time via GameNGen. Activision is already using generative AI for some of its assets in Black Ops 6. Keywords Studios also tried to make a game entirely generated by AI — and failed. The developers recognized that AI cannot replace talent.
For now, this version of Quake 2 — is just a demo. You can’t play through it all the way through because the game has a limited time limit. But you can restart it as many times as you want, so it’s a concept rather than a real product. But Microsoft is already talking about plans to make full-fledged games with Muse AI.