Xbox's New AI Found Another Use For This Long-Abandoned Game

Microsoft and Xbox have revealed their new generative AI model, Muse, which is the world's first World and Human Action Model (WHAM). Muse's stated purpose is to help out studios by generating gameplay during the development process. Microsoft also claimed the technology might be capable of preserving long-unplayable games on obsolete systems.

It was trained using developer Ninja Theory's now-dormant and abandoned Bleeding Edge game. The developer dropped support for the game back in 2021 to focus on newer projects. Ninja Theory partnered up with Microsoft Research due to their close proximity to each other in Cambridge, England. Muse used Bleeding Edge to learn about game physics and reactions to players' controller actions.

According to Xbox, Muse is used for gameplay ideation, and it's already being used to develop a real-time playable AI model trained on other first-party games. Xbox also mentioned how Muse could possibly take older games lost to time and older hardware from its first-party portfolio and optimize them.

Additionally, Xbox claimed that Muse would help teams prototype new gameplay experiences during development and introduce new content. Xbox noted that it's up to its studios whether to participate in the use of generative AI based on their goals and vision, and acknowledged that AI won't be the single solution for every project.

For Ninja Theory, studio head Dom Matthews said, "It's not about using AI to generate content, but it's actually about creating workflow and approaches that allow our team here of 100 creative experts to do more."

The subject of AI still remains controversial. A recent study showed that a majority of game studios already use generative AI, but workers are concerned about how AI could impact their roles. EA CEO Andrew Wilson and Microsoft president Brad Smith have said that the rise of AI would displace workers in the short term but lead to more opportunities in the long term. (Although not tied directly to AI, Microsoft laid off more than 2,500 individuals in gaming roles last year.) Video game voice actors have also gone on strike due to concerns about AI.