Xbox presents Muse: AI for game creation

Microsoft announced the launch of Muse, a generative AI model for creating visual elements and gameplay. The project, trained on data from the little-known multiplayer game Bleeding Edge by Ninja Theory, became another step for the company in developing AI technologies.

The Xbox initiative emerged at an ambiguous moment for the industry. According to a recent State of the Industry survey covering 1500 developers, 30% of specialists have a negative attitude towards generative AI. Particular concern is raised by the potential replacement of creative processes with artificial intelligence.

However, Microsoft is not alone in its aspirations. Capcom recently announced plans to use generative AI at the idea generation stage, arguing that it can automate thousands of minor decisions in game development and free up time for creative aspects.

Fatima Kardar, Microsoft’s corporate vice president for gaming AI, emphasized “preservation” as a key aspect of Muse. According to her, the technology can make old games accessible to modern audiences without significant costs, regardless of hardware changes. However, today’s Muse demonstration did not confirm these claims.

For Microsoft, as a platform holder and one of the largest third-party publishers in the industry, solving the problem of growing game development complexity is becoming critically important. A telling example is the new Fable project from Xbox Games Studio, development of which began in 2018 and still has no announced release date.

Experts note that the introduction of Muse reflects a broader strategy by Microsoft under CEO Satya Nadella to integrate generative AI into all areas of the company’s activities. However, the question remains open whether the technology will actually accelerate game development and make it more efficient, or create new problems for the industry.