Microsoft’s new Xbox Labs will explore using AI to port classic games to new platforms.
Enthusiasts already use AI to analyze and decompile old game code, enabling ports to PC, macOS and browsers.
A browser-based Halo recreation is one example.
Microsoft says it wants creators to explore these technologies rather than block them.
How did the idea come about?
In recent years, many video game enthusiasts have been using artificial intelligence tools to "read" the code of old titles. In this way, they are able to adapt them to run on computers, Apple devices, or even directly through a web browser. Typical examples of this work are the ability to play Halo through a browser, but also experiments where elements from different games are combined.
Rather than trying to stop these actions, Microsoft has chosen to take a different approach. The company says it wants to encourage creators to explore these technologies, rather than shut them out.
The next steps
Xbox Labs is in its early stages and has yet to unveil a specific product. The division is housed on the labs.xbox.com website, where users can sign up. By signing up, interested parties will receive updates on future experiments the team will conduct.
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