They are called AI companions, and they help gamers by understanding spoken language, recognizing scenes, and by providing useful feedback in first person shooters. The first AI companion, F.A.C.U.L., was demonstrated last year.

When F.A.C.U.L., the first AI companion in a first person shooter (FPS) that can understand human language, was unveiled in Arena Breakout last year, it made a big splash. It demonstrated how the cutting edge technology could enable a new breed of AI companions, which create compelling new experiences for gamers.

Elvis Liu, principal engineer and Al team lead at MoreFun Studios, Tencent Games, shares his thoughts on where this technology is headed, and the impact it could have on the video games sector.

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Picture this: you’re pinned down in an intense firefight in your favorite first-person shooter (FPS) game. Instead of fumbling with hotkeys or yelling at an unresponsive NPC, you simply say: “take cover behind the red truck and lay down suppressive fire.” Within seconds, your AI companion moves with precision, executing your command like a seasoned human teammate to help rather than hinder your progress.

F.A.C.U.L.: an AI companion that thinks like a teammate

Welcome to the world of F.A.C.U.L.—FPS AI Companion who Understands Language—a groundbreaking AI system that’s redefining how we play FPS games. Developed by MoreFun Studios, F.A.C.U.L. combines real-time voice generation, scene recognition, and advanced generative AI technologies to create in-game allies that actually think.

It’s a far cry from the earliest, most basic iterations of AI in games like Pac-Man, the hit 1980s ghost-munching arcade favorite where each ghost followed set paths to create strategic tension for the player. In the 1990s, games like Creatures pushed the concept further, enabling virtual lifeforms to learn and adapt based on their environment and interactions. In the modern era, open-world games have taken AI to new heights, populating their environments with non-player characters (NPCs) that follow routines, respond to player behavior, and help create immersive, living worlds.

Despite such progress, however, the abilities of AI companions in FPS games have remained limited. As players, we’re left issuing the same rigid commands– “follow me,” “hold position,” “attack”—with no nuance or real-time adaptation. Critically, these AI companions lack any real understanding of their surroundings, limiting their value to players.

This is where F.A.C.U.L. comes in. Unlike traditional scripted AI, F.A.C.U.L. interprets intent, processes spoken commands, and reacts intelligently based on what’s happening in the game.

These assets spring to life in Arena Breakout: Infinite, the first FPS title to feature AI squad mates, where your companion’s actions can significantly aid your success.

Scene recognition is a game-changer

While voice control systems in FPS games have been tried before (eg. SOCOM’s early voice-based squad commands or Ready or Not’s mod-based solutions), they were limited by predefined phrases and lacked contextual understanding. F.A.C.U.L. changes the game by introducing intent recognition through large language models and advanced scene recognition.

When a player says: “flank left and cover me,” the AI doesn’t just match the words to a script. It evaluates the situation, understands obstacles, identifies threats, and executes a tactic based on real-time conditions. It knows the difference between a red truck and a blue sedan, a rooftop and a stairwell.

The technology behind F.A.C.U.L. allows it to identify and distinguish over 17,000 in-game objects, including vehicles, structures, and collectible items. It adapts to environmental cues rather than blindly following orders. Thanks to this spatial and contextual awareness, F.A.C.U.L. transforms voice commands from gimmicks into seamless, tactical gameplay mechanics. But most importantly – it has your back!

Why FPS and not another genre?

When the team at MoreFun Studios began exploring applications for their AI technology, they considered several genres: RPGs, tactical strategy games, open-world exploration. But FPS was the clear starting point.

Why? Because FPS games demand fast-paced, adaptive decision-making. Unlike other genres where AI companions follow static scripts, FPS allies must think on their feet and react to rapidly changing combat conditions. The absence of advanced AI teammates in FPS made it ripe for an upgrade.

F.A.C.U.L. not only enhances the player experience, it also opens new doors for developers through:

• • Adaptive difficulty scaling: squad mates that evolve based on your play style.
  • FPS+RTS modes: Each player leads a team of AI companions and competes against other players and their AI teammates in both action and strategy.

This isn’t only about improving existing capabilities, it’s about enabling entirely new types of gameplay.

The future of FPS and AI

The rise of AI innovation is transforming gaming, with intelligent NPCs leading the charge. In addition to enhancing player experiences with their dynamic, human-like interactions, these AI-driven characters unlock significant commercial potential, with F.A.C.U.L. being just the beginning.

In RPGs, players can potentially foster emotional connections with “living” characters. Versatile intelligent NPCs can serve as tactical mercenaries in action games, companions in JRPGs, or generals in strategy games.

The challenge is balancing immersion with performance, fairness, and cost. Developers must ensure that AI companions enhance gameplay without outshining or replacing human players. Above all, games have to remain fun. MoreFun Studios is already exploring optimizations to reduce computational load, making it scalable for mobile and console games alike.

Whether AI companions become trusted squad mates in high-stakes matches or if players will still prefer human teammates, however, remains the big question.

Let’s keep the conversation going. Are AI Companions the future of FPS gaming?