Activision is remaking Warzone's Caldera map open source (hooray!) but says it's to help train the AI ​​(bad news)

Hardened battle royalists will remember Caldera, the sandy island map of bunkers and palm trees from Call Of Duty: Warzone. It was shut down last year as Activision focused its efforts elsewhere, rendering the map unplayable. But now you can revisit those bullet-riddled beaches. At least in theory. Activision has released it as a 4GB open-source project that can be explored in its 3D model viewing tool. That’s great. But their reasoning for doing so is predictably dirty: They want humans to use data to train AI.

“Open source assets like Caldera play a vital role in the advancement of AI,” Activision wrote in a post accompanying the map files. “By providing a rich and diverse environment, we're making it easier to train AI models and improving the industry's understanding of complex geometries and interactions. This can lead to smarter systems and pave the way for the next generation of gaming and simulation technologies.”

It's easy to read this and assume that this is Activision's way of saying “hey, level designers, your jobs aren't safe either.” The data they released also includes logs of the paths players took around the island. This information is often critical to designers of such large landmasses.

Whatever the company’s motivation, it’s sure to stir up mixed feelings in game development circles. Releasing something open source is generally seen as a virtuous act in software development, as it has benefits that extend beyond profit margins. But suggesting that your open source offering be used to train machines that replace paid human craft and artistry poisons that virtue somewhat. But Activision doesn’t seem to mind.

“In an era where the evolution of AI training and authoring tools is paramount, the availability of production-proven maps is vital,” they say. “This is about collaborating with the gaming and research community to create a foundation for responsible innovation and learning across the industry.”

Perhaps I’m being overly concerned. Yes, we can assume Activision will want to further automate processes that involve humans, but it’s not clear that the data will be as useful to AI researchers as they hope. For example, this enthusiasm comes at a time when investors are beginning to realize that the billions of dollars being invested in AI may not be profitable. “Despite its hefty price tag, the technology is nowhere near where it needs to be to be useful,” one Goldman Sachs analyst said.

Caldera’s map data is available on Github and is designed to be opened and viewed with a tool called USDView . Ignoring the AI-induced stench, I think it’s great that normal people with some technical knowledge can fly around maps like this and drink it all in with nostalgia. I’ve done the same with old Halo 2 maps, and I’ve enjoyed browsing through browser-based toys like noclip.website , which lets you explore maps from Dark Souls, Banjo-Kazooie, and The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. Its explosive sequel, Warzone 2, is one of our best battle royale games, so there’s a good chance someone will get the same curious pleasure from flying around Caldera.

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