Character AI, a dynamic startup enabling users to interact with AI-powered characters, has begun testing new games on its desktop and mobile web applications. This move aims to boost user engagement and expand the platform’s entertainment value.
These games are currently available to Character AI’s premium subscribers and a limited group of free-plan users. The company has launched two initial games, Speakeasy and War of Words, in this rollout.
To access the games, users simply navigate to any AI character they are chatting with and click on the newly added controller icon. This action prompts a pop-up, allowing users to begin a fresh game chat without affecting their existing conversation history.
In Speakeasy, users must coax the AI to say a specific word while avoiding five pre-listed terms. For example, the goal could be to make the AI say “croissant” without mentioning “pastry,” “butter,” “bake,” “French,” or “flaky.” Meanwhile, War of Words involves a competitive duel with the AI, judged by an AI referee, across five rounds to determine the winner.
Character AI describes this development as a way to enrich its service with more entertainment-focused features.
“Our mission as an AI entertainment company is to make the Character AI experience as engaging and enjoyable as possible,” a company spokesperson shared with TechCrunch. “We’re currently testing gameplay features that allow users to interact with their favorite characters in new, exciting ways while preserving the immersive experience they’ve come to love.”
While users already create their own text-based games, such as Space Adventure Game, this initiative represents Character AI’s foray into providing its proprietary games to the platform.
This feature comes amidst significant leadership changes. Co-founders Noam Shazeer and Daniel De Freitas departed for Google, leaving the company under interim CEO Dominic Perella, previously the company’s general counsel. Character AI also onboarded a YouTube executive as Chief Product Officer.
In December, Perella emphasized the platform’s position as an entertainment-focused company. The introduction of games aligns with this vision, moving away from AI companionship to offer a more holistic entertainment ecosystem.
“Unlike other platforms prioritizing AI companionship, we aim to craft a robust entertainment platform,” Perella said. “This involves evolving our safety measures and fostering creativity where users can build and share stories.”
Drawing inspiration from platforms like YouTube, LinkedIn, and Netflix that integrate games to retain users, Character AI seems to be adopting a similar strategy. Analytics from Sensor Tower show the platform’s users spend an average of 98 minutes daily on the app.
In response to past legal challenges, the company recently introduced enhanced safety tools for teens. These include clearer disclaimers indicating AI characters are not real and time-out notifications for users exceeding 60 minutes of app activity.
