Need a coach to boost your gaming skills without leaving your chair? Meet Razer’s Project AVA—your in-game copilot.
So, you’ve been itching to level up your gaming skills—whether it’s playing with friends or maybe even diving into esports down the road. But right now, you just want to get better, and you’re thinking about taking classes to speed up the process. Well, that might not be the best route. If you’re worried about struggling without the right help, there’s some good news. Razer is rolling out the Razer AVA Project at CES 2025. It’s an “AI gaming copilot” that gives you real-time, pro-level tips as you play.
If you’re looking to improve with live advice and post-match coaching, AVA might be just what you need. But, like anything, it’s not without a bit of controversy. Want to tap into the wisdom of the gaming community? Let’s dive into all the juicy details!
Live strategy suggestions
Sometimes, games can get too complicated, especially if you’re trying to tackle them on harder settings. I end up ditching a lot of the popular ones because of that. Searching on YouTube usually leads me to incredible gameplay clips, but they’re often silent with no helpful commentary. Even when they claim to offer tips, they barely explain the mechanics. Sure, you might think Reddit could help. But what if the puzzle you’re trying to solve is super specific and no one’s written a guide for it yet? That’s where Razer’s Project AVA steps in—a gaming assistant designed to give you real-time, pro-level advice.
You can interact with Project AVA however it works best for you. Take a break and pull her up, listen through your headset while you’re in the thick of things, or stick with a simple chatbox. She’s flexible and ready to help whenever you need her.
“By analyzing millions of simulations within seconds, I’ll always have an answer to your toughest gaming challenges,” a Razer promotional video claims.
For example, in “Black Myth: Wukong,” the Razer Project AVA gave the following tips:
- “Get ready to dodge when he spins or when his blade glows with an orange tinge.”
- “Watch for his combos; they can sting if you’re not careful.”
- “Remember to dodge when he leaps up.”
- “Keep a close eye on his health; once you shave off about 10 to 20% of his HP, it’s time for your dodge fingers to get busy.”
After-play review
After the match, AVA keeps acting like a coach, offering replays, tips, and feedback to help you improve your game.
But how does Ava make sure it’s not just giving shallow advice that experienced players might brush off? Project AVA stands out by offering “customized interaction levels based on individual player skills”. It uses vision analysis to watch gameplay like a human and, with Razer’s AI cognition, makes personalized recommendations, unlike other coaches that rely on public data.
Getting direct feedback from an expert is super helpful. In gaming, it’s all about learning and repeating patterns. There’s always an “ideal” way to play, so it’s about figuring out the right strategies for your game. Watching replays lets you spot mistakes, and an AI coach can give you objective feedback on what you might be missing.
Food for thought
If players use Project AVA during an online multiplayer game, especially in tournament settings, some might consider it cheating. Razer claims the AI gamer copilot is meant to be a coach and trainer, not a tool for unfairly beating others. Still, I’m not totally buying into it.
There’s been a lot of talk about how female voice assistants reinforce harmful gender stereotypes. Razer’s global marketing director David Ng confirmed they’ll offer different voices in the future, according to The Verge. If you’re interested in exploring sexist patterns in games, I recommend checking out the “Tropes vs. Women in Video Games” series.
Another concern is whether Razer pays or credits content creators for the guides that help train the AI gamer assistant. AI companies typically keep their training data under wraps. But, a recent investigation by Proof News revealed that major companies like Apple, Nvidia, and Anthropic have used creators’ content without permission, despite YouTube’s rules against that.
Razer Project AVA: What’s coming up?
Project Ava is still just an idea for now, but Razer plans to announce a beta version sometime in 2025.
Unlike some of Razer’s other concepts that might not become actual products, it looks like the company is serious about AVA and sees an AI gamer assistant as a potential business move. In fact, a survey of US gamers in August 2024 revealed that about 25% of those who play PC or console games would be open to AI “personalized tips or gameplay improvements based on player data.” So, while AVA could be a game-changer for those looking to improve, it’ll be interesting to see how it evolves and tackles any challenges that come its way.