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Kotaku reports that several browser-based ports of older games, including Halo: Combat Evolved, Grand Theft Auto: Vice City and The Simpsons: Hit & Run, appeared to run well in its tests. The report attributes the recent surge in such projects to AI-assisted decompilation, but the ports’ origins, legal status and long-term availability remain unclear.
Browser-based ports of games including Halo: Combat Evolved, Grand Theft Auto: Vice City and The Simpsons: Hit & Run appeared to run well in tests described by Kotaku, drawing attention to the possible use of AI-assisted decompilation to recreate older games. The report says it tried several versions, but does not independently establish who made them or whether they were authorized by the games’ rights holders.
Kotaku said it played a number of browser ports linked in a post by the social media account Radiant Optimizer, which advertised games playable in a browser without installing them. The post, dated October 8, 2026, named titles including Halo and Skate 3; Kotaku also reported testing versions of Call of Duty: Black Ops, Halo: Combat Evolved, Vice City and Hit & Run. Its account describes some as running smoothly, but does not publish standardized performance tests or technical documentation.
The outlet reported that one of four Halo: Combat Evolved browser versions it tested had working online servers and low ping. It also said the Hit & Run port appeared to support a 240-frames-per-second target. These are observations from Kotaku’s testing, not independently verified performance benchmarks, and the report does not specify the test hardware, browser configuration or server operator.
Kotaku connected the projects to what it described as a recent increase in AI-assisted game decompilation, citing Claude Opus 5.5 as a tool that may make reconstruction faster. That explanation is the outlet’s account; the source material provides no confirmation from the developers of the browser ports, the AI provider or the game publishers that this model was used to create these specific versions.
Older Games Reach Browser Tabs
If browser ports of commercial games can be recreated and distributed quickly, they could make older titles easier to access without original hardware or a local installation. That possibility matters to players, but also to publishers whose copyrighted games and online services may be involved. The report does not establish whether these ports contain original assets, rely on user-provided game files, or use another technical approach.
The apparent ease of access also does not make a port lawful or authorized. Rights holders may seek to remove infringing projects, while repeated re-creations could complicate enforcement if the underlying process is widely available. Kotaku raised that prospect as a concern, rather than documenting a legal ruling or a specific enforcement action in response to these ports.
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AI Decompilation Claims in Context
Kotaku described a wave of AI-associated emulators, ports and game modifications appearing in the weeks before its report. It cited examples such as native-style ports of Fallout and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, as well as a Super Mario 64 and Elden Ring mash-up. The source material does not provide a complete list, independent technical verification or details about the creators behind those projects.
Decompilation generally refers to analyzing a compiled program to recover a representation of how it works. Kotaku contrasted AI-assisted efforts with manual work that it said could take months, and argued that older console games may be practical targets because they were designed for comparatively limited hardware. Its memory comparison—roughly 512 megabytes for the PlayStation 3 versus about 1,200 megabytes used by the reporter’s browser—is an illustrative comparison from the article, not a controlled measure of what a port requires.
““some of them seemed to be borderline flawless.””
— Kotaku report
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Port Origins and Permissions Unknown
The available reporting does not identify the people or groups who created the tested ports, document how each version was made, or confirm whether Claude Opus 5.5—or any AI system—was used for them. It is also unclear whether the games were hosted with rights-holder permission, whether players must supply game files, and how the reported online servers are operated.
No response from Microsoft, Take-Two Interactive or other relevant publishers is included in the source material, and it records no takedown notices or legal decisions relating to the specific ports. Performance may vary across browsers and devices; Kotaku’s descriptions do not establish that every listed game works reliably for every player.
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Publisher Responses and Port Availability
The next developments to watch are whether the browser versions remain accessible, whether their creators explain how they work, and whether rights holders ask platforms or hosts to remove them. The source material gives no timetable for any publisher response or formal investigation. Any claims about future takedowns, new versions or changes to the underlying AI tools should be treated as unconfirmed until reported by the parties involved.
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Key Questions
Which games did Kotaku say it tested?
Kotaku reported trying browser ports of Halo: Combat Evolved, Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, The Simpsons: Hit & Run, Call of Duty: Black Ops and Skate 3, among others mentioned in the report.
Did the ports work perfectly?
Kotaku said some seemed to run very well and described one Hit & Run version as targeting 240 frames per second. Those are the outlet’s observations, not independently verified benchmarks, and results may differ by version and device.
Is it confirmed that Claude Opus 5.5 made these ports?
No. Kotaku linked the broader increase in game decompilation projects to Claude Opus 5.5, but the source material does not confirm that the developers of these particular ports used it.
Are the browser ports authorized?
The report does not establish whether the versions were authorized by the games’ publishers or explain what files they require. Their legal status is not confirmed in the available source material.
Will the games remain available online?
That is unclear. Kotaku raised the possibility of takedowns but did not report a specific removal action or a confirmed plan from publishers.
Source: hn
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