Bizarre experiment has real-life rats playing Doom for some reason

Rats are now learning how to play Doom. Not in theory. Not as a joke, but in a real experiment that has been running for years, and it has just taken a major step forward.

What started as a project to test an animal’s reaction to a virtual landscape has turned into one of the strangest Doom adaptations ever created, with rodents navigating levels, reacting to walls, and even firing weapons inside the game.

The experiment dates back to 2021 and is led by neuroengineer Viktor Tóth. The original goal was not to teach animals how to play video games, but to study how non-human brains interact with virtual environments and spatial feedback. Doom was chosen largely because of its simple visuals, clear movement rules, and well-documented modding tools, meaning even a rat could play.

Rats are now slaying in Doom

In the early version of the setup, rats were placed on top of a rotating ball that functioned like a treadmill. As the animal moved, the ball rotated beneath it, translating real-world motion into in-game movement. This allowed them to freely explore Doom’s levels as if they were walking through a physical space.

To encourage specific behaviors, the system rewarded desired movements with sweetened water. When a rat moved forward, turned correctly, or explored new areas, it received a small treat. Over time, the animals began to associate movement and exploration with positive feedback, leading to more deliberate navigation. The rats could even feel when they collided with walls through gentle air puffs directed at their snouts

The latest version of the experiment pushes things further. A new rig introduces tactile feedback and a firing mechanism that simulates combat. When activated, it fires the weapon in-game. This allows the rats to shoot enemies, although not with any understanding of what those enemies are.

Tóth has been clear that this is not about teaching rats how to beat Doom. The animals do not understand the game, the rules, or the concept of enemies. Instead, the project focuses on how brains adapt to virtual spaces, how sensory feedback influences learning, and how physical actions map to digital outcomes.