According to Wccftech, NVIDIA unveiled a new in-game AI advisor for Total War: PHARAOH at CES 2026 today. This advisor uses on-device AI to provide real-time, context-aware help through natural language voice or text prompts, trained specifically on the game’s mechanics and lore. It can analyze complex game states, like why a settlement revolted, by processing player input and data from the game’s extensive database. The feature is powered by a small language model running locally on the user’s GPU, built with NVIDIA ACE tools. A playtest for this AI advisor is scheduled to launch for select community members in 2026. During the same event, NVIDIA also confirmed that the PUBG Ally AI companion, announced last year, will begin testing in the first half of 2026 via a limited-time Arcade event, supporting English, Chinese, and Korean.
The AI Game Guide Is Here
So, the traditional strategy game guide is officially getting a high-tech overhaul. Instead of alt-tabbing to a wiki or digging through nested menus, you can just ask your game what to do. That’s the promise here. And honestly, for a series as famously dense as Total War, it’s a compelling idea. The advisor isn’t just a chatbot; it’s supposed to understand exactly what’s happening in your campaign right now. That’s a big step beyond a simple FAQ bot.
The On-Device Twist
Here’s the thing that makes this more than a gimmick: it runs locally on your GPU. That’s crucial. It means your conversation with the game isn’t being shipped off to some distant server, which should mean lower latency and, frankly, more privacy. NVIDIA and Creative Assembly are betting that small language models are now powerful enough to handle this specialized task without needing the cloud. If they’ve pulled it off, that’s a quiet but significant win for on-device AI in gaming. It shows the hardware is finally catching up to the ambition.
A Broader Trend (And A Backlash)
This isn’t happening in a vacuum. The PUBG Ally update shows this is a concerted push by NVIDIA to make AI companions a thing. The long-term memory system they mentioned for PUBG is particularly interesting—imagine an AI teammate that remembers your playstyle and your past failures. That could be incredibly immersive. But, and it’s a big but, there’s a growing anti-AI sentiment in gaming communities. A lot of players are deeply skeptical of AI-generated content, seeing it as a cheap replacement for human craftsmanship. Will they accept an AI guide or companion, even if it’s useful? That’s the billion-dollar question. The playtests in 2026 will be the first real litmus test.
Accessibility vs. Authenticity
Creative Assembly says this is about making Total War more approachable without compromising its depth. I think that’s the right goal. The barrier to entry for these games is massive. But the execution has to feel authentic. If the AI advisor gives generic or lore-breaking advice, hardcore fans will reject it instantly. The “historically appropriate tone” they promise is key. Basically, it needs to feel like a wise vizier in your court, not Siri in a tunic. If it works, it could be a game-changer for strategy titles. If it feels tacked-on or gimmicky, it’ll just become a bullet point that nobody uses. We’ll find out in 2026.
