Neuroevolution in Games: State of the Art and Open Challenges
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Abstract (arXiv)
This paper surveys research on applying neuroevolution (NE) to games. In neuroevolution, artificial neural networks are trained through evolutionary algorithms, taking inspiration from the way biological brains evolved. We analyse the application of NE in games along five different axes, which are the role NE is chosen to play in a game, the different types of neural networks used, the way these networks are evolved, how the fitness is determined and what type of input the network receives. The article also highlights important open research challenges in the field.
Key facts. Cited by 15 papers in the map (data through 13 Oct 2026). First posted on arXiv 27 Oct 2014.
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Citing papers per year: 2021: 5; 2022: 4; 2023: 3; 2024: 1; 2025: 1; 2026: 1.
15 papers.
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- 2021Symbolic Regression via Neural-Guided Genetic Programming Population Seedingcited by 98
- 2023Evolutionary Reinforcement Learning: A Surveycited by 25
- 2021Derivative-Free Reinforcement Learning: A Reviewcited by 15
- 2021Player-AI Interaction: What Neural Network Games Reveal About AI as Playcited by 8
- 2021Tuning Mixed Input Hyperparameters on the Fly for Efficient Population Based AutoRLcited by 8
- 2023EvoFed: Leveraging Evolutionary Strategies for Communication-Efficient Federated Learningcited by 6
- 2022Multitask Neuroevolution for Reinforcement Learning with Long and Short Episodescited by 3
- 2024Evolution Guided Generative Flow Networkscited by 3
- 2022Learning Robust Policies for Generalized Debris Capture with an Automated Tether-Net Systemcited by 2
- 2022EvolvingBehavior: Towards Co-Creative Evolution of Behavior Trees for Game NPCscited by 2
- 2021Hybrid Self-Attention NEAT: A novel evolutionary approach to improve the NEAT algorithmcited by 1
- 2025Learning Dark Souls Combat Through Pixel Input With Neuroevolutioncited by 1
3 more
- 2022Addressing Tactic Volatility in Self-Adaptive Systems Using Evolved Recurrent Neural Networks and Uncertainty Reduction Tacticscited by 0
- 2023Evolutionary Machine Learning and Gamescited by 0
- 2026Personality Requires Struggle: Three Regimes of the Baldwin Effect in Neuroevolved Chess Agentscited by 0
- 2026Personality Requires Struggle: Three Regimes of the Baldwin Effect in Neuroevolved Chess Agents4 Apr 2026
- 2025Learning Dark Souls Combat Through Pixel Input With Neuroevolution4 Jul 2025
- 2024Evolution Guided Generative Flow Networks3 Feb 2024
- 2023Evolutionary Machine Learning and Games20 Nov 2023
- 2023EvoFed: Leveraging Evolutionary Strategies for Communication-Efficient Federated Learning13 Nov 2023
- 2023Evolutionary Reinforcement Learning: A Survey7 Mar 2023
- 2022EvolvingBehavior: Towards Co-Creative Evolution of Behavior Trees for Game NPCs1 Sep 2022
- 2022Addressing Tactic Volatility in Self-Adaptive Systems Using Evolved Recurrent Neural Networks and Uncertainty Reduction Tactics21 Apr 2022
- 2022Multitask Neuroevolution for Reinforcement Learning with Long and Short Episodes21 Mar 2022
- 2022Learning Robust Policies for Generalized Debris Capture with an Automated Tether-Net System11 Jan 2022
- 2021Hybrid Self-Attention NEAT: A novel evolutionary approach to improve the NEAT algorithm7 Dec 2021
- 2021Symbolic Regression via Neural-Guided Genetic Programming Population Seeding29 Oct 2021
3 more
- 2021Symbolic Regression via Neural-Guided Genetic Programming Population Seedingcited by 98
- 2023Evolutionary Reinforcement Learning: A Surveycited by 25
- 2021Derivative-Free Reinforcement Learning: A Reviewcited by 15
- 2021Player-AI Interaction: What Neural Network Games Reveal About AI as Playcited by 8
- 2021Tuning Mixed Input Hyperparameters on the Fly for Efficient Population Based AutoRLcited by 8
- 2023EvoFed: Leveraging Evolutionary Strategies for Communication-Efficient Federated Learningcited by 6
- 2022Multitask Neuroevolution for Reinforcement Learning with Long and Short Episodescited by 3
- 2024Evolution Guided Generative Flow Networkscited by 3
- 2022Learning Robust Policies for Generalized Debris Capture with an Automated Tether-Net Systemcited by 2
- 2022EvolvingBehavior: Towards Co-Creative Evolution of Behavior Trees for Game NPCscited by 2
- 2021Hybrid Self-Attention NEAT: A novel evolutionary approach to improve the NEAT algorithmcited by 1
- 2025Learning Dark Souls Combat Through Pixel Input With Neuroevolutioncited by 1
12 most cited of 15 All 15 (JSON)
- 2026Personality Requires Struggle: Three Regimes of the Baldwin Effect in Neuroevolved Chess Agents4 Apr 2026
- 2025Learning Dark Souls Combat Through Pixel Input With Neuroevolution4 Jul 2025
- 2024Evolution Guided Generative Flow Networks3 Feb 2024
- 2023Evolutionary Machine Learning and Games20 Nov 2023
- 2023EvoFed: Leveraging Evolutionary Strategies for Communication-Efficient Federated Learning13 Nov 2023
- 2023Evolutionary Reinforcement Learning: A Survey7 Mar 2023
- 2022EvolvingBehavior: Towards Co-Creative Evolution of Behavior Trees for Game NPCs1 Sep 2022
- 2022Addressing Tactic Volatility in Self-Adaptive Systems Using Evolved Recurrent Neural Networks and Uncertainty Reduction Tactics21 Apr 2022
- 2022Multitask Neuroevolution for Reinforcement Learning with Long and Short Episodes21 Mar 2022
- 2022Learning Robust Policies for Generalized Debris Capture with an Automated Tether-Net System11 Jan 2022
- 2021Hybrid Self-Attention NEAT: A novel evolutionary approach to improve the NEAT algorithm7 Dec 2021
- 2021Symbolic Regression via Neural-Guided Genetic Programming Population Seeding29 Oct 2021
12 newest of 15 All 15 (JSON)