Microsoft and the Vatican launch a new interactive game that combines AI, history and education.

A new virtual game created by Minecraft Education allows school students to explore and "restore" St Peter's Basilica, thanks to a collaboration between Microsoft and the Vatican.

The interactive educational game, titled 'Peter is Here: AI for Cultural Heritage', was released worldwide on Tuesday and is aimed at students aged between eight and 18.

The video game utilises simulated artifical intelligence (AI) tools, mirroring those used by real preservationists, to inspect and identify areas of the basilica in need of repair.

Peter is Here takes 45-60 minutes to play and includes resources for both students and teachers, and provides a honorary certificate of completion in Latin.

The game builds on an AI-enhanced 3D virtual replica of St Peter's, a so-called "digital twin" of the centuries-old basilica, created from 400,000 high-resolution images and released ahead of the Vatican's Jubilee Year 2025.

The initiative was presented by Vatican and Microsoft officials at the headquarters of the Foreign Press Association in Rome on Tuesday.

Cardinal Mauro Gambetti, archpriest of St Peter's, said: “Those who play this video game will have the opportunity to try their hand at creative architectural interventions, to discover the history of the basilica, to restore it, to enter into the hidden meanings that it holds."

“Today's milestone represents a natural and important extension of Microsoft's partnership with the Vatican and another great step forward" - Microsoft president Brad Smith said - “We have succeeded in delivering the culture, religion and heritage of this wonderful institution into the hands of children in every country in the world.”

Peter is Here is available for all licensed users in the Minecraft Education lesson library.

Students and teachers can access a free trial of Minecraft Education by downloading the application and signing in with their Office 365 or Microsoft 365 Education account.