Playing your way to quantum breakthroughs: how quantum games help people —and AI— understand quantum physics
PHYSICS
Quantum games aren’t just a fun way to explain quantum physics — they may also unlock new discoveries. According to physicist Evert van Nieuwenburg, these games create structure and clear rules. Simply playing them can even contribute to better quantum software.
Van Nieuwenburg studies how quantum physics can be combined with artificial intelligence and game theory. For this innovative research at Leiden University, he was awarded a prestigious Vidi grant from NWO in 2025.
Learning quantum concepts through play
For years, quantum games have proven to be a surprisingly effective way to explain the counterintuitive ideas of quantum physics to a broad audience.
Take superposition, for example—the idea that a particle can exist in multiple places at once. It’s a difficult concept to picture. ‘When you translate a rule like this from quantum mechanics into a game,’ Van Nieuwenburg explains, ‘you create a learning environment with a clear goal, clear rules, and immediate feedback. That allows anyone to build the kind of intuition needed to understand the quantum world.’
One example is Quantum TiqTaqToe, a quantum twist on the classic game tic-tac-toe. In this version, a player’s move—an X or an O—can exist in multiple states at the same time.
‘This game has turned out to be so effective that we’ll soon release it in more than fifty languages,’ says Van Nieuwenburg. ‘We’re also introducing a story-based version to make it more appealing for children. Every year, we host a national TiqTaqToe tournament. The preliminary rounds start today, and the final will take place on May 20, 2026, during Quantum Meets.’
Quantum games as a research tool
Can quantum games also help us build better software for future quantum computers? Van Nieuwenburg believes they can. ‘Structure and intuition are essential when developing effective quantum algorithms—and that’s exactly what games provide.’
Quantum computers promise major breakthroughs in areas like drug development and climate modeling. But one key piece is still missing: the software needed to use these systems effectively, known as quantum algorithms. The challenge is that the number of possible algorithms is enormous. AI and machine learning can help search for the best solutions, but most possibilities lead nowhere. Truly useful algorithms are rare.
One idea the researchers are exploring is whether games can train AI to fix errors in quantum computers—a field known as quantum error correction. In collaboration with Waag Futurelab, Van Nieuwenburg and postdoctoral researcher Jan Krzywda developed Erratiq, a citizen science game. ‘We’re launching the game on April 14,’ he says. ‘From that moment on, we’ll use players’ moves to train the underlying AI model.’
More than just a game
Games won’t solve every challenge in quantum technology. But they offer something unique: a way to bring structure to complexity, and a defined space in which new discoveries can emerge.
In that sense, quantum games act as a bridge—between humans and machines, and between theory and real-world applications. Van Nieuwenburg’s research shows that solutions for tomorrow’s quantum technologies might just begin with a game.
On April 14, 2026, at 16.00 hrs, Van Nieuwenburg will give a talk titled ‘Can Games Unlock the quantum future' in the 'Tuesday Talk' series at the Faculty of Science at Leiden University.
His games are available through the company QuantumPlayed.