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Simon Willison builds two-player pong game that communicates via audio chirps

The AI educator used Claude Opus 5.5 to create a game where two phones exchange moves through sounds played through the microphone.

AIGenerated · Written by AI from the sources listed below
Close-up view of a red wireless game controller placed on a textured fabric surface.
Close-up view of a red wireless game controller placed on a textured fabric surface. File picturePhoto: ROMAN ODINTSOV / Pexels

A game that talks

Simon Willison posted an experiment called Chirp Pong on October 15, 2026 1. The idea was simple: could two people play a competitive pong-style game on separate phones, with the game state passed back and forth through audio chirps sent via the microphone ?

The answer appears to be yes 1. Both phones run a static HTML file, and the networking code converts game data into short sounds that one phone plays while the other listens through its mic .

Built with Claude

Willison didn't write the game alone. He used Claude Opus 5.5 inside Claude Code to build out the prototype 1. After getting a working version, he asked Claude to add graphical and gameplay twists that would make the experience more engaging than standard pong .

The result is a faster, more interactive match where both players' phones are close together and each sound the other can hear carries live updates about paddles, ball position, and scores 1.

Why it matters

The project is a creative demonstration of how accessible generative AI has become for building small, unusual projects 1. Willison, who is known for teaching others how to work with AI tools, turned an audio networking concept into a playable game in a single sitting .

It also shows a practical use for Claude Code as a rapid prototyping partner: describe what you want, refine the idea, and let the model handle the implementation details 1.

Willison plans to keep experimenting with the idea and may share more details as he improves the game 1.

Playing it yourself

The current version runs directly in a web browser on any phone with a microphone and speaker 1. No app store download is required . Players simply open the HTML file, place their phones near each other, and start playing .

For now, it is a prototype, but the basic loop — generate sound, decode sound, update game state — is working 1.

Key facts

  • Chirp Pong is a two-player pong game where phones exchange game state through audio chirps played via the microphone.
  • The game was built using Claude Opus 5.5 inside Claude Code.
  • Simon Willison posted the project on October 15, 2026.
  • Both phones run in static HTML with no app download required.

Sources

  1. Tool: Chirp Pong

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