The point isn't to see if the model can process images. OpenAI's goal is to see if they can recreate the ability to plan and strategize over a partial information continuous long time horizon environment.
You wouldn't want AlphaGo to have to input it's commands using robotic hands right? It's the same thing in that, sure it might be interesting, but that isn't what we care about. Image processing and robotics controls are largely solved. Showcasing that a model can gain the ability to plan and think is the novel stuff here, and is the path to where "artificial intelligence" if any appears. That's the ultimate goal in playing any of these games.
You wouldn't want AlphaGo to have to input it's commands using robotic hands right? It's the same thing in that, sure it might be interesting, but that isn't what we care about. Image processing and robotics controls are largely solved. Showcasing that a model can gain the ability to plan and think is the novel stuff here, and is the path to where "artificial intelligence" if any appears. That's the ultimate goal in playing any of these games.