30th Anniversary Update — Quake News

To celebrate the 30th Anniversary of Quake, we have collaborated with MachineGames to create a new episode, Dawn of the Machine, now available as a free update to Quake.

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🆕WHAT'S NEW

⚙️DAWN OF THE MACHINE

[p align="start"]Celebrating 30 years of Quake, the award-winning team at MachineGames—in collaboration with id Software—returns with Dawn of the Machine, a brutal new episode building on their critically acclaimed work on Dimension of the Machine and Dimensions of the Past. Delivering ferocious combat, labyrinthine level design, and nightmarish realms that twist reality beyond recognition, it pushes the legacy of the genre-defining first-person shooter even further—honoring one of gaming’s most enduring icons.

🏃‍♂️‍➡️END THE NIGHTMARE. 😶‍🌫️ESCAPE THE ILLUSION.

[p align="start"]Ranger is trapped in a dimension of endless illusion—reliving the same violent cycles for what feels like lifetimes, dying thousands of times in a futile attempt to escape. Wearied but unbroken, he has heard rumor of The Nightmare Machine.

[p align="start"]Beyond the hordes of monsters—twisted by an eternity in the Elder realms—lies the Machine. It is believed its destruction will shatter the illusion, finally breaking the loop.

🆓FREE FOR QUAKE OWNERS

[p align="start"]Dawn of the Machine is available as a free update for Quake owners on XBOX Series X/S, XBOX One, Microsoft PC Store, Game Pass, PC Game Pass, Steam, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch 2 (via backwards compatibility), and Nintendo Switch versions of Quake. This expansive new episode features 19 all-new maps across a cohesive campaign, alongside a brand-new soundtrack, hidden secrets, a dedicated episode hub, and an all-new deathmatch map.

👹NEW ENEMY AND ⚔️WEAPON VARIANTS

[p align="start"]Face deadly new twists on familiar foes, including the Rocket Ogre, Demo Dog, Blood Shambler, and more. Each variant introduces lethal new behaviours—from overwhelming firepower to explosive death traps—forcing you to rethink every encounter. Expand your arsenal with brutal variants inspired by classic Quake expansions, including the Super Axe—unleashing lightning on successive strikes—and the Laser Cannon, firing ricocheting projectiles that tear through enemies from every angle.

♻️REPLAYABLE EPISODE LOOP

[p align="start"]Time folds back on itself in a unique looping structure, where each return reshapes the experience. Runes unlock previously sealed paths, drawing you back through familiar spaces now altered with new routes, encounters, and secrets waiting to be discovered. Persistent health and ammo upgrades found throughout the realm ensure each loop makes you stronger, introducing a new layer of progression to Quake.

🎭EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED

[p align="start"]Reality is never stable. Shift between dimensions to solve puzzles and navigate the world, or find hidden secrets scattered throughout the realms. Face enemies that rise again or transform after death, and experience encounters where the rules change without warning—forcing you to adapt or be overrun.

🔒id VAULT

[p align="start"]Browse a behind-the-scenes gallery of development assets and unused content. Explore playable maps, including some levels from the earliest stages of Quake’s development

🏆NEW ACHEIVEMENTS

[p align="start"]Three new achievements are available to earn while playing Dawn of the Machine

🤫CHEATS MENU

[p align="start"]Access the new Cheats menu at any time in single player games to help you through a tough area or just explore levels without fear of enemies

🛠️FIXES

Improved interpolation. This reduces input latency and lessens occurrences where the camera would visually fall behind your weapon and weapon effects
Fixed an issue where the camera would interpolate between position changes that were too large to possibly be stairs (silent teleporters)
Re-added weapon bobbing effects when view bobbing is disabled
Weapon bob can now be turned on or off separately from view bob
Removed shadow casting from Hell Knight projectiles to improve visuals in its ranged attack
Shadow casting lights from enemies are now capped to improve performance in scenes with lots of Enforcers firing weapons
Reduced memory usage from menus
Improved font rendering when using the larger accessible typeface

👷MODDING CHANGES

Localization strings are now stored in the Quake PAK, instead of outside the game data in the KPF file. Third party engines that previously read strings from the KPF file will need to be updated to read from the PAK file and should no longer need to load the KPF file at all
Mods can optionally add new mod-specific localization by overriding localization/loc_(language)_mod.txt in their PAK files

❓FAQs

I already own Quake. How do I access the new episode, Dawn of the Machine?

If you already own Quake, you’ll receive the new update automatically as a free download. Depending on your settings, the update may already be installed. Once updated, you can start a new game, select a level, or play cooperative multiplayer in Dawn of the Machine

Which platforms is Dawn of the Machine available in Quake?

Dawn of the Machine is currently available on XBOX Series X/S, XBOX One, Microsoft PC Store, Game Pass, PC Game Pass, Steam, Nintendo Switch 2 (via backwards compatibility), Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4 versions of Quake

Is Dawn of the Machine available on the Epic Games Store or GOG versions of Quake?

Dawn of the Machine is currently not available on the Epic Games Store or GOG versions of Quake

I play Quake on GOG or the Epic Games Store. Why do I see a “Disconnected from servers” message when invited to play Dawn of the Machine maps with players on Steam or console?

If you’re playing Quake on GOG or the Epic Games Store, you may see a “Disconnected from servers” message when accepting an invitation from a Steam or console player for Dawn of the Machine episode or maps. This message appears because the Dawn of the Machine update is currently available on supported platforms, while the GOG and Epic Games Store versions do not yet include this content. Your account has not been disconnected or penalized

[p align="start"]If you're still experiencing issues, please holler at our amazing Customer Service team

This announcement was written and published by the developers/publisher of Quake on Steam; it is mirrored here unedited for readability, with full credit and a link to the original above. © the respective rights holders. Rights holder and want it removed? Email us — we take it down promptly.