Article URL: https://slayersclub.bethesda.net/en-US/news/quake-30th-anniversary-update Comments URL: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49201930 Points: 112 # Comments: 47

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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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.