Quake celebrates its 30th anniversary with a new free episode
Quake is marking its 30th anniversary with the release of Dawn of the Machine, a free expansion available now for all owners of the game across current and previous-generation consoles and PC platforms. The update was created by MachineGames, the studio behind Indiana Jones and the Great Circle and recent Wolfenstein titles, working in collaboration with original developer id Software, underlining the enduring appeal of one of the games that defined the first-person shooter genre and helped inspire the modern "boomer shooter" subgenre.
The free episode adds a 19-map single-player campaign, a new soundtrack and an additional Deathmatch map, and features a time-loop mechanic alongside new variants of Quake's classic enemies and weapons. It launched simultaneously on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo Switch, Steam, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One and Microsoft's PC Store, including Xbox and PC Game Pass. The announcement was accompanied by a livestreamed panel at Quakecon featuring current and former franchise leaders, including id Software co-founder John Romero.
In short
- Quake turns 30 with free Dawn of the Machine expansion
- Made by MachineGames and id Software, out on all platforms
- Adds 19-map campaign, new soundtrack, Deathmatch map, time-loop mechanic
Explained simply
Quake is a fast-paced action game in which players explore 3D levels, collect weapons and fight monsters from a first-person viewpoint. Released in 1996 by id Software, it helped establish conventions for first-person shooters and became known for its dark settings, quick combat and online multiplayer.
id Software is the studio that created Quake, while MachineGames is a later studio known for making Wolfenstein games. The Quake series has continued through re-releases and new content, and has influenced later shooters that draw on the style of older games. Its anniversary is a chance to revisit the series and its place in video game history.