Surprise! The original Quake gets a free expansion on all platforms to celebrate its 30th birthday

QuakeCon kicked off with an unexpected announcement - the free release of a new expansion for the original Quake game on all platforms except the Epic Games Store and Gog. Fans cheered as Quake: Dawn of the Machine was introduced. This expansion features a 19-map campaign, a new soundtrack, and a fresh deathmatch map. It's the brainchild of id Software and MachineGames, who previously worked together on Wolfenstein and Indiana Jones games.

In the story, Ranger navigates a dimension of endless illusion, reliving violent cycles that feel like lifetimes. The Nightmare Machine awaits, and confronting it means possibly breaking something. Expect familiar foes with new behaviors and powerful weapons like the Super Axe and Laser Cannon.

The campaign has a looping structure, where each run reshapes the experience. Runes unlock new paths and alter routes, remixing encounters and secrets. Health and ammo upgrades are persistent, so each loop can make you stronger. Dawn of the Machine is a new approach for Quake, sounding a bit roguelike. Critics have praised it, calling it a masterclass in balance and showcasing modern mappers' immense power and flexibility.

Why now? Quake is celebrating its 30th birthday, making this a special anniversary gift. However, id Software is currently going through restructuring, recently releasing another expansion for Doom. The studio's future capacity to create standalone games is under question.