NIN —
Rumored last week, an updated version of Quake appeared on PC and console stores today.
Matt Paprocki -
As leaked a few weeks ago by a QuakeCon scheduling slip-up, a re-release of iconic first-person shooterQuakeslipped onto console digital storefronts on Thursday, slightly ahead of the project's official announcement. The $10 release is out now. Those who own Quake on Steam or from the official Bethesda.net store can access the update for free.
Bethesda's re-release is available for theSwitch, Xbox One and X|S, and PlayStation 4 and 5.Xbox Game Pass subscribers can access the edition as part of their subscription. The multi-platform release could be seen as positive news after Microsoft's acquisition of Bethesda, a move that generated worries about Microsoft/Bethesda exclusivity moving forward. For those who don't mind waiting, Limited Run Gameswill offer physical disc and card releases for the PS4 and Switch, respectively, including a pricey limited edition that comes in a box that looks like the in-game nail-gun ammo.
Four expansions are included: "Scourge of Armagon" and "Dissolution of Eternity," which launched at retail shortly after the original 1996 game, and MachineGames' "Dimension of the Past" and "Dimension of the Machine." And, yes, online matchmaking is available, too, complete with platform crossplay. Local split-screen remains intact for up to four players, and a quick run through the Xbox version reveals numerous graphical options, even on the Xbox Series X. For instance, players can drop the resolution to "SD" levels and apply fog.
One other notable inclusion: Players can access a built-in add-on menu to download a simulated Quake 64 using the PC version as a base to mimic the original. That version includes simulated, N64-like blur effects that cannot be turned off. The add-on interface resembles Bethesda's recent Doom and Doom 2 port projects on consoles and PC, suggesting that more "mod" packs of levels and content will come to this Quake 1 re-release in future updates.
According to a press release, the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X versions of the game will run at full 4K and 120 fps once a future update goes live.
Sam Machkovech contributed to this report.
Promoted Comments
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Sam Machkovech Tech Culture Editor
Cheshire Cat wrote:
What are the actual enhancements apart from the expansions and multiplayer ?
The KEX Engine has been applied, which is a roundabout way of saying that Nightdive Studios (who worked on Quake 64's recent port, among other awesome callback FPS re-releases) has taken the original source code and opted for a faithful port of it across a ton of hardware and consoles. One of the "enhancements" includes animation interpolation as an option for enemies, which famously ran at dinky frame rates in the original. Also, a lot of modern visual touches like lighting system upgrades, texture upgrades, ambient occlusion, and anisotropic filtering are available--but you can disable all of those. Arbitrary resolution support, too.
From what we've seen, Nightdive Studios has delivered an incredible balance between modern flourishes and careful, faithful translations of the original geometry, colors, and art design. If you want something else in your Q1, or get annoyed by *any* online check-in hooks from Bethesda (which this release has, and I dunno how bad they might be for some players), look through decades of overhaul mods at places like Nexus. (Of course, if you want something on a console like PS5 or XSX, this is your only option, and it seems pretty good in that respect.)
aerogems wrote:
show nested quotes
Quake 2 RTX is free on GOG right now.
Quake 2 RTX has always been free! It works with Q2's demo version of only three levels, or you can attach it to a full installed version of the game, on Steam or elsewhere, to RTX-ify the entire game.
Promoted Comments
-
Sam Machkovech Tech Culture Editor
Cheshire Cat wrote:
What are the actual enhancements apart from the expansions and multiplayer ?
The KEX Engine has been applied, which is a roundabout way of saying that Nightdive Studios (who worked on Quake 64's recent port, among other awesome callback FPS re-releases) has taken the original source code and opted for a faithful port of it across a ton of hardware and consoles. One of the "enhancements" includes animation interpolation as an option for enemies, which famously ran at dinky frame rates in the original. Also, a lot of modern visual touches like lighting system upgrades, texture upgrades, ambient occlusion, and anisotropic filtering are available--but you can disable all of those. Arbitrary resolution support, too.
From what we've seen, Nightdive Studios has delivered an incredible balance between modern flourishes and careful, faithful translations of the original geometry, colors, and art design. If you want something else in your Q1, or get annoyed by *any* online check-in hooks from Bethesda (which this release has, and I dunno how bad they might be for some players), look through decades of overhaul mods at places like Nexus. (Of course, if you want something on a console like PS5 or XSX, this is your only option, and it seems pretty good in that respect.)
aerogems wrote:
show nested quotes
Quake 2 RTX is free on GOG right now.
Quake 2 RTX has always been free! It works with Q2's demo version of only three levels, or you can attach it to a full installed version of the game, on Steam or elsewhere, to RTX-ify the entire game.
