For Quake’s 30th anniversary, id Software and MachineGames released a free anniversary update on August 6, 2026, on Steam.
The centerpiece is a new episode, “Dawn of the Machine”, featuring 19 all-new maps. It uses a replayable loop structure where runes unlock previously sealed paths, along with dimension-shifting puzzle mechanics and persistent health and ammo upgrades that carry over across loops. New enemies include the Rocket Ogre, Demo Dog, and Blood Shambler, alongside weapon variants like the Super Axe with lightning effects and the Laser Cannon.
- Dawn of the Machine episode: 19 all-new maps by MachineGames and id Software
- Replayable episode loop structure - runes unlock previously sealed paths
- Dimension-shifting mechanics for puzzle-solving
- Persistent health and ammo upgrades across loops
- New enemy variants: Rocket Ogre, Demo Dog, Blood Shambler
- New weapon variants: Super Axe (with lightning effects), Laser Cannon
- New soundtrack, episode hub area, dedicated deathmatch map
- Three new achievements
- Cheats menu for single-player
- id Vault with development assets and unused content
- Technical fixes: improved camera interpolation, weapon bobbing options, shadow optimization, PS5 controller support
The update is available as a free update for all Quake owners on Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, the Microsoft Store, Game Pass, and Steam. Not included so far are the Epic Games Store and GOG versions - the update has not been announced for owners of these releases of Quake.
Source: Bethesda