Quake celebrates its 30th anniversary with a new free episode

The legendary first-person shooter Quake is approaching its 30th anniversary and is celebrating the occasion with the addition of brand-new content. The free expansion 'Dawn of the Machine' is available today for Quake owners on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo Switch, Steam, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, Microsoft PC Store, and through Xbox Game Pass and PC Game Pass.

The expansion includes a 19-map campaign, a new soundtrack, and a new Deathmatch map. It was developed by MachineGames, the studio behind the recent hit 'Indiana Jones and the Great Circle' and several newer titles in the rebooted Wolfenstein series, in collaboration with the series creator id Software.

Fittingly for this anniversary expansion, a time-loop mechanic is featured alongside new variants of familiar Quake enemies and weapons. Several current and past leaders of the franchise, including id Software co-founder and game design icon John Romero, participated in a livestreamed panel discussion today during Quakecon to discuss this latest chapter in the influential first-person shooter's history.

As one of the titles that defined FPS gaming and more recently inspired the 'boomer shooter' subgenre, it is notable to see Quake still receiving attention from players and developers after three decades.