Quake gets a new expansion, enhanced graphics and splitscreen multiplayer for its birthday

Quake, the classic 1996 first-person shooter, has received a major new update enhancing its graphics, adding dedicated deathmatch servers, cross-play with consoles, splitscreen multiplayer, and a brand new expansion developed by Machine Games.

It's out now to mark Quake's 25th anniversary and available for free to all existing owners of the game.

Here's the trailer, which was broadcast during this evening's (ongoing) Quakecon streams:

The Quakecon schedule accidentally spoiled the surprise regarding a new Quake project last week, but we now know all the details. It's all listed in the patch release notes.

Quake now includes "better lighting, new models, updated maps, and a dynamic shadow system," all of which can be turned on or off according to your preference. The game's original expansion packs are now folded into the main game, and Machine Games - developers of the Wolfenstein reboot - have made a new pack called "Dimension Of The Machine."

The multiplayer changes sound particularly cool, and include not just splitscreen, cross-play and dedicated servers, but AI bots to play against in deathmatch mode.

Quake's community have been revitalizing the shooter for years, including with graphical upgrades since Id Software made the engine open source, but a lot of players will never download anything unofficial. The above linked blog post says that most mods for the original Quake should continue to work, too.

The last few years have seen an onslaught of shooters inspired by Quake - Dusk, Amid Evil, among others - and this looks like Quake basically saying, "Or you could play Quake?". Quake is still good, so maybe you should.

If you don't already own it, it currently costs £8/€10 on Steam.