The classic game Quake marks three decades of existence with the release of “Dawn of the Machine”, an all-new episode. Developed by MachineGames in partnership with id Software, the content arrived as a free update for fans, available since August 6, 2026.
In 1996, id Software redefined the first-person shooter genre by introducing the three-dimensional world with Quake. The game immersed players in a supernatural universe, where intense battles and a dark and enigmatic atmosphere elevated the FPS experience to unprecedented levels at the time.
Three decades have passed and Quake continues to inspire millions of hours of gameplay, both in local matches and online Deathmatch clashes. The title was also essential to the emergence of FPS eSports, especially through QuakeCon, the largest LAN party in North America, which also turns 30 in 2026. To celebrate this double milestone, MachineGames and id Software joined forces to create this new chapter of the acclaimed FPS.
The new expansion, “Dawn of the Machine”, is now available at no additional cost for the PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4 consoles. It offers a robust campaign with 19 maps, a completely original soundtrack and an exclusive map for Deathmatch mode.
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“Dawn of the Machine” appears as a tribute to Quake’s trajectory and the legacy that influenced the developers at MachineGames and id Software. Andrew Yoder, lead level designer at MachineGames, proposed the expansion to game director Jerk Gustafsson, following the completion of the “Indiana Jones and the Great Circle: The Order of Giants” DLC. The team, known internally as “Quake Club”, established three pillars for the development of the new episode.
The main objective was to celebrate 30 years of Quake while maintaining the authenticity of the original game. Yoder said they sought to create “something that was authentic to the spirit of the original game: Horror! Action! Madness!” Players will encounter iconic enemies from the title, such as Rocket Ogre, Demo Dog and Blood Shambler, in even more challenging versions. New weapons, such as the Laser Cannon with ricocheting projectiles and the electrified Super Ax, promise frenetic combat.
The second pillar of development was to deliver an innovative experience for longtime Quake fans. Unlike previous expansions such as “Call of the Machine” and “Dimension of the Machine”, which used the hub structure with progress restarts, “Dawn of the Machine” presents a continuous narrative, where the player’s progression is constant. Yoder explained that this format required “a lot more coordination and iteration to create” by the team.
In the plot of “Dawn of the Machine”, players resume the role of Ranger, the classic protagonist of Quake, who finds himself trapped in an illusory dimension where time is distorted. As the cycle progresses, players must discover how to break it, collect health and ammunition improvements, and finally, face the Nightmare Machine, responsible for imprisoning Ranger. Yoder said that “nothing you see can be trusted” but assured that “there is a way to break through the illusion, thwart the plans of the outer gods, and escape.”
The creation process for “Dawn of the Machine” involved several steps, including developing boss concepts and level planning. One of the initial ideas for a confrontation was the “Matriarch of Decadence”, which, like other elements, went through several revisions throughout the episode’s production.
The third goal of the initiative was to allow the MachineGames and id Software teams, made up of diverse talent, to collaborate on a smaller-scale project, in contrast to the complexity of modern AAA games. The “Quake Club” became a space where any member, including those who have been creating maps since 1996 and those who joined more recently, like Yoder, could contribute their ideas and skills.
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Yoder said that “Quake Club has always been an opportunity for the team to learn and have fun.” He explained that Quake’s robust modding tools and visual simplicity, in contrast to the photorealistic graphics of current games, make it easier for members to contribute in areas outside their expertise.
The new soundtrack for “Dawn of the Machine” is an example of this collaboration, born from a proposal by Christian Plogfors, Advanced Level Designer at MachineGames. In addition to developing two maps for the episode, Plogfors composed a score that captures the dark and atmospheric essence, harmonizing perfectly with the expansion’s psychedelic universe.
Yoder praised the work, stating that “Christian created a fantastic set of tracks that give the episode its own identity.” He added that “the whole episode was much stronger thanks to his contribution, which went beyond his usual duties and brought his other skills and passions to serve the project.”
Reflecting on Quake’s three decades, Yoder described creating “Dawn of the Machine” as a privilege. He said, “The team here owes a lot to Quake and its legacy” and added that “Quake Club and our work would not exist without the broad Quake community and our friends at id Software.”