Quake Champions
News, coverage and analysis tracking Quake Champions across the outlets.
Latest coverage
Yet another free fan level pack for Quake has arrived, and this one's all about a feature rarely seen in id…
A new fan-made map pack for the classic first-person shooter Quake, titled Quake Rooftops Jam, has been released, featuring 19 custom maps centered around the theme of rooftops. This release adds to a strong year for Quake mapping, with other notable projects including Quake Brutalist Jam 3 and the official Dawn of the Machine campaign. The article also touches on the uncertain future of the Quake series, with Quake Champions recently ending its live-service updates.
MMO Week in Review: Destiny 2’s revival, Aion 2’s stress test
This week's MMO news covers Destiny 2's revival with unvaulted content, Aion 2's stress test, and Ultima Online's 29th anniversary. Dune Awakening launched on consoles, Elder Scrolls Online discussed experimental features, and Microsoft continued layoffs. World of Warcraft Forever is impressing players, while other news includes The Division 2, Marathon, Warframe, and various other MMO updates and discussions.
Evening Reading - September 24, 2026
Shacknews' Evening Reading for September 24, 2026, rounds up various gaming news items including updates on Dragon Quest 11, Total War: Warhammer 3, Marathon, and Tetris Effect: Mixed Realities. The digest also touches on changes for Quake Champions and Counter-Strike 2, and mentions State of Decay 3's development.
Quake Champions eliminates its free-to-play monetization elements in favor of a $10 box price
Quake Champions has transitioned from a free-to-play model to a $10 box price on Steam, removing all battle passes and microtransactions. This change, likely a de facto maintenance mode following layoffs at id Software and Bethesda, also offers existing players continued access and refunds for purchased currencies. The Microsoft Store version has been retired.
Quake Champions ditches free-to-play and kills off its Microsoft Store version eight years after its original release
Quake Champions is transitioning from a free-to-play model to a paid product, eight years after its initial release. The Microsoft Store version is being discontinued, with the game now exclusively available on Steam for £8.99/$9.99. This change also marks the end of ongoing development for the game.
4 years after full launch, Quake Champions is a paid game on Steam with old content unlocked and microtransactions removed as devs announce an end to updates
Quake Champions has transitioned to a paid model on Steam, removing microtransactions and unlocking all characters and most vanity content. This change comes four years after its full launch and marks an end to further content updates for the game, with id Software and Bethesda Softworks citing structural changes within Microsoft's gaming division.
Following id layoffs, Quake Champions drops free-to-play nonsense and becomes a £9 game on Steam
Quake Champions has transitioned from a free-to-play model to a premium purchase on Steam, removing battle passes, loot boxes, and its in-game store. This change occurs in the context of significant layoffs at id Software, its developer, following Microsoft's acquisition of Zenimax. While the game will continue in some form, no further content updates are planned.
Evening Reading - September 23, 2026
This edition of Evening Reading covers updates for Total War: Warhammer 3, EVE Online, Counter-Strike 2, ARC Raiders, and Quake Champions. It also highlights the return of Pokemon GO Tour to Los Angeles and Taiwan, and mentions Meta VR Glasses. Other internet news includes a Starbucks Japan Pokemon collaboration and Fortnite's Halloween event tease.
Quake Champions is No Longer Free-to-Play, Cosmetics Unlocked For Everyone
id Software has transitioned Quake Champions from a free-to-play model to a paid one, removing all microtransactions and battle passes. The developer has also made 30 seasons' worth of content available for free to all owners and confirmed no future content updates are planned. This change coincides with update 1.31, which introduced new weapons, features, and quality-of-life improvements, while also reducing server data centers.
Quake Champions takes a shower, shedding all its 2017 live-service grime and becoming a $10 game
Quake Champions has transitioned from a free-to-play live-service model to a one-time $10 purchase on Steam. The update removes all live-service elements, including Battle Passes, challenges, stores, and loot boxes, making all champions and most vanity content available to all players. While no further content updates are planned, the game is considered improved by shedding its live-service grime.
Quake Champions moves from F2P to a paid game & unlocks all content for existing players
Quake Champions has transitioned from a free-to-play model to a paid game for new players, with all content now unlocked. Existing players will retain access to all content for free, and those who purchased Platinum within the last 60 days will receive a refund. The Microsoft Store version is being retired, with players encouraged to migrate to Steam.
Glass mouse pads haven't won me over but gamer sleeves are a different story
A hardware writer shares his experience with glass mouse pads, finding them ultimately unsuitable for tactical shooters like Counter-Strike 2 despite their promise of consistent glide and longevity. While glass pads didn't win him over, the experimentation led him to discover the benefits of gamer sleeves, which he now uses even with cloth mouse pads for improved arm movement consistency.
Rather than rip and tear id Software apart, Xbox should have put the FPS pioneers on Gears of War
Following significant layoffs at Xbox Game Studios, including a reported 50% staff reduction at id Software, the article argues that Xbox should leverage id Software's expertise for the Gears of War franchise. It suggests that id's talent for creating visceral first-person shooter experiences would be a better fit for Gears of War than continuing with their own struggling franchises like Quake Champions or Rage 2.
Doom dev id Software loses half its staff and all its coders in Xbox bloodbath
id Software, the studio behind the Doom franchise, has reportedly lost approximately half of its staff, including most of its coders, in recent Xbox layoffs. This significant reduction in workforce has led to concerns about the studio's ability to continue developing its proprietary technology and future titles. Co-founder John Romero expressed concern for the preservation of id Software's legacy amidst these drastic cuts.
Doom developer id Software "is essentially dead," Duke Nukem 3D co-creator says after layoffs reportedly cut…
Following significant layoffs at Xbox, Apogee co-founder George Broussard stated that id Software is "essentially dead" as a development studio, with most of its programming, testing, and Quake Champions teams reportedly cut. Broussard suggests id Software is now relegated to a support role for Bethesda, lamenting the potential loss of the idTech engine. The article also touches on the broader implications of Microsoft's studio sales and layoffs for independent developers.
Xbox Moves On From 4 Studios and Layoffs Off Thousands of Others
Xbox has announced significant restructuring, impacting over 1600 employees and planning for another 1600 over the next two fiscal years. Four studios—Double Fine Productions, Compulsion Games, Ninja Theory, and Undead Labs—will become independent or be acquired by new entities, retaining their intellectual property. Numerous other studios, including Zenimax Online, Id Software, Obsidian, and Bethesda Game Studios, are also undergoing substantial layoffs as Xbox refocuses on its major franchises like Call of Duty, The Elder Scrolls, Fallout, Halo, and Minecraft.
Doom, Wolfenstein, and Quake will reportedly join Fallout and Elder Scrolls as Bethesda owner ZeniMax switches focus to its largest franchises amid Xbox restructure
Bethesda owner ZeniMax is reportedly restructuring to focus on its major franchises like Fallout, The Elder Scrolls, Doom, Wolfenstein, and Quake. This shift occurs amid a broader Xbox overhaul that includes layoffs and the sale of other studios. While new entries for Quake and Wolfenstein are implied, id Software and ZeniMax Online Studios are facing significant staff cuts.
Quake - Skalvet som har skakat världen i 30 år
The article reflects on the 30-year legacy of Quake, highlighting its foundational impact on the first-person shooter genre, esports, and modding culture. It discusses how Quake revolutionized online multiplayer with its server/client model and TCP/IP support, and how its engine technology evolved into the id Tech series. The piece also touches upon the game's influence on mods like Capture The Flag and Team Fortress, and its unique blend of medieval fantasy and horror elements inspired by H.P. Lovecraft.
Evening Patches
Several games have received official patches, including DEATH STRANDING 2: ON THE BEACH for PC, Hello Kitty Island Adventure, and Indiana Jones and the Great Circle. Quake Champions also received an update.
Quake Champions gets a huge update and free battle pass to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Quake
Quake Champions has received a significant update to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Quake, including a free battle pass for all players. The update introduces numerous cosmetic rewards, a new rocket launcher, and substantial functional changes such as an overhaul to the network code to reduce lag and improve projectile prediction. Additional improvements include a 'Random Champion Select' option and various gameplay tweaks across characters, weapons, and maps.
