A new Quake expansion appeared without warning at QuakeCon 2026 — and it was available the same day, for free, on nearly every platform.

MachineGames announced Quake: Dawn of the Machine during the opening ceremony of QuakeCon on 6 August 2026, confirming an immediate release across PC, Xbox, PlayStation and Switch (Eurogamer). The expansion is a collaboration between id Software — the studio that built the original Quake in 1996 — and MachineGames, the Swedish studio behind the recent Indiana Jones and Wolfenstein titles.

Dawn of the Machine is a free update for anyone who already owns the 2021 re-release of the original Quake. Bethesda's Slayers Club published the announcement under the headline "MachineGames and id Software celebrate Quake's 30th Anniversary" on 6 August (Slayers Club). The PlayStation Blog carried the same details the same day (PlayStation Blog).

The expansion ships with a full 19-map campaign, a new soundtrack, and a new deathmatch map for multiplayer. Players follow Ranger — Quake's silent, dimension-hopping protagonist — as he tries to escape a "dimension of endless illusion" where he has been reliving the same violent cycles for what feels like lifetimes (Eurogamer).

The campaign's structure loops. Each run reshapes the experience, and runes scattered through the levels unlock new paths that alter routes, remix enemy encounters and reveal hidden secrets. Familiar enemies return with new behaviours: the Rocket Ogre, the Demo Dog and the Blood Shambler all appear with twists on their original attack patterns. Weapon variants inspired by classic Quake expansion packs — a Super Axe and a Laser Cannon among them — give players new ways to deal with them.

For a game turning 30, the ambition on display is notable. Digital Foundry, the technical-analysis site, called Dawn of the Machine "a masterclass in balance" that captures the essence of Quake while showcasing modern level-design capabilities (Digital Foundry).

MachineGames is no stranger to Quake's universe. The studio previously developed Dimension of the Machine, a well-received episode included in the 2021 Quake re-release. Bethesda also published a behind-the-scenes article on 6 August documenting the collaboration that produced the new episode (Slayers Club).

QuakeCon 2026 runs through the weekend in Grapevine, Texas. The expansion is downloadable now.