This ability to constantly change, expand, and improve upon the original game has ensured Quake’s longevity, and fans have continued to breathe new life into the classic shooter in the decades since its release. These ranged from small tweaks, like the ability to hack apart the corpses of deceased enemies, to entirely new gameplay modes like Quake Rally and Team Fortress. It wasn’t just new maps that fans were busy creating, but also an endless supply of mods. Improving hardware-enabled maps to be larger and more intricate than ever before, and designers continued to find new ways to create challenging and innovative content despite Quake’s limited asset set. Thanks to various source ports, enthusiasts were soon able to get their hands on the game’s source code, making Quake mapmaking easier as new editing tools were developed.

(Although not regarded as the greatest Quake content, these two releases-Scourge of Armagon and Dissolution of Eternity-are included in the Quake remaster alongside new episodes created by Wolfenstein developer Machine Games). Fans of the single-player campaign also wanted more Quake to sink their teeth into after completing the game’s four episodes and its pair of expansion packs. This drove demand for more maps, as multiplayer experts quickly became familiar with the limited deathmatch level selection included in the base game.

The game quickly became enormously popular, spawning a legendary deathmatch scene that continued well into Quake’s sequels.

Unlike the clones of Id Software’s previous classic Doom, the developer had outdone itself by creating a fully 3D engine, meaning that the limitations of its predecessor (fake 3D levels that didn’t allow true verticality, sprite-based enemies, unsophisticated lighting) were swept away in a hail of revolutionary graphics and nine-inch nails. Quake was released in 1996 and quickly became renowned as a game-changer for the industry.

Quake 2 mods single player