This weekend marks not only the 30th anniversary of the 1996 original Quake, but also QuakeCon 2026. To celebrate the milestone, Bethesda revealed a brand-new 19‑mission campaign developed by MachineGames titled “Dawn of the Machine.”
According to Ars Technica, this new addition to id Software’s legendary shooter introduces fresh gameplay mechanics, including time‑manipulation abilities and a teleportation system reminiscent of Titanfall 2.
Bethesda shared a portion of the official scenario for Dawn of the Machine:
“Ranger is trapped in a dimension of endless illusion—reliving the same violent cycles for what feels like lifetimes, dying thousands of times in a futile attempt to escape. Wearied but unbroken, he has heard rumor of The Nightmare Machine. Beyond the hordes of monsters—twisted by an eternity in the Elder realms—lies the Machine. It is believed its destruction will shatter the illusion, finally breaking the loop.”
Dawn of the Machine is a free update for all existing owners of the Quake Remaster. Several id Software and Bethesda titles are currently discounted across all platforms; I picked up the Quake Remaster for under $6 CAD on the Nintendo eShop.
Check out the trailer below:
Source: Ars Technica Slayer’s Club