All Articles: Quake Champions

More than 20 years after it was first released, the Quake franchise still plays a big part in Bethesda’s annual QuakeCon event. This year, Quake Champions was in the spotlight once again, as id Software announced that the multiplayer shooter is now available as a free-to-play download on the PC.

The Launch Trailer for Quake Champions also introduced players to a brand new character, the Death Knight:

Death Knight
When the blood rage abates, his desiccated mind asks again: Who were you? How many battles? When will it end? The answers mattered once, before the blessing of the seethe-monks relieved him of mortality, long before the Trespasser debased his master and took her Dire Orb for himself. The tungsten “heart” that pumps molten lead through his veins serves as a constant reminder of his plea to the Great Black Goat a dozen centuries ago—the only plea he has ever made: “Let me be forever at war.”

While the free-to-play version of Quake Champions is ready for primetime, the game will remain in Early Access as there is still “additional polish, improvements, and new content” that id would like to add to the game. They discussed their rationale for this decision in a new post on Bethesda.net:

Is This the Full Release of Quake Champions?
With several new Champions, modes and features that we’ve built upon throughout Early Access with community feedback, we feel like now is the perfect time to open the doors to Quake Champions. However, there is still additional polish, improvements, and new content – like the upcoming Capture the Flag mode – that we want to get into the game before we declare it “fully released.”

Quake Champions will remain in Early Access for the time being, but now we’re opening up feedback and input to everyone. Play the game, tell us what you think, and help shape Quake Champions into the best FPS it can be!

What Do I Get With F2P Access?
Free-to-play players get access to all Quickplay, Ranked, and Arcade game modes and maps currently available in Early Access, plus two free Champions: Ranger and Scalebearer. New players can unlock more Champions by completing the in-game tutorial and by earning Favor — in-game currency used to unlock Champions and Backpacks — just by playing matches!

Additionally, there’s one free Champion on rotation every week. Try them all out and see which ones fit your playstyle. Once you’ve found a new favorite, you can purchase Champions to own using Platinum, Quake Champions’ premium currency.

For players interested in getting more out of Quake Champions, the Champions Pack is currently being discounted for the rest of QuakeCon. If you purchase the add-on pack during the convention, you’ll receive to all current and future Champions for just $19.79. The Champions Pack is regularly priced at $39.99, but if you miss out on it during QuakeCon, you’ll still be able to pick it up for $29.99 between August 13 and September 4.

Quake Champions‘s “Large Scale Technical Test” came to a close this past Sunday, but id Software still has more new characters to unveil, including the deranged dinosaur known as Sorlag.

Excuse me, I should amend that to add that Sorlag is a deranged dinosaur who also carries a gun and spits acid. You can learn more about Sorlag by reading up on her vitals right here or viewing the Character Trailer that’s been embedded above:

Sorlag (Sorg Flesh-Trader)
Her clan harvested the most warmbloods; they gorged themselves and had flesh-stock left over. Many credited the Haruspex, who could open terrifying windows to the Other Place using the warmbloods’ steaming guts. As their best hunter, Sorlag credited herself. She would expose him by using the warmblood’s forcefield devices to spill his “sacred” bowel-bowl. Morning came, the ritual began, and all saw the Other Place—dark, metal, cold. Sorlag leapt with the device. But her claws had crossed the window. She saw the bowl topple as she was pulled in, screeching.

Active Ability – Acid Spit: Have an enemy pinned in an corner or want to protect the Obelisk in Sacrifice? Sorlag’s Acid Spit is the perfect added weapon to finish off foes or help control key pathways and locations. Spray it on enemies, on the floor, or on the walls and anyone who passes through will take immediate damage as well as become poisoned, taking additional damage over time.

Passive Abilities: Sorlag has two Passives. First, Bunny Hop allows her to gain speed while jumping forward in a straight line and grants her a great deal of maneuverability while in the air. Second, her Acid Fiend ability means that she’s protected from her own Acid Spit, as well as the Acid Spit of enemy Sorlags.

The full version of Quake Champions will be available for the PC sometime later this year, but a new beta session for the game is expected to begin this weekend. If you still need to acquire a beta key, you can grab one now at Quake.com.

The Quake Champions “Large Scale Technical Test” begins this Friday, May 12, but Bethesda and id Software have decided to whet our appetite for destruction with a small appetizer… a sneak peek at the newest Champion to enter the Arena, Visor.

Here’s what players can expect when they encounter the “Cybernetic Clone,” straight from the developer:

Visor (Cybernetic Clone)
Now – let’s turn our attention to Visor. Another veteran Champion returning from the bloody halls of Quake III: Arena, this cybernetic clone is as cold as the Russian winters of his youth. His mutilated body — impervious to panic or pain — is the result of attempts by Moscow’s GRU to create the perfect infantry; his grafted mask is filled with putrefied blood that allows him to see through matter with his Piercing Sight Active Ability. And he has unlimited speed with his Passive Ability. That’s a vicious combination for Deathmatch and an absolute killer in Duel.

Active Ability – Piercing Sight: You can’t hide from Visor. Using his Piercing Sight Active Ability, Visor can briefly see through all matter, glimpsing foes as outlines running behind walls. You might think you’re sneaking up on Visor, but he’s probably waiting for you with a tasty Rail Gun gift. Твоё здоровье!

Passive Ability – Grasshopper: Speed kills. Are you sick of all those psychotic Anarkis hoverboarding around the Arenas, turning it “up to eleven” all over your face? Visor’s Passive evens the playing field. Grasshopper allows Visor to continually gain speed when strafe-jumping – with no cap. Skilled players will be able to keep up with anyone, even that drug-addled freak.

If you haven’t signed up for Quake Champions’s “Large Scale Technical Test” yet, there’s still time to request a key. All you have to do is head over to Quake.com now and fill out a short form.

Bethesda is also encouraging fans to join the “Large Scale Technical Test” so they can practice for the first Quake Champions tournament, which will be held at this year’s Quakecon. A qualifying round for the tournament, which will feature Duel and Sacrifice Mode, will be held in June.

Bethesda Softworks and id Software have announced that everyone will get the chance to try out a pre-release version of Quake Champions beginning this Friday, May 12. Officially known as the “Large Scale Technical Test” (a fancy-smancy term for an Open Beta), you can sign up to receive your key at Quake.com now.

The Large Scale Tech Test will remain open continuously until Sunday, May 21, so PC players will get ten full days in the Arena. They’ll also have access to a brand new game type, Sacrifice Mode. Unlike a typical Free-For-All match, Sacrifice Mode is a 4v4, team-based competitive mode.

Finally, Bethesda confirmed that they’re dropping the non-disclosure agreement that beta participants had to agree to on May 12. So you’ll soon get to hear what everyone thinks of Quake Champions so far.

A full release for Quake Champions is still planned for later this year.

Doomguy is the instantly recognizable face of id Software’s Doom franchise, but Quake‘s Ranger has also built quite the reputation for himself as part developer’s other shooter series.

Today, id Software unveiled their latest character trailer for Quake Champions, and reintroduced fans to Ranger:

Ranger (Slipgate Marine)
From his origins in the original Quake, to his time spent in the bloody halls of Quake III Arena, Ranger is a legendary character who’s returning to once again wreak havoc in the arenas of Quake Champions. With his Dire Orb active ability Ranger can teleport to impossible ledges, dodge incoming attacks and much more.

Active Ability – Dire Orb: Ranger battled waves upon waves of Death Knights and Shamblers to get the Dire Orb. It was worth keeping. Now he uses it to teleport around the Arenas, reaching ledges, dodging rockets, and telefragging unsuspecting enemies dumb enough to stand in his way. The Dire Orb also does damage when it hits an enemy and if left unused, it will explode, damaging foes in the immediate area.

Passive Ability – Son of a Gun: Ranger’s a veteran – he’s knows all the tricks of the Arenas. His Son of a Gun passive ability reduces the amount of self-damage he takes by 25%, meaning he can Rocket Jump with less penalty to get the drop on unsuspecting foes.

A Closed Beta is currently underway for Quake Champions, and the free-to-play shooter will receive a full release on the PC later this year. You can register for a chance to receive a beta invitation at the game’s official website.

Lovecraftian evil invades Quake Champions this week thanks to a new trailer featuring the “Ruins of Sarnath” Arena.

Guarded by the ever-watchful Eye of Cthalha, the “Ruins of Sarnath” will require players to employ multiple strategies against their opponents as they navigate the Arena’s tight corridors, cavernous chambers, and high ledges:

Arena: Ruins of Sarnath
Time weighs heavy on the Ruins of Sarnath and nature has taken hold, dripping verdant greens into the wreckage of this ancient temple. Now, untold ages after they rose from the inky blackness of the Dreamlands, the Ruins of Sarnath are a blood-soaked killing field where Champions from the waking world fight to the death.

The Quake Champions Closed Beta continues this week for players who have received an invitation from Bethesda. If you’re still interested, you can sign up for a chance to receive a Closed Beta code at the game’s official website.