Bethesda took the stage at E3 2016 to unveil its plans for the future and retro gaming fans will rejoice to see that Quake is making a comeback.
The company delivered the news via a rendered video trailer that illustrates a few characteristics of Quake's reboot.
According to Id Studio director Tim Willits, who was one of the co-designers of the original title, the Quake Champions iteration will focus a lot on fast-paced multiplayer. The game aims to cash in on the existing e-sports market, where Quake is an established presence.
"The game is designed for world class e-sports play at any level," Willits says.
He adds that the gaming company will be backing and expanding competitive leagues, but more details will reach the media at the upcoming QuakeCon, which takes place in Dallas this August.
It should not be surprising to see shooter classics such as Quake rise from their ashes, as the Doom reboot scored immense popularity because of the legendary status of its original title.
Keep in mind that Quake Champions will land on PC only, as Bethesda made no reference to a console variant. If this sounds a bit disappointing, know that Quake Champions will run at 120 Hz with unlocked frame rate support. Those who have VR-ready rigs should be able to enjoy the fast-paced game at full throttle.
What is more, Quake Champions will stay away from a standard multiplayer arena shooter experience. The core of the game will be kept intact, but Bethesda confirmed that the game will holster a roster of various characters. This means that players will be able to choose champions who are more suitable for their play style, adding many blood-covered hours of replayability.
However, it is too soon to say whether Quake Champions takes a leaf out of Overwatch's book.
From the trailer, it looks like some characters will sport specific abilities such as teleport or X-ray vision. Meanwhile, it is good to see some of the familiar weapons, such as the feared Rocket Launcher, the Thunderbolt and the Rail Gun.
No official information about the release of the game exists, so far.
"It's important [...] that Quake Champions remains true to the Quake legacy, and delivers the speed and gameplay our longtime fans expect," Willits mentions.
He goes on to add that new gameplay opportunities will land in the form of new Champions and game-changing abilities.
Take a look at the cinematic trailer to get a taste of what Quake: Champions will deliver.
