| Quake | |
| Developer: | id Software Raven Software Hyperion Entertainment Bullfrog Productions Lobotomy Software Raster Productions Hammerhead |
| Publisher: | GT Interactive (1996–1997) Activision (1997–2009) Electronic Arts (2001) (Quake III Revolution) Electronic Arts Square (2001) (Quake III Revolution Japanese version) Bethesda Softworks (2010–present) Nvidia (2019) (Quake II RTX) |
| Genre: | First-person shooter |
| Platforms: | MS-DOS, Microsoft Windows, OS X, Linux, Sega Saturn, Nintendo 64, PlayStation, PlayStation 2, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Dreamcast, Nintendo Switch |
| First Release Version: | Quake |
| First Release Date: | June 22, 1996 |
| Latest Release Version: | Quake Champions |
| Latest Release Date: | August 22, 2017 |
Quake is a series of first-person shooter video games, developed by id Software and, as of 2010, published by Bethesda Softworks. The series is composed of Quake and its nonlinear, standalone sequels, which vary in setting and plot.
Quake was created as a successor franchise to id's highly successful Doom series, which had begun in 1993. As a new series, it built upon the fast-paced gameplay, game engine, and 3D graphics capabilities of Doom.[1] It also expanded upon the multiplayer capabilities of Doom by introducing online multiplayer over the internet. This contributed to the popularity of the Quake series and characterized it as a figurehead in online gaming.[2]
Every game in the Quake franchise shares a basis in first-person shooter gameplay. However, the series lacks a singular narrative across all of its entries. Two major storylines exist within the franchise, as well as the Arena series, which focuses primarily on multiplayer gameplay.
The game's original plot focused on the player character, later known as "Ranger" in Quake III Arena, who travels across alternate dimensions to stop an enemy code-named "Quake". The game takes place in a Lovecraftian setting with a mixture of dark fantasy, pseudo-medieval, and science fiction elements.[3] [4]
Shifting the series to a science fiction theme, Quake II and its sequels chronicle the war between humanity and the cybernetic alien race known as the Strogg.[5]
Quake III Arena and its successors focus on competitive multiplayer rather than a single-player experience. These games de-emphasized the setting of the first two installments while still retaining continuity with them and crossing over with id's Doom franchise. Quake Champions, in particular, is heavily influenced by the mythology of the original game.[6]
Since its first release, the series has received mostly positive reviews.
Quake,[7] [8] [9] Quake II,[10] [11] [12] and Quake III Arena[13] [14] have all been considered by various video game journalists and magazines to be among the greatest video games of all time.
Like Doom, the Quake series initially received controversy due to containing high amounts of graphic violence. Public and media outcry over Quake and other violent video games peaked after the Columbine High School massacre occurred on April 20, 1999, and it became known that perpetrators Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold were avid players of both Doom and Quake. This finding prompted claims from media outlets that violent video games caused negative psychological effects on children that made them more aggressive and accepting of violence.[15] [16]
id Software co-founder John Romero later stated in a 2013 interview that the company and its developers had never intended to "offend people or shock people" with their games.[17]