Home / Gaming / Surprise! The original Quake gets a free expansion on all…
Surprise! The original Quake gets a free expansion on all platforms to celebrate its 30th birthday
eurogamer.net Aug 7, 2026

Surprise! The original Quake gets a free expansion on all platforms to celebrate its 30th birthday

Curated by · TechCapsules ·

AI-summarised brief · reviewed before publication

id Software and MachineGames released Quake: Dawn of the Machine, a free expansion for the original Quake, during QuakeCon’s opening ceremony. Available on PC, Xbox, PlayStation, and Switch, the update celebrates the franchise’s 30th anniversary. It features a 19-map campaign, a new soundtrack, and a deathmatch map. The narrative follows Ranger escaping a looping dimension by confronting The Nightmare Machine. The expansion introduces twisted enemy behaviors and weapon variants like the Super Axe. Its campaign utilizes a roguelike structure where runes unlock new paths and persistent upgrades enhance player strength. Digital Foundry praised the update’s balance, lighting, and level flow. This release arrives amidst significant restructuring at id Software, raising questions about the studio’s future capacity for full-scale game development following recent organizational changes.

💡 Why It Matters

  • · The collaboration with MachineGames demonstrates a strategic pivot toward leveraging external expertise to maintain legacy IP relevance.
  • · This approach allows id Software to deliver high-quality content while navigating internal instability and reduced development capacity.
Capsules Gaming
Read full article on eurogamer.net
More in Gaming →
The Evercade will soon run DOOM, and it’s even getting its own limited edition Nexus handheld
gamesradar.com · Aug 7

The Evercade will soon run DOOM, and it’s even getting its own…

The Evercade, a retro-focused handheld console, will soon support the classic first‑person shooter DOOM, expanding its library of nostalgic titles. In addition, the company is releasing a limited‑edition Nexus handheld that will feature a custom DOOM-themed design and exclusive hardware tweaks. The move signals Evercade’s strategy to attract both collectors and new players by pairing beloved games with unique, collectible hardware. The Nexus edition will be available in a small run, creating a new tier of premium, fan‑centric products for the retro gaming market.

💡 By adding DOOM, Evercade taps into a broader audience beyond retro enthusiasts, while the limited Nexus edition turns a game into a collectible, driving urgency and brand differentiation in a crowded handheld market.

The Call of Duty: Black Ops 1&2 PS4 and PS5 ports sold more than 11 million copies in under a month
eurogamer.net · Aug 7

The Call of Duty: Black Ops 1&2 PS4 and PS5 ports sold…

Call of Duty’s Black Ops 1 and 2 ports for PlayStation sold 11.2 million copies within a month of their mid‑July release, according to Alinea Analytics. Black Ops 2 alone accounted for 8.2 million units, while Black Ops 1 sold 3 million. The majority of sales occurred on the newer console: 93 % of Black Ops 2 and 94 % of Black Ops 1 copies were bought on PS5. The audience is largely 30‑40‑year‑olds nostalgic for the originals, with many also playing other popular titles such as Fortnite and GTA 5.

💡 The rapid sales demonstrate that legacy titles can generate blockbuster revenue on modern platforms, reshaping how publishers approach remasters and porting strategies.

How to get Manaphy in Pokemon Pokopia
gamesradar.com · Aug 7

How to get Manaphy in Pokemon Pokopia

In the Pokopia Bubbly Basin DLC, players can acquire the Mythical Pokémon Manaphy by completing the area’s storyline. After raising the environment level to three and constructing the Ocean Temple—requiring items such as the Pokopia Ocean Door, Seashell Fencing, and Shiny Pearls—Popplio and Professor Tangrowth prompt the temple’s completion. Once finished, Manaphy permanently appears in Bubbly Basin, though no new habitat can be built for it. The guide details the steps and materials needed for this process.

💡 Bringing Manaphy into Bubbly Basin rewards players for engaging with the DLC’s narrative, turning a once‑absent Mythical Pokémon into a permanent feature of the underwater world. This adds depth to the game’s ecosystem and offers a tangible payoff for completing the storyline.

“There’s a huge amount to be learned” – how the pioneering years of gaming are being preserved for a new generation in a corner of south London
eurogamer.net · Aug 7

“There’s a huge amount to be learned” – how the pioneering years…

At Kingston University, the Archive of Retro Computing (ARC) showcases 70‑80 vintage computers and consoles, ranging from the 1970s ZX Spectrum to early 3D systems like the PlayStation 1 and Dreamcast. Curated by Paul Neve, a former Atari 2600 enthusiast, the collection originated after a 2004 auction and has grown through acquisitions of rare “unicorns” such as the Fairchild Channel F and Vectrex. The exhibit, free to the public, highlights the evolution of personal computing and gaming over three decades.

💡 The ARC preserves a tangible record of the industry’s formative years, offering researchers and enthusiasts a rare, hands‑on archive that illustrates technological progression and cultural impact.

EA CEO Andrew Wilson’s 2026 pay may have been much larger than previously thought
eurogamer.net · Aug 7

EA CEO Andrew Wilson’s 2026 pay may have been much larger than…

Electronic Arts disclosed that CEO Andrew Wilson’s compensation for fiscal 2026 was reported at about $39 million, combining salary, bonus and stock awards based on the year‑start share price. Game File recalculated the package using an “actual‑paid” method that values the stock at the year‑end price of $202, raising the total to roughly $77 million. The discrepancy stems from differing stock valuation approaches; companies favor the lower start‑price figure, while the SEC argues the end‑price better reflects cash received. Game File also noted the median EA employee salary of $127,000 for 2026. Wilson’s payout follows layoffs at Battlefield 6 studios and comes as EA transitions to private ownership by Silver Lake, Affinity Partners and Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund in the United States market.

💡 The stark gap between reported and “actually paid” figures underscores how executive pay can balloon when stock valuations surge, raising scrutiny as EA’s workforce faces cuts and its new private owners reshape compensation norms.

Rockstar Owner Take-Two Confirms GTA 6 Release Date Still on Track, Says ‘GTA 6: An Extended Look’ Will Help Grow ‘Consumers’ Passion and Anticipation’
ign.com · Aug 7

Rockstar Owner Take-Two Confirms GTA 6 Release Date Still on Track, Says…

Take‑Two Interactive confirmed that Rockstar’s Grand Theft Auto VI will still launch on November 19, and that the upcoming “GTA 6: An Extended Look” preview, streaming exclusively on Netflix for six hours on August 27, is intended to boost consumer enthusiasm. The company reported “excellent” first‑quarter results for its 2027 fiscal year, with overall revenue of $1.39 billion, slightly above forecasts, and highlighted that the Grand Theft Auto franchise continues to exceed expectations, citing over 230 million GTA 5 copies sold and a 3 % rise in series micro‑transaction revenue. Take‑Two also noted strong performance from NBA 2K, which posted a 7 % increase in recurrent consumer spending and surpassed 12 million units sold. The firm reiterated its full‑year revenue target of $8‑$8.2 billion, projecting the GTA 6 launch as the primary growth driver.

💡 The Netflix‑exclusive preview turns a game launch into a streaming event, amplifying hype and potentially expanding the franchise’s audience beyond traditional gamers.