Quake Champions is a return to the frenetic, fast-paced competition that established Quake as the originator of the multiplayer shooter genre more than 20 years ago.

Quake Champions delivers the dark mythos of the first Quake combined with the groundbreaking multiplayer mayhem of Quake III Arena with a major modern twist – Champions. These fierce warriors each wield different attributes and abilities, enabling players to compete in their own distinctive style, while adding an additional layer of strategy to the game.

Later this month, Quake Champions’ April update will bring a host of new content and features, as well as additional gameplay improvements and refinements.

Key new content announced at PAX East include:

• New Champion – Strogg: Half military-grade metal, half decaying flesh, and 100% ready to rage, the primary enemy from both Quake II and Quake 4 is back as Strogg fights to be freed from the Dreamlands and reestablish contact with his ruthless warlord Makron. Players will also be able to take control of Strogg’s sidekick Peeker, an airborne AI drone that shoots explosives. Enemy kills are turned into a nutritional paste called Stroylent that provides 25HP, but players need to act fast – other Stroggs can steal your Stroylent.
• New Map – Awoken: Players will find themselves navigating a misty labyrinth of tropical ruins in this month’s newest map, Awoken. The vine-entrenched arena will be playable in Deathmatch, Team Deathmatch, Duel, 2v2, and Instagib. Stay woke to stay alive in this map, Champions.

This year, Quake Champions will host two Major and two Minor tournaments for professional competitors, as well as additional online events. The first tournament will be at Dreamhack Tours in May with a prize pool of $50,000. For the first time in Quake history, there will be no prior qualifiers – all players at the event can register to compete for the title. Registration is now open for Dreamhack Tours.

Additional events in 2018 include a major event, the QuakeCon Open at QuakeCon 2018 in August; a minor event at PGL in October; and a final major event, the Quake Champions Invitational, to be held at Dreamhack Winter in December. In addition, the Collegiate Star League will begin competition in Quake Champions in June, and additional online tournaments will occur weekly and monthly with varying prize pools via the ESL Go4 League, through BattleFy, and through the Quake Champions Open League.

Quake Champions is available now in Early Access on Steam and via Bethesda.net.

Key Features:

• The Next Great Quake Multiplayer Game: Quake's signature rocket jumping, skill-based competition, and incredible speed remains intact, providing veterans with a welcome return and new players a fresh way to showcase their multiplayer skills. Players will frag enemies using a variety of powerful weapons while battling their friends in four competitive game modes, including Deathmatch, Team Deathmatch, Duel, and the team-focused Sacrifice.
• Incredible, Diverse Champions: Quake Champions will introduce a roster of elite Champions, each equipped with unique attributes and abilities that are additive to Quake's established gameplay. Champions are colorful, charismatic - and sometimes weird - and possess both an Active and Passive ability designed to enhance individual play styles. Players can choose a Champion based on abilities or style, from Quake vets like Ranger and Anarki, to newcomers like Clutch and Scalebearer.
• Uncompromising Weapons, Ready for Battle: Quake III Arena's devastating arsenal of flesh-chewing weaponry, including fan-favorites like the thunderous Rocket Launcher, electrifying Lightning Gun, and snipe-tastic Railgun are back along with the Shotgun, Machine Gun, and the ever-personable melee-masher, the Gauntlet. Players can also acquire classic versions of weapons, including the Quake 1 Rocket Launcher, the Quake 2 Railgun, and more.
• Intense Game Modes: Established and beloved game modes return, including the gib-filled fragfests of Deathmatch and Team Deathmatch and the competitive fury of 1v1 Duel mode, while a new team-based mode, Sacrifice, joins the fray. Playing like a combination of Domination and Single Flag Capture the Flag, Sacrifice challenges players to work together, strategize, and dominate the arena.
• Play for Free Or Upgrade to the Champions Pack: Quake Champions will be available for free to all PC players, with all maps, modes, and weapons included, as well as an initial Champion, Ranger. Additional Champions will be available for trial and purchase individually. Players can alternatively choose to purchase the Champions Pack, a version that will include the full roster of Champions and additional, exclusive bonuses. Free players can upgrade to the Champions Pack at any time. Both free and paid players will be able to play all modes and maps, uniting paid and free players in a single, endless test of skill.
• Your Champion, Your Style: Players can upgrade and customize armor appearance, vanity items, weapons, and more through a loot box-style system. These boxes can be earned by leveling up, purchased using in-game currency, or purchased through the in-game store for money.