1996 Bethesda Game Just Got a Surprise Update in 2026

A Bethesda game from 1996 just got a new, surprise update in 2026. In the modern era, Bethesda is best known for series such as The Elder Scrolls and Fallout. That said, it also owns some classic 1990s IP, especially within the first-person shooter genre. This includes the likes of Quake, DOOM, and Wolfenstein. And if you prefer retro Bethesda, then this new update may tickle your fancy.

More specifically, developer id Software and Bethesda have released a new update to the PC and Steam version of Quake, which adds Steam Deck verification. In other words, the classic first-person shooter now runs on Steam Deck from start to finish, runs well, and is optimized for its unique controls and display. This means Steam Deck users do not have to spend any time with their own configurations. And all of this has been confirmed by Valve itself.

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For those — somehow — unfamiliar with Quake, it is a first-person shooter released for MS-DOS in 1996 by id Software and GT Interactive. It boasts a 94 on Metacritic, is often cited as one of the great games of all time, and is a pioneering release in the first-person shooter genre. Meanwhile, the version on Steam is not the true 1996 version, but an enhanced and updated version that keeps intact the original experience, but cleans it up a bit. This includes adding 4K and widescreen resolution support, enhanced models, dynamic and colored lighting, anti-aliasing, and depth of field.

It is unclear why now id Software has done the work to get it verified on Steam Deck, and it is unclear what work it did on the PC game to get it this way. That said, this is the first update to the game on Steam since 2022.

It is possible this signals future plans with the game, but it is unclear what those plans could be. Quake is a fairly inactive series, and there isn’t much appetite for anything to be done with the original. What’s more likely is that this was a side, passion project for a few developers at id Software. Of course, if any more insight is provided on this matter, we will update the story accordingly.

All of that said, and as always, feel free to leave a comment or two letting us know what you think, or join the conversation over on the ComicBook Forum.