Quake II remaster appears on Korean ratings board, signaling imminent release

[Daniel Sims]

Something to look forward to: South Korea's age ratings board frequently lists upcoming games before their formal announcements, making it a reliable official leaker of sorts. A recent entry suggests Bethesda and Id plan to repeat a stunt they performed at QuakeCon two years ago.

An unannounced remaster of Quake II recently received a mature rating in South Korea. Chances are good that Bethesda and Id Software could announce and release the title at QuakeCon 2023, which starts in a little over a month.

The cycle mirrors how the companies shadow-dropped a remaster of the original Quake at QuakeCon 2021. That release had also leaked shortly before the event when Bethesda's presentation schedule prematurely went public.

The Quake II rating doesn't reveal any new information or clues about what the remaster might contain, but prior remasters of games like Doom and Quake establish a clear pattern for how Bethesda re-releases its classics. A Quake II re-release would probably bring significant improvements and new content to the 1997 first-person shooter.

For the first Quake remaster, Bethesda Id, MachineGames, and Nightdive Entertainment added improved graphics as well as support for higher resolutions, higher framerates, new gameplay modes, and new levels. Furthermore, the enhancements came free for anyone who already owned the original version on digital storefronts while also allowing users to keep playing older editions.

Additionally, for around a year following the re-release, Bethesda gradually added more gameplay modes, accessibility features, and an option to easily download a curated selection of classic fan maps. Doom and Doom II received similar treatments, so it would come as no surprise if Quake II owners found a free refresh of the game in their Steam libraries during QuakeCon, which runs from August 10 to August 13.

A new release from Bethesda wouldn't be the first free remaster Quake II owners have received. Nvidia and Lightspeed Studios released Quake II RTX in 2019, adding advanced path tracing to drastically improve and fundamentally alter the game's lighting system to realistically simulate bouncing light. As of last month, this version of the game still receives substantial patches. Anyone buying a remastered Quake II on PC would almost certainly gain access to Quake II RTX.

Modder Sultim Tsyrendashiev brought path tracing to the original Quake last October.

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https://www.techspot.com/news/99172-quake-ii-remaster-appears-korean-ratings-board-signaling.html

 

[bviktor]

Like the Q1 remaster? Which is just as ugly as the original? Alright then, I almost got excited lol.

 

[VitalyT]

Ever since I got Quake II RTX, I finished the entire game about 50 times. The game is just incredibly good, with awesome visuals. I wish there were more remakes like that. I tried a few after, but didn't like any of them. Most RTX remakes are just subpar to Quake II. I tried Quake I RTX as well, but didn't like it - the RTX makeover is just too inferior to Quake II RTX.

You need a good card though to see its full potential. Mine is nVidia RTX3080Ti.

It makes sense for Quake II RTX to get even more updates, with finer texture. I'm looking forward to the Korean remake.

 

[MakeMSGreatAgain]

This is awesome in its own right.... and if it is free for current game owners that is indeed a win. I know a lot of us want to see the original games re-made but with new graphics engine, keeping the same maps, monsters, weapons, etc... just reimagined with better graphics. I'd be willing to buy that, if they did - but they'd have to keep true to the original design and spirit, and just improve the graphics. Sure you can add extra stuff too, as long as it is in addition to the original - then at least you have something new for the long term fans like me who have played Quake, Quake II through at least 10 times or more.

 

[s3thra]

Great to see id/Bethesda/Microsoft pay attention to the classics and make them more accessible on modern machines.

It's in stark contrast to Epic just blatantly pulling their Unreal games from all store fronts recently.

For anyone wanting to set up and experience Quake II in close to original form with a modern source port (Yamagi), check the guide.

 

[Mr Majestyk]

Remaster it on a new engine then I'll be excited. If it's just higher res but still low polygon minecraft quality graphics, hard pass.

 

[p51d007]

Recently had to buy a new home PC, the old i5 just died.
Got one with a much better video card. Found a copy of Doom reborn and
turned all the options on. Having a blast with it.

 

[MakeMSGreatAgain]

Following up, for those of you with VR headsets you gotta at least try VR modded Quake and Quake 2. WOW! My dreams came true. I'll be honest though Q1 felt weird, the environments are so huge and the player is so small - you feel tiny. Q2 feels more realistic and you actually feel like a normal human in VR. For that matter Doom 3 VR was probably the best old id game in VR mod, visually it fits perfectly into VR. A new way to play these games, if you can play without motion sickness - luckily I can! I still enjoy sitting in front of a monitor though and playing it as well, though it is admittedly not anywhere near as immersive as it is in VR.