Quake (1996): runs on Windows 11, Mac, Linux, Steam Deck?

Windows 11✓
Steam Deck✓ Verified
Mac✕ no Mac version
Linux✓ Proton Platinum

Gamicality score 92 / 100

Playability today ★★★★★ 5

Runs today5 / 5
Design today5 / 5
See the checks

Steam user reviews Overwhelmingly Positive

14,400 reviews97% positive
Steam store page

Get it on Steam

Released: 1996
Developer: id Software, Nightdive Studios
Genre: Action
Best version today: Play the 2021 enhanced version that the Steam purchase now launches by default: it adds widescreen, controller support, the restored soundtrack and all expansions, while the original files remain for source ports.
Runs on: Windows, Linux, Steam Deck
Last checked: October 31, 2026

Does Quake run on Windows 11, Apple Silicon Macs, Linux and Steam Deck?

Windows 11	✓Sold for Windows today, no problem on record. Source1 player says it works, 0 say it doesn't
Mac (Apple Silicon)	✕No Mac version is sold.
Linux	✓Through Proton. ProtonDB: Platinum, runs perfectly out of the box. Source
Steam Deck	✓Verified by Valve. Source

Played it lately? Press Works for me or Doesn’t work on your platform, so the next player knows. One click, no account. How we check where it runs

Synopsis

A fast first-person shooter in which a lone soldier fights through teleporter gates into dark, gothic worlds full of monsters. You race through short, maze-like levels, hunt keys and secrets, and juggle an arsenal that ranges from a shotgun to a grenade launcher. The current release bundles the two official mission packs and newer episodes.

What people say

Critics in 1996 praised its true 3D engine, level design and moody atmosphere, and it went on to shape online multiplayer. The 2021 enhanced release scored highly again, with reviewers calling the campaign largely untouched by age and praising the fast movement and extra content. The most common modern complaint is unfair enemy placement, with monster closets that open behind you and spawns that punish players who have not memorized a level. Multiplayer feels bare by today's standards, and some disliked the Bethesda login for online play.

Playability today

The average of two parts, each from 1 to 5. Tap a check to see why. How it works

Runs today

5 / 5

✓Sold or given away today by an official source
✓Runs on Windows 11 without fan patches
✓Full controller support or remappable controls
✓Steam Deck Verified or Playable
✓No intrusive DRM or required third-party launcher account
✓No pay-to-win or pushy microtransactions

4 checks not confirmed yet

Single-player works without an internet connection
All of its content still works (servers, DLC, unlocks)
Supports modern resolutions and widescreen
No known game-breaking bugs in the current version

From the Steam store, Valve’s Steam Deck rating and the sources under each check. Checks not confirmed yet don’t count.

Design today

5 / 5

✓Controls feel natural on a modern controller or mouse and keyboard
Mouse aiming feels modern, and the enhanced version adds smooth controller play with fully rebindable buttons. Source: cogconnected.com, gamingtrend.com.
✓Menus, text and interface are clear on today's screens
The enhanced version has modern menus, widescreen support and a clean minimal HUD, and reviewers flag no readability problems. Source: gamingtrend.com.
✓Saving is fair: free saves or frequent checkpoints, little lost progress
The PC game can be saved at any moment, and each level is short, so a death costs little progress. Source: en.wikipedia.org).
✓It teaches itself: no guide needed to make progress
A simple hub lets the player pick difficulty by walking through a portal, and the shoot-and-find-the-key loop needs no explanation. Source: gamingtrend.com.
✓Pacing holds up: little grind, filler or forced backtracking
Levels are short and dense with no grind or filler; the main modern complaint, unfair monster closets, is about difficulty rather than pacing. Source: gamingtrend.com.
✓Camera and movement never fight the player
The fast, precise movement is still the game's biggest strength. Source: gamingtrend.com.