QuakeCon news round-up

At this weekend’s QuakeCon event, id Software CEO Todd Hollenshead used his keynote to announce several new directions for the Texas-based development team.

The studio will be using its recently unveiled id Tech 5 engine to develop an original title, Rage, for PC, Mac, Xbox 360 and PS3. Described as a post-apocalyptic open-world driving/shooter hybrid, the game will use the second generation of id’s Megatexture technology and will require two DVDs or one Blu-ray disc.

In addition to revealing a partnership with Houston-based developer Pi Studios to develop Quake Arena Arcade for Xbox Live Arcade, id also announced that they are working on a web-based version of Quake III that will be free-to-play but ad-supported.

The venture into advertising-funded games is a test of id’s new development team, who will go on to create a new game in the Quake franchise using id Tech 5 after finishing work on Quake III.

Also unveiled at the conference was a Wolfenstein film to be written and directed by Roger Avary, writer of the Silent Hill film adaptation, and the release of id’s back catalogue onto Valve’s Steam download service.