A former id Software environment artist Thao Le who contributed to RAGE and DOOM, uploaded screenshots of a long-rumored project, presumably Quake 5, that was shelved during the development of DOOM 4 and RAGE.
Now, years later and with DOOM: The Dark Ages already released, these images offer a rare glimpse into a direction id Software explored but ultimately never shipped.
For years, fans have begged for Quake 5. While the Quake universe remained quiet, other id franchises like DOOM came roaring back to life.
Quake 5 was real but got cancelled in 2016
Quake 4 launched way back in 2005, and since then, players have had little new to chew on, aside from Quake 1 and Quake 2 remasters. Speculation spiked in 2025, with whispers of a revival. Now, Thao Le’s reveal has only thrown fuel on the fire.
The images, taken from a scrapped IdTech 5 single-player project, showcase surreal environments that unmistakably echo Quake’s DNA: massive gothic stone structures fused with cold mechanical elements. In Le’s own words, it was “old machinery melted into stone.”
The art style sits somewhere between Quake 1’s oppressive, eldritch atmosphere and modern experimentation, featuring floating blocks, shifting gears, and environments that looked like they might collapse at any moment.
There’s even a Shambler tucked into one shot for scale, a deliberate nod to Quake 1’s bestiary. But the overall tone feels like a conceptual reboot, not a direct sequel. That’s exactly what stirred such a mixed reaction from fans.
“This looked visually so cool. I’m super bummed it got cancelled and we got Eternal instead,” one fan lamented.
Another echoed a long-standing wish: “I’d still love a Quake 1 direct sequel, building on that world and gameplay with updated visuals. It’s a shame we never got one.”
Still, many are realistic about the era this came from. “Given their output at the time of this, though, I doubt this project would have delivered what I wanted,” one player noted. “id really seemed to be trying to find themselves back then. I’m happy they did.”
There’s also a cautious optimism: “I’m really curious to see what they do next now that DOOM: The Dark Ages is out. I’d definitely be far less hyped for a Quake game than I was for modern DOOM, but I’d still check it out and be curious to see what they make of it.”
Today, id Software’s focus is likely shifting again. With DOOM: The Dark Ages now in players’ hands, the studio’s roadmap may finally allow space to revisit other classics. Whether Quake gets a full resurrection remains uncertain. But as Le’s concept art shows, the appetite and the imagination for it never really went away.
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