Id Software has quietly been working to make its Steam library of older games less confusing. The company began consolidating all versions, expansions and mission packs for the older Doom/Quake games into one package “so newcomers have a simpler time”.
But, instead of having separate Steam library entries for Final Doom 2, Doom 2 and Doom 2’s Master Levels, you will now have one entry for Doom 2 that installs all the stuff at once.
The new packages allow you to choose the game version you want instead of searching through your vast Steam library. Although it will make the installation a bit larger, most of these games were released in the 1990s, so the difference is only a few megabytes.
It also announced that Quake 2/3 demos would be removed from Steam. I’m not sure they’re causing major problems on Steam’s popularity charts. The id will also add Doom 3 and 64 as part of its classic Doom bundle. You can get them there if you are one of the few remaining people who don’t have these games.
Here is a complete list of all the changes happening to each of these classic games:
- The first Doom is changing its name from Ultimate DOOM to DOOM (1993), and that’s it.
- Doom 2 will be integrated with packages for Doom 2(Enhanced), Master Levels of Doom 2, Final Doom, and other Doom 2 products.
- Doom 3 will merge into a package that includes both Doom 3: Original and Doom 3 BFG Edition. You can get the new package if you already own one. You will also receive the Resurrection of Evil expansion in the new package.
- Quake 2 will be bundled with its mission packs, The Reckoning & Ground Zero.
- Quake3 Arena and Quake3 Team Arena will finally be combined into one package.
This news comes before QuakeCon next week, August 18. While I will always appreciate a cleaner Steam library, I can’t help feeling that this reconfiguration partly cleared the way for an announcement next week. Can you hear me begging for a Quake4 remaster?
