A lost expansion for Raven Software's 2005 shooter Quake 4, titled "Awakening," has unexpectedly reappeared online via GitHub. The project was canceled by Activision due to the base game's underwhelming sales. The discovery was made by veteran game programmer Justin Marshall, whose work includes titles like The Evil Within and XCOM 2.
Marshall found a build of "Awakening" on a vintage computer hard drive he purchased. He described the discovery as profoundly impactful, stating on the expansion's GitHub page that finding it "essentially saved my life" during a difficult personal period. The developer uploaded the build for preservation and hopes the community will find creative uses for it.
Development on "Awakening" was handled by Ritual Entertainment, the studio also known for SiN and its planned episodic sequel. Former Ritual employee Michael "RomSteady" Russell told PC Gamer last year that the expansion pack was approximately 95% complete before Activision halted its development. Evidence supporting the legitimacy of the leaked build includes config files named after former Ritual employees, including Duke Nukem 3D level designer Richard "Levelord" Grey.
Further confirmation comes from players who have successfully run the expansion. A YouTube video showcasing the first three missions reveals new gameplay elements such as a cryo cannon and a mech piloting sequence. While some scripted events appear unfinished, the overall state of the build aligns with estimates of its near-complete status before cancellation. The leaked content suggests that a community effort could potentially polish "Awakening" to a releasable quality.