New Quake Champions trailer – it’s time for Clutch!

Bethesda and id Software’s new brainchild, Quake Champions has just finished its closed beta, that lasted from April 6 to April 9. The beta seems to have whetted everyone’s appetite for a new fast-paced arena shooter. Today, we have the opportunity to see another Champion revealed: it’s Clutch the Automaton!

If your first reaction to the word ‘automaton’ brings memories of Syberia, you might not be quite the audience that Bethesda is aiming at. Still, not to give in to prejudice, you might also possess some fine skill in rocket-jumpin’ and strafe-shootin’. This is where Clutch comes in.

Bethesda says that Clutch is the awakened automaton, who joins the battle. He is out for blood, presumably of other champions. Perhaps because he (it?) himself does not have blood at all, but some kind of…lubricant? In Bethesda’s own words: “Built initially as a mining robot, Clutch was altered into an organic killing machine after a network malfunction during a routine data transfer. Now its only mission is to destroy all signs of life within the Arenas.” I liked him more when he was just out for blood.

In the previous trailers, Bethesda and id Software showcased a variety of tongue-in-cheek champions. They include the Slash, a high-as-all-hell teen on rollers, Nyx, an agent who can disappear for a moment, Anarki, a hoverboarding transhuman punk, and Scalebearer, the heavy hitting Galactic Overlord. Talk about a bunch of misfits!

A little reminder, QuakeCon 2017 starts on April 13 this year and will feature the first tournament for Quake Champions. In order to qualify you will need to pass through the meat grinder in the Bring-Your-Own-Computer Arena.

Quake Champions is shaping up to be quite a return to the twitchy, skill-based gameplay of yore. We will keep you posted on any news regarding this oldschool-shooter-turned-new.