DOOM developer id Software currently has all hands at the pump for the upcoming release of Quake Champions, a blistering arena shooter that is in development as a PC exclusive.
It is, as id describes, a PC shooter first and foremost, and Creative Director Tim Willits told GameSpot that maintaining a high refresh rate (120Hz, in this instance) is the key reason that Champions is currently PC-only.
Hitting that threshold is considered paramount for the studio, and Willits believes that a 120Hz refresh rate appeals to pro players – a key market that id Software is targeting, with the executive even going so far as to say, “if we lose the pro guys, we’re in trouble.”
Per GameSpot:
“It’s everything from input sampling of the mouse to making sure that your monitor refresh rate is fast enough. Because even with Quake Live, we have found throughout the years that going from 30 to 60 is huge, but even 60 to 120–is noticeable. Most of us, and even me, I can’t really tell the difference,” he added. “But there are some players who are inhuman. And we can’t come out and say we’re going to make a game for them and not run ridiculously fast.
For now, Quake Champions is expected to launch for PC in early 2017. If you’re hoping to one day play the blistering shooter on consoles, there’s still hope; id Software has said it’s “not shutting the doors” on a port.
