Today, during QuakeCon 2025, Bethesda, Id Software, and Xbox announced (and immediately released) newly remastered versions of beloved retro fantasy first-person shooters Heretic and Hexen.
Both games, as well as their expansions, were developed by Raven Software (RIP) with help from id Software and released in the mid-’90s. Raven developed the popular spell-tossing shooters using a modified version of the Doom engine that allowed for some extra features and effects not possible in id’s classic demon-killin’ FPS, like vertical aiming and a basic inventory system. For years, fans have wanted Heretic and Hexen to receive modern ports just like other id games have, such as Quake and Doom. Even Xbox boss Phil Spencer joked in 2023 about bringing the games back after Xbox bought Activision, which was the same company that had ended up with the rights to Heretic and Hexen. And now, it’s finally happening.
On August 7, with no warning or teasing, Bethesda released updated and remastered versions of Heretic: Shadow of the Serpent Riders, Hexen: Beyond Heretic, and Hexen: Deathkings of the Dark Citadel. These remasters are included in one new package known as Heretic + Hexen, and the whole thing was developed by retro game experts NightDive Studios, the same team behind previous id Software remasters. Even better, id Software and Nightdive worked together to create two new episodes for this collection: Heretic: Faith Renewed and Hexen: Vestiges of Grandeur. This new collection also includes the OG DOS versions of the game, too.
The new Heretic + Hexen collection is now available on Xbox, Switch, and PC. The PlayStation version should be available soon, too, but it isn’t yet as of this writing. It costs $15 but is also included for free as part of Game Pass. If you already own the games on Steam, you get the upgraded versions for free.
Here’s a list of updates and changes made to both games and their episodes via a list from the collection’s official Steam store page.
- Online cross-platform deathmatch and co-op for up to 16 players
- Local split-screen deathmatch and co-op for up to 8 players
- Toggleable, enhanced Tome of Power soundtrack by Andrew Hulshult
- Community-published mod support with an in-game mod browser
- Improved performance with multithreaded rendering supporting up to 4K resolution and 120 FPS
- A Vault section containing concept art and unused sprites from the development of the original games
- Accessibility options, such as updated UI, improved legibility, contrast and screen FX adjustments, and text-to-speech features
- Modern controller support
- Weapon carousel for faster weapon switching
- Game balance toggle (original/enhanced)
- Quick Save/Load support
- Widescreen support
- Many engine fixes for bugs present in the original versions
All in all, it sounds like a great way to revisit these classic shooters, and I’m happy that, finally, Bethesda remembered it also owns Heretic and Hexen. Now, let’s see about letting a studio make a new one of these games in the same way we’ve gotten great Wolfenstein and Doom reboots in recent years. The world deserves a new Hexen.
