Back in 2007, id Software came up with the idea of Quake Live, a browser-based first-person shooter that preserved the spirit of the popular Quake III Arena video game. In 2008 the project entered an invitation-based closed beta stage, and an open beta was available starting with February 2009. The only problem was that the browser plugin allowing the game to be played only supported Internet Explorer or Mozilla Firefox, running under either Windows XP or Vista.

Things are about to change, as id Software President Todd Hollenshead announced during the QuakeCon 2009 press conference that Quake Live would soon be adding support for Linux and Macintosh systems. Users who want to catch an early glimpse of the enhancements can do that at QuakeCon, since both versions of the plugin are available for testing on the show floor. Non-attendees will have to wait for the update that is scheduled to come on August the 18th, this Tuesday.

About Quake Live:

Quake Live is a browser plugin-based first person shooter video game developed by id Software, which first appeared in 2007. It is a variant of its predecessor, Quake III Arena, running a slightly updated version of this game's engine. The focus is on usability enhancements rather than graphical upgrades, including the plugin that runs compile code on the user's processor and a more streamlined heads-up display. Notably, this game doesn't make use of Adobe's Flash technology to run. Quake Live is free to play, as financial backing for this project comes from in-game advertising.

Don't expect any graphical wonders from this game; based on a title released in 1999, it's meant to have a quick and simple installation procedure for casual gaming or maybe aid team-bonding through lunch break tournaments.

Check out Quake Live on Softpedia.