# LibreQuake in Mabox mini how-to
**URL:** https://forum.maboxlinux.org/t/librequake-in-mabox-mini-how-to/2381
**Category:** Games
**Created:** [November 10, 2025, 9:16am UTC](https://forum.maboxlinux.org/t/librequake-in-mabox-mini-how-to/2381 "2025-11-10T09:16:39Z")
**Posts on this page:** 12
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@napcok](https://forum.maboxlinux.org/u/napcok)
#### Post date: [November 10, 2025, 9:16am UTC](https://forum.maboxlinux.org/t/librequake-in-mabox-mini-how-to/2381/1 "2025-11-10T09:16:39Z")
> _Update! (16 Jan 2026)_
> _LibreQuake is already available in Mabox repo_ 🙂
>
> ```auto
> yay -S librequake
>
> ```
>
> and [here](https://repo.maboxlinux.org/games) (for other Arch-based distributions)
# LibreQuake
[LibreQuake](https://github.com/lavenderdotpet/LibreQuake) is a free and open source Quake remake with art under the BSD license.
The _LibreQuake_ project aims to create a complete, free content first-person shooter game, but _LibreQuake_ by itself is just the raw material for a game. It must be paired with a compatible engine to be played.
* * *
To play LibreQuake, we will need both: **game data** and **modern Quake engine**.
## LibreQuake - game data
Create `~/.librequake` directory
```auto
mkdir ~/.librequake
```
Get the latest `full.zip` file from [Download/Releases](https://github.com/lavenderdotpet/LibreQuake/releases) page, unzip it and put `id1` directory into `~/.librequake/`
* * *
## Modern Quake engine
There are several modern engines available - two of them are available from Mabox repo - [Ironwail](https://github.com/andrei-drexler/ironwail) and [Quakespasm](https://github.com/sezero/quakespasm).
### Ironwail
Ironwail engine installation _(recommended)_:
```auto
yay ironwail
```
### Quakespasm
Alternatively, we can install Quakespasm engine:
```auto
yay quakespasm
```
* * *
## Fix/create menu item (launcher)
### Ironwail
We will modify ironwail.desktop file provided by ironwail package.
Copy it to `~/.local/share/applications/`
```auto
cp /usr/share/applications/ironwail.desktop ~/.local/share/applications/
```
And edit it like:
```auto
[Desktop Entry]
Type=Application
Name=LibreQuake (Ironwail)
Keywords=quake;ironwail
Icon=ironwail
Exec=ironwail -basedir ~/.librequake
Categories=Game;Shooter;
Comment=LibreQuake (Ironwail engine)
Terminal=false
StartupNotify=true
```
`Exec=` line is most important!
* * *
### Quakespasm
> **For Quakespasm click here**
>
> We will modify quakespasm.desktop file provided by quakespasm package.
> Copy it to `~/.local/share/applications/`
>
> ```auto
> cp /usr/share/applications/quakespasm.desktop ~/.local/share/applications/
>
> ```
>
> And edit like that:
>
> ```auto
> [Desktop Entry]
> Type=Application
> Name=LibreQuake (Quakespasm)
> Icon=quakespasm
> Exec=quakespasm -basedir ~/.librequake
> Categories=Game;Shooter;
> Comment=LibreQuake (quakespasm engine)
> Terminal=false
> StartupNotify=true
>
> ```
* * *
Thats it!
Now you can run LibreQuake from menu.
Enjoy! 😃
---
### Author:  [@Rhuks](https://forum.maboxlinux.org/u/Rhuks)
#### Post date: [November 19, 2025, 2:02am UTC](https://forum.maboxlinux.org/t/librequake-in-mabox-mini-how-to/2381/2 "2025-11-19T02:02:44Z")
I have to remove it… it’s addictive and I have a thesis to write…
---
### Author:  [@napcok](https://forum.maboxlinux.org/u/napcok)
#### Post date: [December 13, 2025, 5:11pm UTC](https://forum.maboxlinux.org/t/librequake-in-mabox-mini-how-to/2381/3 "2025-12-13T17:11:46Z")
Note about engines…
You don’t need to install the engines system wide (from the repositories).
You can also download the binaries and place them in the `~/.librequake` directory. Then run from this directory:
```auto
dn@mabox ~/.librequake $ ./ironwail
#or
dn@mabox ~/.librequake $ ./quakespasm
```
This way, you can have a portable version – easy to carry, for example, on a USB stick.
You can download the binaries from:
[Ironwail](https://github.com/andrei-drexler/ironwail/releases)
[QuakeSpasm](https://sourceforge.net/projects/quakespasm/files/Linux/)
---
### Author:  [@M0nst3r](https://forum.maboxlinux.org/u/M0nst3r)
#### Post date: [December 25, 2025, 4:44am UTC](https://forum.maboxlinux.org/t/librequake-in-mabox-mini-how-to/2381/4 "2025-12-25T04:44:49Z")
As a long standing FPS player, I love all the Quake series. 😎
The launcher, for some reason, doesn’t work but it launch fine directly from console.
Being playing one by one every mod and they are **great** , some are really challenging.
---
### Author:  [@SauronsMouth](https://forum.maboxlinux.org/u/SauronsMouth)
#### Post date: [December 25, 2025, 5:52am UTC](https://forum.maboxlinux.org/t/librequake-in-mabox-mini-how-to/2381/5 "2025-12-25T05:52:55Z")
Cool!
Weird anomaly. The 1st time I executed the game and going through the first difficulty selection portal I had to do a hard reset on my computer. The next time it ran just fine. I have a feeling I’m going to waste way too much time in this. Curse you @napcok
---
### Author:  [@napcok](https://forum.maboxlinux.org/u/napcok)
#### Post date: [January 7, 2026, 8:52am UTC](https://forum.maboxlinux.org/t/librequake-in-mabox-mini-how-to/2381/6 "2026-01-07T08:52:39Z")
_The start of 2026 brings some very exciting news for Quake fans…_
# Quake Brutalist Jam III
> **Quake Brutalist Jam III** is a megalithic community project more than a year in the making. It features an entirely new arsenal, a set of new monsters, new powerups, and a complete visual overhaul of Quake’s existing roster. The community came out in force, producing an unprecedented 77 maps, pushing the limits of the Quake engine to bring the oppressive, gritty, and beautiful aesthetic of brutalism to life.
>
> The goal for QBJ3 was to make something uniquely ambitious for the community to build with us. Beginning production in the winter of 2024, the team slow-cooked a total conversion mod in (semi) secret. In October 2025 the work-in-progress mod was unleashed upon the community, who spent the next six weeks exploring its tools, testing its limits, and ultimately creating the worlds for the mod to take place in.
https://www.youtube.com/embed/vquTPCYbOxk?feature=oembed&wmode=opaque
### How to play on Linux?
Latest [Ironwail](https://github.com/andrei-drexler/ironwail/releases) source port is highly recommended. Available from Mabox repo:
```auto
yay -S ironwail
```
* * *
Download **QBJ3 Standalone** from [website](https://qbj3.slipseer.com/)
Bundled with LibreQuake, no Quake purchase needed.
Unpack it somewhere, for example into ~/qbj3/
Copy ironwail there:
```auto
cp /usr/bin/ironwail ~/qbj3/
```
Start Ironwail from this directory:
```auto
cd ~/qbj3/
./ironwail
```
---
### Author:  [@SauronsMouth](https://forum.maboxlinux.org/u/SauronsMouth)
#### Post date: [January 8, 2026, 12:59am UTC](https://forum.maboxlinux.org/t/librequake-in-mabox-mini-how-to/2381/8 "2026-01-08T00:59:18Z")
FYI: I had to copy the pak0.pak and pak1.pak files from my previously working Librequake folder for it to work. For some reason the ones in the archive are not the correct size.
---
### Author:  [@napcok](https://forum.maboxlinux.org/u/napcok)
#### Post date: [January 8, 2026, 9:00am UTC](https://forum.maboxlinux.org/t/librequake-in-mabox-mini-how-to/2381/9 "2026-01-08T09:00:54Z")
They offer [two download options](https://qbj3.slipseer.com/):
- **QBJ3 Mod** - to install as a mod if you have installed original Quake already.
- and **QBJ3 Standalone** - ready to run, with LibreQuake bundled.
I refer to **Standalone** version.
_(You still need to install/copy Ironwail engine as they provide Windows version only)._
---
### Author:  [@SauronsMouth](https://forum.maboxlinux.org/u/SauronsMouth)
#### Post date: [January 8, 2026, 11:28am UTC](https://forum.maboxlinux.org/t/librequake-in-mabox-mini-how-to/2381/10 "2026-01-08T11:28:26Z")
That would explain me having to do extra work. Thanks
---
### Author:  [@napcok](https://forum.maboxlinux.org/u/napcok)
#### Post date: [January 8, 2026, 7:31pm UTC](https://forum.maboxlinux.org/t/librequake-in-mabox-mini-how-to/2381/11 "2026-01-08T19:31:03Z")
[Ironwail](https://github.com/andrei-drexler/ironwail/releases/tag/v0.8.1) source port/engine is at 0.8.1 version now 🙂 Available also in Mabox repo.
---
### Author:  [@napcok](https://forum.maboxlinux.org/u/napcok)
#### Post date: [January 18, 2026, 1:23pm UTC](https://forum.maboxlinux.org/t/librequake-in-mabox-mini-how-to/2381/12 "2026-01-18T13:23:15Z")
LibreQuake is now available as a package in the Mabox repo 😃
```auto
yay -S librequake
```
Equipped with two engines:
- Ironwail (recommended)
- QuakeSpasm - for older hardware, pre-2010
On first run game directory will be created at `$HOME/.librequake`. You can install additional mods there.
Ironwail allows you to easily install around 30 _mods/total conversions_ directly from the game.
I also shared package [here](https://repo.maboxlinux.org/games/), for other Arch/Manjaro based distributions.
---
### Author:  [@napcok](https://forum.maboxlinux.org/u/napcok)
#### Post date: [January 21, 2026, 12:40pm UTC](https://forum.maboxlinux.org/t/librequake-in-mabox-mini-how-to/2381/13 "2026-01-21T12:40:26Z")
LibreQuake episode 1 playthrough…
[ ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DmIUdm-qdzQ)