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Heretic + Hexen Update 2 introduces new additions to Raven Vault, gameplay improvements, bug fixes, and modding enhancements. Now available on all platforms!
We have updated the Raven Vault with a new batch of development materials found shortly before we released the game in August. Be sure to go through the sections and check everything out!
Keys will no longer reset when respawning in cooperative mode when modern cooperative is disabled
Fixed some rare crashes around changing music when navigating through the Raven Vault
Sky drawing no longer repeats when looking straight up with the fullscreen HUD enabled
Improved physics when walking over explosive pods, making them harder to accidentally slip off now
Tomed Dragon Claw sub-projectiles will no longer immediately explode when firing at the floor
Enemies can no longer see or use melee attacks on you through polygonal objects
Class selection now works properly when changing class in split screen multiplayer
Disabled difficulty modifiers from incorrectly showing up when changing class
Fixed missing sprites in Mage's Arc of Death attack
Vibration settings are now set correctly per player in split screen modes
Additional textures and flats from the Raven Vault added to HERETIC.WAD for use in mods
Added ability to override built-in state jumps in action functions via custom state labels, similar to community source ports
EXDEFS and ANIMDEFS lumps are now loaded 'cumulatively', i.e. all lumps of the same name will be loaded, instead of only the 'last' one
EXDEFS: Added ability for actors to define a custom spawn ID for use in ACS scripts
EXDEFS: Added ability to assign custom terrain definitions (e.g. water splashes, lava, ice) to floor textures
EXDEFS: Added ability to add & replace strings (text) for all supported languages
EXDEFS: Added ability to define custom switch textures
EXDEFS: Added support for MBF21 functions
GAMECONF: Added ability for a mod to override Enhancement options (e.g. force enhanced enemies/weapons/items on or off)
GAMECONF: Added a new "gamedefaults" section which allows for customizing many previously-hardcoded values that differ per-game (e.g. menu sounds, falling damage, etc.)
Update 1 introduces a variety of new features, gameplay changes, fixes, and modding improvements and is available on all platforms
Heretic: Added original game's Firemace placement randomization (albeit with 100% spawn chance instead of the original's 75%)
Added option to disable cutscene subtitles in Accessibility menu
Added option to restore original two-button press behavior when selecting inventory items
Added option to restore original behavior where flying forward or backward will keep you at the same height, regardless of looking up or down
Added option to disable weapon animation smoothing
Added 'look up', 'look down', and 'center view' key bindings
Allow use of more buttons to advance through intermission text screens
Gameplay Modifiers menu is now accessible from episode and player class screens, instead of just difficulty selection
Hexen: Buffed Bloodscourge damage and adjusted autoaim behavior to work better with large crowds of enemies
Hexen: Slightly increased attack speed of Timon's Axe
Hexen: Decreased Quietus mana usage from 14 of each type to 10
Hexen: Slightly increased Wraithverge mana usage from 18 to 20
Hexen: Improved smoothness of weapon attack animations for the weapons: Timon's Axe, Hammer of Retribution, Mace of Contrition, Wraithverge, Sapphire Wand, and Bloodscourge
Improved smoothness of weapon raise and lower animations
Disable menu ambience if music soundtrack is set to None
Automap now scrolls at a consistent speed regardless of screen resolution
Automap now zooms more quickly when using a mouse wheel
Strafe left and right keys will now cancel each other out to match original game behavior
Monsters can no longer be pushed off ledges by player weapon attacks
Triggers can no longer be skipped in certain circumstances when sliding along walls
Enemy missiles will no longer fire slightly downward, preventing incorrectly exploding on certain windowsills
Monster melee attacks no longer have infinite height
Multiplayer scoreboards will no longer show zeroed out stats in certain cases
Fixed cases where disabling viewbob would cause weapon sprites to offset incorrectly
Locked door messages will no longer print if door is activated from back side
Fixed strafe modifier key not working for mouse or controller movement
Fixed missing accented glyphs in supported languages when using Classic typeface
Prevented messages at the top of the screen from being stuck after loading certain save games
Heretic: The Chaos Serpent in Faith Renewed will no longer shoot fireballs over the player’s head
Heretic: Gauntlets will no longer push enemies backward
Heretic: Fixed status bar not redrawing correctly on level transition if crossfade option is disabled
Heretic: Shadowspheres will now correctly penalize enemy aiming at the player
Heretic: Fix black box on Firemace sprite
Hexen: Fixed cases where weapon sprites for certain melee weapons (e.g. Cleric Mace) would occasionally jitter
Hexen: Fixed explosions having infinite height
Hexen: Messages for switch sequences in Deathkings will now print properly
Heretic: Fixed inconsistent blood floor texture behavior; blood floors will no longer deal damage)
Heretic: Fixed inconsistencies between types of locked door textures to be consistent with original game
Heretic: E1M6: Fixed an instance of overlapping monsters on Hard difficulty
Heretic: E2M1: Removed a few Weredragons in singleplayer, for a bit less grind
Heretic: E2M2: Remove mid-air floating stalactite
Heretic: E2M5: Fixed non-damaging lava sector around yellow key
Heretic: E2M7: Remove unreachable enemies from disabled green key track on easier difficulty modes
Heretic: E3M5: Fixed gargoyles getting randomly stuck on hanging corpses
Heretic: E3M6: Remove out-of-bounds Quartz Flask which caused 100% items being unobtainable
Heretic: E4M2: Fixed softlock caused by skipping triggers for lowering the yellow key pyramid
Heretic: E5M1: Fixed unobtainable secrets; add additional Tome of Power to maze area
Heretic: E5M2: Fixed missing texture on waterfall steps after blue door
Heretic: E5M3: "Pod-walk" and "Barrel-walk" sections are no longer required to reach the non-secret exit
Heretic: E5M5: Fixed unobtainable secrets
Heretic: E5M6: Fixed sky-pillar cutoff when viewing the starting area from the secret ledge outdoors
Faith Renewed: E5M1: Fixed unobtainable secret
Faith Renewed: E1M3: Fixed softlock caused by progressing beyond the green doors without a green key
Faith Renewed: E1M6: Fixed non-lava damaging floor sector
Faith Renewed: E1M7: Fixed unintended skip to yellow key and softlock caused by leaping into firepits near start
Faith Renewed: E1M9: Fixed being able to escape beyond the playable bounds of the map in certain areas
Vestiges of Grandeur: Serpent Temple: Fixed portals to Garden of Medea and Korax's Domain only being usable one time
Vestiges of Grandeur: Korax's Domain: Fixed softlock when choosing incorrectly for the final puzzle switch
Vestiges of Grandeur: Korax's Domain: Fixed co-op shortcut teleporter only being usable one time
Added support for using the Windows virtual keyboard for text inputs
Removed option for exclusive fullscreen to fix some issues with Game Bar overlays and to allow virtual keyboard to work
Added warning that the mod uploader is not available when using a controller
Heretic: Added a new non-randomized Firemace actor that can be placed in custom maps
Heretic: Resolved issue where wand start option was not available when launching Heretic mods
Heretic: Removed ambient sound limit
Heretic: Removed D'Sparil boss teleport spot limit
Heretic: Sector type 4 will now visually scroll again
Added WF_AUTOAIMFARTHEST flag for weapons; instructs weapon to priortize the furthest available target for autoaim, rather than the nearest
Added A_MStaffAttackEX (customizable Bloodscourge attack) codepointer
Fix issue when setting playerclass flags in EXDEFS
A_RadiusDamage now has flags for customizing behavior
Added 'endpalette' and 'enddemon' UMAPINFO keys, allowing arbitrary maps to use finales for Heretic Episodes 2 and 3
Fix crash when loading certain old mods that utilize custom textures
Updated order of graphic lumps in IWADs to match the originals, to fix potential HUD display issues in community source ports
Moved UMAPINFO lump for Heretic to heretic_ex.wad, for better compatibility with community source ports
Only evaluate the -warp commandline option on first launch, not when switching games in the game selection screen
The cult-classic, groundbreaking games are now restored, enhanced and combined into one title for modern platforms!
Originally developed by Raven Software and produced by id Software in 1994, Heretic and its 1995 sequel, Hexen, broke new ground blending fast-paced first-person shooter mechanics with dark fantasy themes and RPG elements, helping to expand the burgeoning genre beyond its sci-fi and military roots.
Now, the definitive re-release of Heretic + Hexen are available today on Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch, in addition to PC platforms and Game Pass (subscription required).
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In addition to combining these groundbreaking games, Heretic + Hexen also adds cross-platform online Co-op and Deathmatch multiplayer support for up to 16 players, two brand-new episodes, community-published mod support and much more!
Important Note: Existing owners of the digital versions of Heretic: Shadow of the Serpent Riders, Hexen: Beyond Heretic and/or Hexen: Deathkings of the Dark Citadel on Steam, the Windows Store/Xbox Windows app and Good Old Games receive a free upgrade to the new combined Heretic + Hexen and can still access their previously owned versions on those platforms. (See FAQ below for details.)
What’s Included:
Heretic: Shadow of the Serpent Riders
Hexen: Beyond Heretic
Hexen: Deathkings of the Dark Citadel
Heretic: Faith Renewed (New)
Hexen: Vestiges of Grandeur (New)
Heretic + Hexen supports split-screen multiplayer for up to four players on all platforms, with eight-player split-screen available on Xbox Series X|S, and PC. Play together with friends in Co-op or face off in Deathmatch - no matter which platform they prefer! Cross-platform play is available on all platforms, so you can play Heretic + Hexen with everybody else playing it and join lobbies quickly using a room code.
Enter the Raven Vault and explore a treasure of behind-the-scenes materials from the making of the original versions of these classic games
Toggle between the classic MIDI and FM Synth soundtracks from the original games composed by Kevin Schilder or turn the volume knob up to 11 and play with the enhanced (Tome of Power) soundtrack by composer Andrew Hulshult
Explore and play mods published by other Heretic + Hexen community members or publish mods for others to enjoy (See FAQ below for details)
Twelve new translations have also been added: French, Italian, German, Castilian Spanish, Mexican Spanish, Brazilian Portuguese, Polish, Russian, Japanese, Korean, Tradition Chinese and Simplified Chinese.
With this release, we are adding new accessibility features so Heretic + Hexen can be enjoyed by even more players. Learn more about the accessibility features in our guide at the link here.
🔹What platforms is Heretic + Hexen available on?
Heretic + Hexen is available on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, the Windows Store/Xbox Windows app, Steam and Good Old Games
🔹What subscription services is Heretic + Hexen available on?
Heretic + Hexen is available on Game Pass Ultimate, including PC Game Pass. It will be available on NVIDIA’s GeForce NOW and Boosteroid soon
🔹What streaming services is Heretic + Hexen available on?
Heretic + Hexen is available on xCloud (requires Game Pass Ultimate subscription) and Steam (game ownership required) for cloud streaming. It will be available on NVIDIA’s GeForce NOW and Boosteroid soon
🔹I already own one of the original games on the Windows Store/Xbox Windows app, Steam or GOG. How do I access the new release?
Customers who already own the original DOS versions of Heretic: Shadow of the Serpent Riders, Hexen: Beyond Heretic and Hexen: Deathkings of the Dark Citadel receive a free upgrade to Heretic + Hexen in their respective game library on the same platform(s). The upgrades should already be there by the time you read this
🔹I already own one of the original games on the Windows Store/Xbox Windows app, Steam or GOG. How do I access the original versions?
Customers who already own the original version(s) of these games will be able to download and play them from their games library on the respective platform(s). The originals will also be available for all Heretic + Hexen owners in the Steam version of Heretic + Hexen as launch options and as download options in the GOG version of Heretic + Hexen
🔹Will my saves carry over to Heretic + Hexen if already own one of the original games on the Windows Store/Xbox Windows app, Steam or GOG?
Save games from the original versions of Heretic: Shadow of the Serpent Riders, Hexen: Beyond Heretic and Hexen: Deathkings of the Dark Citadel aren’t compatible with the enhanced version of Heretic + Hexen. The original versions of the games are available if there are any saves you want to continue (see above for instructions). The enhanced release also allows you to play any campaign in any order, or you can use Level Select
🔹What happened to the Heretic + Hexen (Pack) Collection on Steam and GoG which included Heretic, Hexen and Hexen II?
These bundles are no longer available for purchase. Anyone who purchased them prior to August 7, 2025 will still be able to download and play any of the included titles in their library and receive the Heretic + Hexen upgrade for free on the corresponding platform
🔹How do I play with friends on other platforms?
The easiest way to join a cross-play match with friends is using the room code system. The room code is a four-letter code that can be seen inside the pre-game lobby. Send this to your friends over text message, Discord or text and they'll be able to join through the Multiplayer Menu
Note that on some platforms, cross-play may be disabled at the system level. If you have problems joining cross-play matches, ensure that this option is enabled.
🔹What resolutions and framerates are supported on each platform?
PC: Maximum supported by video card/display (multiple display resolutions supported)
Nintendo Switch: 720p at 60 FPS (Handheld), 1080p at 60 FPS (Docked)
PlayStation 4: 1080p at 60 FPS
PlayStation 4 Pro: Native 4K at 60FPS
Xbox One: 1080p at 60 FPS
Xbox One X: Native 4K at 60 FPS
PlayStation 5: Native 4K at 120 FPS
Xbox Series X|S: Native 4K at 120 FPS
🔹Do I need an always online connection to play the game?
Heretic + Hexen only requires an online connection to play online multiplayer game modes. Single player campaigns and local multiplayer via split-screen, LAN or ad-hoc on Nintendo Switch can be played while offline
🔹Do I need a Bethesda.net account to play the game?
Heretic + Hexen only requires a Bethesda.net account for online multiplayer and using the in-game mod browser (all platforms) or uploader (PC only)
🔹Is Mouse + Keyboard support available on all platforms?
Controller, keyboard and mouse are supported on all platforms, including consoles. Split-screen is available with mixed mouse/keyboard & controller support
🔹What controllers are supported on PC?
The following controllers are supported by Heretic + Hexen on PC in both wired and wireless configurations:
DualShock 4 (gyroscopic aiming and vibration also supported)
DualSense (gyroscopic aiming and vibration also supported)
Nintendo Switch Pro (gyroscopic aiming and vibration also supported)
Xbox controllers (vibration also supported)
Heretic + Hexen should also be compatible with all Xinput-compatible controllers, and many other third-party controllers; however, input mappings may need to be manually set up
🔹Is the Steam Controller supported?
Heretic + Hexen does not support the Steam Controller
🔹How do I create a mod?
DoomTools offers an array of essential utilities for creating a compatible WAD file (requires Java), Ultimate DOOM Builder for level editing (requires Microsoft .Net Framework 4.7.2) and SLADE for WAD file editing
We also recommend utilizing online DOOM community wikis such as
, and Discords, such as UDB’s and SLADE’s
🔹How do I publish a mod?
Mod uploading is only available on PC versions and you must be signed in to your Bethesda.net account to do so. To begin, select Bethesda.net from the Main Menu and sign into an existing or create a new account, back out to the Main Menu and select a game (e.g. Heretic). Next, select "MODS" from the Menu and then select "UPLOAD" and follow the instructions given
🔹How come I only see Featured mods on Nintendo Switch?
Only Featured Mods are available on Nintendo Switch due to platform policies
🔹When will I be able to purchase Heretic + Hexen in South Korea?
We plan on releasing Heretic Hexen on the supported digital platform storefronts in South Korea within a few weeks. Stay tuned for the announcement
Minimum Spec (1080p/60 HZ)
OS: Win 10 64-bit version
CPU: Intel Core i5-3570 @3.4 GHz or AMD Ryzen 3 1300X @3.5 GHz
GPU: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 650 TI (2GB) or AMD HD 7750 (1GB) - make sure to have the latest public release drivers installed
8GB System RAM
Minimum 2GB free space on hard drive
High speed broadband connection required for online play
Recommended Spec (*4K/120 HZ)
OS: Win 10 64-bit version
CPU:Intel Core i5-6600k @3.5 GHz or AMD Ryzen 5 1600 @3.2 GHz
GPU: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 (8GB) or AMD RX Vega 56 (8GB) or Intel Arc A 580 (8GB) - make sure to have the latest public release drivers installed
8GB System RAM
Minimum 2GB free space on hard drive
High speed broadband connection required for online play
*Compatible display required
All Platforms
🔸Issue: In some cases, usernames will not be visible in multiplayer lobbies
Resolution: If encountered, this issue should be resolved by having affected players leave and rejoin the lobby
🔸Issue: In rare instances, players can get stuck and not be able to move
Resolution: If encountered, this issue can be resolved by restarting the level or by using noclip (keyboard required) to get unstuck
🔸Issue: If additional players are added locally via other controllers when the primary player accepts an online multiplayer invite, only the primary player will join the lobby
Resolution: To work around this issue, set up additional players for split-screen play before the primary user accepts the multiplayer invite
🔸Issue: Text may overlap in some multiplayer menus if using the classic font in a non-widescreen display resolution
Resolution: To work around this issue, use the modern font and/or set the game to display at a widescreen resolution (compatible display required)
🔸Issue: Opening and closing the chat menu with a controller results in menu input needing to be entered twice
Resolution: To work around this issue, avoid opening and closing the chat window using a controller, attach a mouse and keyboard for menu navigation (supported on all platforms) or restart the game
Xbox Series X|S
🔸Issue: Attempting to join an online multiplayer lobby with 8 players set up for local split-screen play on a single console may result in a message indicating on or more accounts failed to sign in
Resolution: To work around this issue, go online with 4 players in local slit-screen then back out and add another player and go online. Repeat this process for every player added until you get to 8
PC - Steam and Steam Deck
🔸Issue: If different input actions are mapped simultaneously to controller and mouse + keyboard buttons, the corresponding HUD indicator may not appear
Resolution: To work around this issue, avoid assigning conflicting controller and keyboard + mouse inputs. If encountered, resetting the inputs to default values should also resolve it
PC (All Versions)
🔸Issue: When attempting to upload/publish a mod, an “Error getting content ID (InvalidArgument)” error message will appear if a given text field contains too many text characters
Resolution: To work around this issue, reduce the number of characters in any text field that is heavily populated and reattempt the mod upload/publish action. Repeat until the message no longer appears
About
This page aggregates Steam news feeds, patch notes, and developer announcements for Heretic + Hexen, sourced from official Steam community posts.
Major updates, balance changes, and seasonal events often correlate with player-count spikes — cross-reference announcements here with the live charts on the main Heretic + Hexen statistics page.
Articles link back to Steam for full changelogs. SteamScope refreshes news entries as new posts are published to the game's Steam hub.