Can I change the gametype after the server is running?

Yes. Open the in-game console and load a map with a gametype token, for example map campgrounds duel, or start a callvote to switch. As the deploying player your votes pass instantly.

Which gametype should I pick for a group of friends?

Clan Arena is the easiest to jump into because everyone spawns with all weapons and there is no item timing. It is the default on deploy. Freeze Tag is a good second choice for mixed skill groups.

How many players can each mode hold?

The player cap comes from the server tier, not the mode: 4 on Small, 8 on Medium, 16 on Large. Duel is one on one with the rest queued as spectators, so a small tier is fine for it, while Capture the Flag suits the larger tiers.

Quake Live game modes explained: Clan Arena, Duel, FFA, TDM, CTF, Freeze Tag

Updated Sep 22, 2026

Quake Live has one core loop, arena combat with weapon and item timing, and several gametypes built on top of it. When you deploy a Quake Live server you pick the gametype (the engine calls it the factory) and a starting map. This guide explains the six gametypes you can choose, how each one plays, and which maps suit them, so you know what to pick before you start a server.

How gametypes work in Quake Live

A gametype sets the win condition, the team layout and the item rules. You load a map together with a gametype, so the same map plays very differently under Clan Arena than under Duel. On deploy you set the gametype once. After that you can switch it in-game from the console, for example map bloodrun ca to load Blood Run in Clan Arena.

map bloodrun ca

Clan Arena (ca)

Round-based team elimination. Everyone spawns with all weapons and full stats, there is no item pickup and no health regen inside a round. A round ends when one team is wiped out. It is the most popular team mode because there is no item timing to learn, so new players can jump straight into fights.

Best for: Team play and casual groups. This is the default gametype on deploy.
Maps: Campgrounds, Almost Lost, Asylum, Overkill, Black Cathedral, Hearth, Wargrounds, The Edge, Windsong Keep, Monastery.

Duel (duel)

One versus one. Two players fight while any others wait in a queue and spectate. Item and weapon timing is the whole game here: controlling the mega health and armor spawns wins duels. This is the classic competitive Quake format.

Best for: One on one skill matches and practice.
Maps: Aerowalk, Blood Run, Furious Heights, Hektik, Toxicity, Campgrounds, Cure, House of Decay, Vertical Vengeance.

Free For All (ffa)

Every player for themselves, first to the frag limit wins. Weapons and items sit on the map and respawn on timers, so pickups matter but the pace is looser than Duel. Good for a full lobby that just wants a fast deathmatch.

Best for: Open lobbies and warmup.
Maps: Campgrounds, Almost Lost, Asylum, Overkill, Monastery, Longest Yard, Lost World, The Edge, Windsong Keep.

Team Deathmatch (tdm)

Two teams, most frags wins. Like Free For All but with team scoring and team positioning, so map control and stacking spawns matter. It rewards coordinated play more than raw aim.

Best for: Organized teams that want item play, not just elimination.
Maps: The Edge, Warehouse, Wargrounds, Terminus, Arcane Citadel, Hidden Fortress, Tornado.

Capture the Flag (ctf)

Two teams, grab the enemy flag and bring it to your base. These are the largest maps in the game, built for movement and route timing. Good for bigger lobbies that want objective play over pure fragging.

Best for: Large groups, objective play. Pairs well with the Large 16p tier.
Maps: Ironworks, Spider Crossings, Camper Crossings, Stronghold, Japanese Castles, Siberia, Zen, Courtyard.

Freeze Tag (ft)

Team elimination with a twist: killing a player freezes them instead of removing them. A frozen player can be thawed by a teammate standing over the body. A team wins a round by freezing everyone on the other side before they get thawed. It plays like a more forgiving Clan Arena.

Best for: Team play with a comeback mechanic, friendly for mixed skill levels.
Maps: Windsong Keep, Campgrounds, Almost Lost, Asylum, The Edge.

Pick a mode and start a server

Deploy a Quake Live server by the hour, choose your gametype and starting map on the form, and share the connect string. Servers are ready in about five minutes and hold up to 16 players on the Large tier. You can change the gametype and map at any time from the in-game console.

Deploy a Quake Live server by the hour