.pk3 File Extension
File extension details for .pk3
Partial Support| File type | Quake III game archive |
|---|---|
| MIME type | |
| Encoding | ZIP archive using Quake III asset paths |
| Operating systems | Windows, macOS, Linux |
| Opens with | Quake III Arena, ioquake3, 7-Zip |
| Poly support | Partial. Poly supports the Quake III PK3 variant when its archive contains supported map or scene data. |
| Indexed by Poly | Yes. Poly indexes the archive filename and supported scene metadata; it does not expose every member as a separate searchable count. |
| Preview in Poly | Partial. A preview depends on supported geometry and the required assets being present in the archive. |
| Poly agent | Partial. An optimized rendition of supported 3D content is provided to the agent; scripts and unrelated archive members remain limited. |
What kind of file is a .pk3?
A Quake III .pk3 is a ZIP archive with the directory layout expected by the game. It can contain maps, textures, shaders, models, sounds, bot data, and scripts. GtkRadiant's manual describes creating a PK3 by placing these assets in the expected paths and renaming the ZIP archive to .pk3.1
The suffix is associated with Quake III Arena and compatible engines. Other games may use a PK3-like archive differently, so the name does not guarantee that every member is a Quake III asset.
How do I open a .pk3 file?
Use Quake III Arena or ioquake3 to resolve game assets, or a ZIP utility for inspection. Preserve internal paths when repacking. A .bsp map inside the archive may depend on textures and lightmaps beside it.
Poly support for .pk3
Poly can recognize supported Quake III archive content and preview supported geometry when the archive is complete. It indexes the archive name and available scene metadata. The agent receives an optimized rendition when supported 3D content exists; arbitrary scripts, audio, and unrelated archive members are not treated as geometry.
Alternatives and safety
For sharing a single map, keep the PK3 because its paths and dependencies are part of the game format. For interchange outside the engine, export visible geometry to glTF or OBJ. Inspect archives before loading them in a game, especially when they came from an unknown source.
Footnotes
- id Software and GtkRadiant documentation. Making the .pk3 File. The manual describes PK3 as a ZIP-based archive and lists expected Quake III asset paths. ↩