The game's main purpose is to help players understand wolves and the roles they play in nature by being virtually incarnated as a gray wolf themselves.

In September 2006, The National Science Foundation awarded the Minnesota Zoo and Eduweb a US$508,253 informal education grant to develop WolfQuest.

[1] The game was funded by numerous other foundations and donors (including Best Buy) and then distributed as a free download for Mac and Windows computers.

In 2018, Eduweb began development of a new version, WolfQuest: Anniversary Edition, a complete remake and expansion of the game.

There are a variety of coats to choose from, with two sliders that let players change the tints of the guard hairs and undercoat of the wolf.

However, after finding a densite, the player must scent mark the area around the den to make it safe from predators and stranger wolves.

Ravenous bears, coyotes, eagles, cougars, and wolves roam the earth, posing a new threat to young pups as they wait to snatch one up under a novice parent's nose.

At the end, you, your mate, and your surviving pups must make a journey for the summer den in the Douglas fir forests.

WolfQuest 2.7 added a multiplayer mode to the Slough Creek mission arc, so players can raise pups together and journey to the rendezvous site.

Called Lost River, it depicts a fictional valley outside the boundaries of Yellowstone National Park and features both wilderness and urban areas.

Development took more time than anticipated, and platform support was expanded to include Mac and Windows computers.

[8] Following Eduweb's plans to continue with the project's development, the community forums and website will remain online and freely accessible for the foreseeable future, rendering the 2012 announcement null and void as of 2014.

This new version, a complete remake and expansion of the original game, serves as the foundation for new chapters such as Tower Fall.

Randy Salas from the Star Tribune wrote that "Authenticity abounds in WolfQuest," and that "The game seems ideally suited for its target age range.

"[11] Following updates and new releases, reviewers agree that WolfQuest continues to offer new experiences that emulate encounters in the wild.

Christy Matte from Common Sense Media says that "WolfQuest is a compelling simulation that's bound to draw kids into what it is like to be a wolf.

"[12] Eduweb released the first episode of Wolf Quest: Anniversary Edition (Amethyst Mountain) as early access for PC/Mac on 25 July 2019 on Steam and itch.io.

While in Early Access, Eduweb is updating the game frequently with more features, multiplayer, and ultimately the Slough Creek episode with pups.