For most gamers, Duke Nukem Forever is the longest-running joke in the industry. The game has been vaporware since its original announcement in 1997. There have been a few screenshots of the game in development over the years, but then delayed again as the game switched engines. The final nail in the coffin came last year when the developer suddenly closed its doors, laid off the entire development team, and Take-Two software sued 3D Realms. Since then we haven’t heard anything other than the legal issues were “settled” in the court system.
Paintings on the booth tell the tale of what Duke has been up to the past 13 years
Duke Nukem has been picked up by Gearbox software and is scheduled to be released in 2011. No, seriously. People are playing the demo right now. No announcement or press release was given to the media prior to PAX 2010. Everyone just walked the show floor and saw the immediately recognizable Duke on the side of a booth. You could practically feel the collective “WTF? Is this for reals?”. Below is the story on how Duke was revived, and is now one of the most hotly-anticipated games for next year.
One of the booth babes dressed as one of the many schoolgirls in the game
You can thank Randy Pitchford for your renewed hope. He is the president of Gearbox software and was involved with Duke Nukem 3d at 3D Realms back in the day. It’s because of his connections and friendships with everyone involved that he was allowed to take the reins of Duke Nukem Forever. Randy even wore his weathered Duke Nukem 3d T-shirts as an homage to his 3D Realm days.
Llllllllllllllllllllllllllladies….
Randy had lunch with 3D Realms co-owner George Broussard in early 2009, and it was let known that the road to Duke Nukem Forever was getting harder and harder. Take Two Interactive had already spent $20 million making the new game, but George needed more money and 6 months to finish the game. Take Two grew tired, cut off their funding, and sued the studio.
The Duke Mobile and one angry Boss
Randy was just as emotional as all the gamers watching the Duke drama, and he make contact with his old friends when 3D Realms closed its doors. Apparently some of the developers couldn’t let Duke die, and had continued to work on the game in their basements. Randy got wind of this garage development and started to check the game’s progress.
Randy stretched his neck out and put himself in the middle of the legal debates. We don’t know the details, but the end result is that Gearbox would continue development of Duke Nukem Forever. Randy says that this wouldn’t have happened if not for his friendships and connections with the core people involved with Duke Nukem over the past decade.
Of course, Duke Nukem is the original outrageous shooter, and Gearbox is continuing the tradition. There are lots of girls (the game will probably get an “M” Rating), sexual inuendo, one-liners, and over-the-top gore and carnage. In the demo shown at PAX 2010, it’s a standard first-person shooter, and you get glimpses of Duke’s arms and legs. There is a driving section in the demo, but there could be (and probably are) more vehicles in the final game. We were assured that the new Duke is a “very large game”, and that no one can appreciate how big it is in a 15-minute demo.
That’s right. Let Duke make you his bitch and take a photo of it
There was no comment on multiplayer, but with all the anticipation surrounding the game, and given the popularity of other online shooters, why wouldn’t they include it? The game is scheduled for release next year for PC, Xbox 360, and Playstation 3.
Oh yeah, and you can download the Duke Nukem Forever wallpaper in various sizes (7MB Zip file)
Hail to the King! 2K Games Announces Duke Nukem Forever® – Seriously – Flying Pigs Spotted Heading Towards Penny Arcade Expo
Friday 3rd September/… 2K Games and Gearbox Software announced today that forever is nearly here, as Duke Nukem Forever® will officially make its long-awaited debut for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system and Windows PC in calendar 2011. Duke Nukem, the interactive entertainment industry’s most irreverent and quoted character of all time, will bring his signature brand of babe-lovin’, cigar-smoking, beer-chugging and ass-kicking action as he once again saves the Earth and our babes from hordes of invading aliens. In other shocking news, Duke Nukem Forever will be playable right now for all attendees 17 and older of this year’s Penny Arcade Expo at the 2K Booth (booth #3417), giving the first hands-on experience with the game that was originally announced during the tail end of the Clinton Administration.
“All great things take time… a lot of time,” laughs Christoph Hartmann, president of 2K. “After a hiatus from the video game world, Duke Nukem is back and better than ever. The return of the King from the glory days of shooters will satisfy our patient, die-hard fans, as well as a new generation of bubble gum-chewing, flat top and shades-wearing bad-asses. Make no mistake about it – Duke Nukem Forever is a testament to the era of when shooters were bodacious and fun.”
Put on your sunglasses and prepare to step into the boots of Duke Nukem, whose legend has reached epic proportions in the years since his last adventure. The alien hordes are back and only Duke can save the world, again. Pig cops, alien shrink rays and enormous alien bosses won’t stop our hero from accomplishing his one and only goal: to save the world, save the babes and to be a bad-ass while doing it. The King of All Shooters is back with over-the-top weapons, massive aliens and unprecedented levels of interactivity. This game puts pedal to the metal and tongue firmly in cheek, among other places. Shoot hoops, lift weights, read adult magazines, draw crude messages on whiteboards or ogle one of the many beautiful women that populate Duke’s life; that is if you can pull yourself away long enough from kicking ass and taking names. Duke Nukem was and will forever be immortalized in gaming history, and this is his legend.
“Hail to the king, baby! It’s unbelievable, it kicks ass and it’s totally going to happen!” said Randy Pitchford, president of Gearbox Software, “Gearbox has enabled die-hard key Duke Nukem franchise builders and skilled veteran game makers to stand together and deliver. All gamers deserve a happy ending and after all of us gamers feeling the full range of emotions about Duke Nukem Forever, I am thrilled to be in a position with the trust, power and means to make it happen. Am I crazy? Balls of steel, baby, balls of steel!”
Duke Nukem Forever is currently in development for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 system and Windows PC and is not yet rated by PEGI. 2K Games has the exclusive, long-term publishing rights to the game. To catch your first glimpse of the Duke Nukem Forever experience please visit www.dukenukem.com.
2K Games is a division of 2K, a publishing label of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. (NASDAQ: TTWO).
About Take-Two Interactive Software
Headquartered in New York City, Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. is a global developer, marketer and publisher of interactive entertainment software games for the PC, PlayStation®3 and PlayStation®2 computer entertainment systems, PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) system, Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, WiiTM, Nintendo DSTM, iPhone®, iPod® touch and iPadTM. The Company publishes and develops products through its wholly owned labels Rockstar Games and 2K, which publishes its titles under 2K Games, 2K Sports and 2K Play. The Company’s common stock is publicly traded on NASDAQ under the symbol TTWO. For more corporate and product information please visit our website at www.take2games.com.
About Gearbox Software
Gearbox Software is respected industry wide for the award winning, best-selling original and licensed video games they have developed for major video game platforms.
Founded in 1999 and located near Dallas, TX, Gearbox Software is well known for the creation and development of their original blockbuster franchise, Brothers in Arms, which has sold over 7 million units, and the new multi-million selling franchise, Borderlands. Additionally, Gearbox Software has developed numerous top selling add-on packs for Borderlands and developed games and added value to many of the industry’s top franchises including Halo, Half-Life, Tony Hawk, James Bond and others. Gearbox Software’s success has been enabled and supported through several key mutually beneficial business relationships with strong publishing partners including Activision, Electronic Arts, Ubisoft Entertainment, Microsoft Games Studios, Sega of America and Take-Two/2K Games.
Currently Gearbox Software is in development with Aliens: Colonial Marines, published by Sega, and other unannounced AAA games for multiple platforms including the Microsoft Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 system, Nintendo Wii, Windows PC, Mac, Nintendo DS, PSP and more.
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