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Take-Two Issues Statement On 3D Realms

Duke Nukem Forever publisher weighs in on all this "3D Realms is closed" hubbub.

We just received this statement from Take-Two Interactive regarding today's talk that 3D Realms has shut its doors.
"It is the Company's policy to not comment on its contractual relationships, nor do we comment on rumors and speculation. That said, we can confirm that our relationship with 3D Realms for Duke Nukem Forever was a publishing arrangement, which did not include ongoing funds for development of the title. In addition, Take-Two continues to retain the publishing rights to Duke Nukem Forever."  - Alan Lewis, Vice President of Corporate Communications & Public Affairs for Take-Two.
Not exactly the big CASE CLOSED confirmation or denial that everyone was probably hoping to see, but restating that Take-Two wasn't providing steady funding to that project is perhaps a little telling. If I remember correctly, the publisher did, at various points, put money into the project, but as its development cycle spun out of control, it became more of a "hey, look, call us when it's finished" kind of relationship.

At one point, Take-Two was even offering 3D Realms a $500k bonus if it shipped the game before the end of '06.
Jeff Gerstmann on Google+

82 Comments

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Castro

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Edited By Castro

I second the Duke Nukem documentary idea. They would have to make it (at least) a trilogy though.

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CL60

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Edited By CL60

I don't want Duke to die :'(

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Blazer74

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Edited By Blazer74

Good. 3D realms sucked and anyone who thought the next Duke game was going to be good is retarded.

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tebbit

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Edited By tebbit

No one said it would be any good, but dammit i'd buy it, just as I was about to in 1999, and again in 2001.

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MetalGearSunny

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Edited By MetalGearSunny

Jesus Christ.

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Death_Burnout

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Edited By Death_Burnout

Dude please...soooo many people have made the Duke Nukem Never joke...it goes to show how many people read!!!

Anyway, this is sad...

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ToxicFruit

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Edited By ToxicFruit

Well Duke can then finally rest and get fat.

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MattyFTM

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Edited By MattyFTM  Moderator

So, does that publishing arrangement give them rights to the work that 3D realms have already done on the game? So could they in theory give it to someone else to finish? Or if 3D realms is closed, does all the work so far go with them, unless someone buys it off them?

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Evilmetal

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Edited By Evilmetal

It was a train wreck from the start. Delaying the game over and over... you can't make "the best fucking game" by delaying and delaying. It doesn't make sense. Didn't they have the game design down?

The development speed was so slow that they left themselves open to being graphically and technologically behind when they reached a milestone... They'd reach a milestone and then they'd look at other games released and say "hmmm... let's redesign that... let's use this tech and that tech... we must make Duke the best!!!"

It's horrible to see this situation unfold because the Duke IP is excellent. 

EA would have whored the Duke Nukem IP like there was no tomorrow.

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Dovey

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Edited By Dovey

Just buy Eat Lead: Return of Matt Hazard... That probably how bad this game was going to be and hey even Matt pokes a liitle fun at that.

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MonkeysDad

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Edited By MonkeysDad

Someday someone at 3D Realms will write a book about the development of this game.
It'll be hilarious.

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Kou_Leifoh

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Edited By Kou_Leifoh

Duke Nukem Forever is like Big Foot, a myth.

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darkjester74

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Edited By darkjester74

Now its called Duke Nukem Never

Ha HA!!! ZIINNNGGG!!!

*runs from inbound vegetables*

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zityz

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Edited By zityz

Here's my take on it. If a game takes more than 5 years to produce, its garbage. Because in that 5+years time they would have had to go over the gameplay go over the ideas and re-write stuff and things because they wernt working out meaning the direction they were going in just wasnt what it should be or theyre 2nd 3rd 4th guessing themselves.

At this point, NO ONE gives a flying rats carcass about duke nukem AT ALL. If this game even does come out, it will either be the greatest first person shooter in history ( which will not happen) or it will be a generic waste of resourses and a major pile of shit with old granpa duke straped to the cover.

What should happen: 3D Realms gives up closes shop and sell off Duke to Epic  or John Carmack and id Software to actually make the fucking game, get that P.O.S out to the peoples hands and then be like "There, fucking done" and no one ever talks about duke or anything duke related ever again.

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Kou_Leifoh

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Edited By Kou_Leifoh

It's a myth, it's a fucking myth!!!

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HeyLookIJust

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Edited By HeyLookIJust

Being without bubble gum for so long finally did Duke Nukem in ;_;

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Reverseface

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Edited By Reverseface

Lol wtf was 3d realms doing, they should of finished this game along time ago. Now look what happened to them.

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gbrading

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Edited By gbrading

I think almost the entire point of Duke Nukem Forever was partly in the title; it was going to remain in development, forever. Releasing it wasn't actually important; the key thing was to keep people thinking it was eventually going to be released. Sadly, this news has probably broken that spell, since I highly doubt Take-Two will want to develop it themselves (if they can) and will probably just drop it.

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Kowalski

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Edited By Kowalski

What a sad day. I really want Duke 4ever. Pleeaaaaasee!

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xplodedd

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Edited By xplodedd

DUKE IS dead now. ;(

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spilledmilkfactory

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they were a pretty mediocre developer anyway... too bad for the employees though if this is true

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stealthdf2

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Edited By stealthdf2

so duke nukemforever is going to be comming never.....if you didnt see this comming you must be legally blind

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mackgyver

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Edited By mackgyver

Seriously, has anyone ever believed that the game would have been released from 3DRealms? I mean, come on guys.....12 FUCKING YEARS??????????
How can they run out of funding from the previous Duke Nukem game, Max Payne, and Prey?
2 things guys: They either ran out of money due to poor money management or they just took the money, deposited in their swiss bank account and made off with it.
I'm telling you guys, those are the only reasons.

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Kohe321

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Edited By Kohe321

This is sad and funny at the same time...

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InsanePotato

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Edited By InsanePotato

Ah the good old days of the hotspot. I used to love that show.

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Ouroboros

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Edited By Ouroboros

I cant stant the sympathy for 3DRealms and the need for Duke Nukem Forever to come out!  Face it, George Broussard FOOLED you, Take-Two...everyone.  It is vaporware and has been vaporware since 2000 (http://www.wired.com/science/discoveries/news/2000/12/40484?currentPage=all) and I am elated that they are out of business and they dont own the IP - I hope Take-Two burns it to the ground and tries to recover their lost wages for funding the game for song.  Come on, 13+ fucking years and changing your enging more than a few times is ridiculous.  They couldnt even finish Prey!  They had to hand the game off to Human Head to finish.  They didnt develop Max Payne, that was Remedy and Rockstar.  The only substantial release they did in the last 13 fucking years was the XBLA port of Duke Nukem 3D.  The people working at 3DRealms must have been wondering why they havent released an IP in the last 13 years - of all the people laid off, this group I pity the least.  Im unfortunently elated to hear it happened!  Thank you Take-Two for putting the world out of their misery and stopping the evil Broussard and Comany.

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swamplord666

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Edited By swamplord666

In a way I wish they were legally obliged to explain why after 12 years, the game didn't come out. Explain to the fans what exactly they were doing.

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sparky_buzzsaw

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Edited By sparky_buzzsaw

If 3d Realms closes, I guess you could say Duke nuked 'em.

Ahem.  You may go.

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mackgyver

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Edited By mackgyver

Can anyone tell the world WHY 3DRealms did not finish this game?

I mean were they playing poker and betting with publisher's money all day for 12 years behind closed doors? What the hell was going on in there???????????

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eyequeue

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Edited By eyequeue

At least they're really holding up their end of the "Forever" bargain, unlike some games I can think of (namely ones where you powerup... but not forever).

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Renegade

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Edited By Renegade

I think 3D Realms was shockingly inefficient with this game, and for the past few years, what were they doing? This is more of a merciful end to the Duke Nukem: Forever saga than a tragedy.