Although we all heard great things about Duke Nukem at the beginning of the year, it seems that the remake of our old school beloved game has yet again hit another snag. As court proceedings fly, it may take a long long time for us to see Duke in this game.
Duke Nukem Forever? Not Right Now...
Well, I for one was looking forward to the upcoming console game title: Duke Nukem Forever when it was announced in 2007. As 2007 turned into 2008, not much was leaked about the game and it almost dropped off the normal radar maps. Now, it's mid-2009 and we're now finding out that the game has hit yet another snag, this time in a court room setting.
In June 2009, court filings against the developer 3D Realms showed that there is another game that is in the works at another "well-known game developer", which is not a good thing. Several different news outlets, including ShackNews and GameSpot, have also reported on this massive problem in the Duke Nukem Forever saga that is leaving gamers scratching their collective heads - wondering if this great old school hero will really return to our TV's and computers... or if he'll be left behind like so many other great heroes of the day.
He Said - She Said
In grand tradition of the good old "he said/she said", both companies have a ton of complaints against the other which are now formally placed in court for all to see. Take-Two revealed that Gearbox was placed in their counterclaim against 3D Realms/Apogee Software Ltd. Then, the lawsuit gets more complicated when Take-Two goes after 3D, siting them as the reason for the long, drug out state of the incomplete game, Duke Nukem Forever. Supposedly the game was to be released somtime in mid-2010, but I'm seriously doubting that time frame now.
Once all of this happens, 3D then comes out with a counterclaim that said that if the game is delayed, it will keep them from cashing in on Duke Nukem Forever and thus, not being able to repay their advance that will be due in 2012.
So, more court papers fly, gamers shake their heads, and this awesome game simply sits on a shelf... waiting.
Images From Duke Nukem Forever
What Happens Now?
Well, the other Duke Nukem project, Duke Begins, has been supposedly shelved for the time being as the not-so-secret developer, Gearbox, has a ton of other games on it's plate for the upcoming year and beyond. On the other hand, Take-Two Interactive (who originally filed the lawsuit) still holds the publishing rights for Duke Nukem Forever. So, 3D Realms cannot take the game to any other developer now, even though they own the Duke Nukem IP. Which means that Take-Two can't take any of it's part of the game to another studio to make it without 3D's consent.
See my problem here?
It's like a vicious circle that will probably never end. Neither side wants to give in to the other, as both have tried to buy out the other's end of the deal. So, will fans of Duke Nukem ever see his heroic profile on their gaming systems again? Who knows. It looks like this one may end up turning into the greatest game that never was.