This highly anticipated sequel to Duke Nukem 3d will have Duke, as you might expect, facing off against aliens again. This time around much of the action will take place in Las Vegas, where Duke can interact with a number of different allies and friends.

Image RSS Feed Latest Screens
Duke pumping iron In-game shot In-game shot
Blog RSS Feed Report abuse Latest News: What's Happening to Duke Nukem Forever? Take-Two Clarifies Publishing Deal

6 comments by Lucifer on May 11th, 2009 digg this super bookmark


What's Happening to Duke Nukem Forever? Take-Two Clarifies Publishing Deal
by Nick Breckon May 11, 2009 4:31pm CST tags: Duke Nukem Forever

When the news broke that Duke Nukem Forever developer 3D Realms was shutting down, many fans were let down--perhaps moreso than if it had happened years ago.

The reason? After over 12 years in development, trailers were starting to find their way out again. Footage had been shown. Screenshots were released. Word from company executives lead many to believe that the final push had began.
And following the closing of the studio, new details seem to indicate this was the case. Leaked internal 3D Realms documents show that many of the game's levels were nearly finished.

But now the team at 3D Realms is no more, the employees already scattered due to a lack of funds. Does this leave any hope that Duke Nukem Forever, as it stands today, might eventually be released in some official form? Is it finally time to stop betting on Duke?

When asked of its deal with 3D Realms, publisher Take-Two told us that it owns the exclusive rights to publish Duke Nukem Forever. And upon further questioning, this contract appears to be binding.

"We have the exclusive publishing rights, not right of first refusal," Take-Two spokesman Alan Lewis explained. "Meaning we are the only ones that have the right to publish the title."

Lewis later clarified that these rights will never expire--meaning that unless it sells the rights, Take-Two still has control over the eventual distribution of Duke Nukem Forever.

When asked whether Take-Two also owns any part of the Duke Nukem Forever assets under that agreement, Lewis reiterated that it simply retains the publishing rights, indicating that 3D Realms likely still owns the accumulated work done on the project. 3D Realms president George Broussard declined to comment on the matter.

So while the remaining 3D Realms executives could independently find a new home for the unfinished game, Take-Two has the ultimate right to publish the title--or to not publish it. In the latter case, whether it would sell those rights to another company, or whether a new developer might try to sidestep the Take-Two license by changing the game's content to a degree--and risk a lawsuit--is something left to speculation at this point.

Either way, 3D Realms still owns the rights to Duke Nukem himself, meaning that the property will not be locked down by a publisher unwilling to use it. If the project known as Duke Nukem Forever is left to rot in the vault, an eventual Fallout 3-style revival of the series by a new studio remains a possibility.

And of course, publisher Apogee Software is promising a new Duke-related press release later this week. The announcement may relate only to the new handheld Duke Nukem Trilogy that debuts this fall, so fans are urged to cautiously hedge their bets against Duke. 

Shacknews.com


seems hopeful?

Media RSS Feed Latest Video
Comments  (0 - 10 of 141)
Baron_Vengeous
Baron_Vengeous Oct 21 2009, 9:50pm says:

Duke Nukem Forever!
Duke Nukem Forever!
Duke Nukem Forever!
Duke Nukem Forever!
Duke Nukem Forever!
Duke Nukem Forever!
Duke Nukem Forever!
Duke Nukem Forever!
Duke Nukem Forever!
Duke Nukem Forever!
Duke Nukem Forever!
Duke Nukem Forever!
Duke Nukem Forever!
Duke Nukem Forever!
Duke Nukem Forever!
Duke Nukem Forever!
Duke Nukem Forever!
Duke Nukem Forever!
Duke Nukem Forever!
Duke Nukem Forever!
Duke Nukem Forever!
Duke Nukem Forever!
Duke Nukem Forever!
Duke Nukem Forever!
Duke Nukem Forever!
Duke Nukem Forever!
Duke Nukem Forever!
Duke Nukem Forever!
Duke Nukem Forever!
Duke Nukem Forever!
Duke Nukem Forever!
Duke Nukem Forever!
Duke Nukem Forever!
Duke Nukem Forever!
Duke Nukem Forever!
Duke Nukem Forever!
Duke Nukem Forever!
Duke Nukem Forever!
Duke Nukem Forever!
Duke Nukem Forever!
Duke Nukem Forever!

-4 votes     reply to comment
gmax5
gmax5 6hours 53mins ago replied: New Comment

Spamming = FAIL

+1 vote     reply to comment
Baron_Vengeous
Baron_Vengeous Oct 19 2009, 4:40am says:

They better finish DN4EVER.
Why don't they just finish it!

+1 vote     reply to comment
f0u
f0u Sep 18 2009, 2:18am says:

DONT DIE DUKE!

+1 vote     reply to comment
TheRealSolus
TheRealSolus Aug 6 2009, 1:46am says:

I dont know why but I still have hope for this .. in the mean time im going to amuse myself with many other games and ofcourse DN3D:Atomic+DukePlus+Eduke+HRP4 :)

+1 vote     reply to comment
timstro59
timstro59 Jul 11 2009, 2:32pm says:

why am i still tracking this game?

+4 votes     reply to comment
Shatari
Shatari Jul 15 2009, 3:05pm replied:

@timstro59: I don't know about you, but I'm doing it to see how long they can go before they finally give up. ^.^

+1 vote     reply to comment
LORDDEREX
LORDDEREX Jul 13 2009, 7:01pm replied:

maybe because u still, like me have the hope intact

+1 vote     reply to comment
ivory_guard
ivory_guard Jun 22 2009, 3:40pm says:

Wait.
When was this supposed to come out?
1997?
GOOD GOD!

+3 votes     reply to comment
Shatari
Shatari Jun 18 2009, 11:02pm replied:

They're doing the "Be the next Duke Nuke'm" skit again? Well, I suppose it's been long enough since the last time they did that... XD

+1 vote     reply to comment
Post a Comment

Only registered members can share their thoughts. So come on! Join the community today (totally free) and do things you never thought possible.

Icon
Duke Nukem Forever
Platform
PC
Developer & Publisher
Apogee Software
Contact
Send Message
Official Page
3drealms.com
Release Date
TBD
Game Watch
Track this game
Bookmark
Digg Super bookmark
Style
Genre
First Person Shooter
Theme
Movie
Players
Single & Multiplayer
Project
Commercial
Boxshot
Boxshot
Statistics
Rank
420 of 1,319
Last Update
6 months ago
Watchers
58 members
News
3