Believe it or not, but just over 12 years ago a group of huddled journalists excitedly scribbled in their notepads after hearing the first news of 3D Realms' Duke Nukem Forever... and today, it's finally been confirmed we'll probably never get our hands on it. Here's a history lesson...
The first iteration of Forever ran on the then-cutting edge Quake II engine and the debut screenshots in a November issue of PC Gamer looked far above anything else around in terms of visual quality. Speaking in that issue of PCG, Scott Miller said that the game would be released in 1998.
The first trailer (which you can watch below) was unveiled at E3 1998 and showed the first in-game footage of Duke Forever. However, the following month 3D Realms announced that it would be porting the shooter sequel over to Epic's Unreal engine, and reassured fans that the transition from Quake to Unreal would take only "a month to 6 weeks" and Forever would be released the following year in 1999.
...then in 1999 3D Realms backtracked, announcing that it would be upgrading to the newer version of Unreal Engine, and released a Christmas card suggesting that Duke Nukem Forever was now set for the year 2000.
Almost a year later publisher Gathering of Developers announced that it would be taking over publishing duties for Forever, and 3D Realms released another Christmas card suggesting it would finally release in 2001.
At E3 2001 a second Duke Nukem Forever trailer was released (see below), revealing a few minutes of new gameplay footage including impressive game features such as destructible environments, advanced AI, weather effects and massive draw distance. The trailer, amazingly, still looks quite good today.
But it was never to see the light of day. Gathering of Developers closed down in August 2001, Take-Two took over publishing duties and Duke Nukem Forever was once again thrown into limbo.
In 2002, 3D Realms went back to the drawing board, hiring an army of new programmers and scrapping over 95 percent of the previous level design work in the process. The new engine was built using parts of Unreal Engine 2, with everything else written from scratch by the Nukem developer.
In early 2003 Take-Two CEO Jeffrey Lapin stated that Duke Nukem Forever would not be released that year. Duke creator George Broussard responded by telling Shacknews that "Take-Two needs to STFU imo". Later that year Jeffrey Lapin said that 3D Realms told him DNF was now expected late 2004 or early 2005.
After denying claims that DNF was now running on the Doom 3 engine, in 2006 Broussard gave an update on the game's development, stating that the team was finally tweaking and polishing the game.
In June 2006, a filing revealed that Take-Two was offering a $500,000 bonus if 3D Realms released Duke Nukem Forever by December 31, 2006. Broussard denied the rumours, saying that he would "never ship a game early... for 500K."
In early 2007 a brand new in-game screenshot emerged alongside a 3D Realms job ad, followed by the release of Duke Nukem 3D on Xbox Live Arcade. Reports emerged that "significant progress" had been made on the shooter - now in its fourth or fifth iteration - and it would finally be released in 2008. 3D Realms seemingly confirmed the news with the release of the first teaser trailer in six years.
Duke Nukem Forever Teaser Trailer
Official trailer
1:11Six years of silence has finally been broken
Duke Nukem Forever Teaser Trailer
Official trailer
1:11Six years of silence has finally been broken
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In January, 2008 Duke's art director Tramell Isaac revealed that 3D Realms was currently "doing a lot of polishing of set pieces, environments, and characters," and a full reveal looked likely to happen soon. And it did: in June 2008 a journalist actually managed to infiltrate 3D Realms and see Duke Nukem Forever being played in front of his very eyes.
Another journalist who saw the game behind closed doors reported that it was "looking great" after spending "a good half hour" witnessing "several different DNF gameplay scenarios, mechanics, and environments being demonstrated".
Confidence grew. Actually getting our hands on the infamous FPS finally looked likely, though 3D Realms decided to skip showcasing the game at the "irrelevant" E3 show in 2008. 3D Realms chief Scott Miller reassured fans "development is swimming along nicely. Seriously nicely."
Nothing more was seen of the game in 2008... or at all. In April 2009, 3D Realms boss George Broussard gave a final development update on his Twitter, stating "71 more tasks to do and we started with probably 800-900. Been a good push. Next one starts Monday." But it wasn't to be.
On May 7, 2009 reports rolled in that 3D Realms had closed its doors as a result of "funding issues", later confirmed by its publisher Take-Two.
"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," said Take-Two VP of communications Alan Lewis. "In addition, Take-Two continues to retain the publishing rights to Duke Nukem Forever."
It's been an emotional, decade-long rollercoaster ride. Perhaps one day another developer will pick up where 3D Realms left off and we'll finally get that proper Duke Nukem sequel we've been waiting so, so long to recieve.
Until then, it's DNF for Duke Nukem Forever... thanks, it's been fun.
apparently Take two still own the publishing rights to the title. If its nearly finished you think they'd throw them some cash to get it finished. Especially if thier is only about 10% of the game left to complete. Alternatively they could ask for the code and get another studio to do it.
I don't want to give up on Duke Nukem Forever. I've been waiting 12 years.
Take-two probably stuck by 3D Realms cos they thought something like this was likely to happen. If they still have publishing rights, they may be able to pass it to a studio that is known for actually releasing games?
But then, a world where DNF exists in a released form? Surely the sky would turn purple... or something.
The clip of the 1991 original brought me back - it was one of the first games I ever played. The thing that struck me most about those trailers though is how much graphics have improved in just over a decade.
I agree with CVG about the 2001 version still looking good. It looks like the best version by far. The 1998 one is too primitive, and the newest trailer just had it looking like the average dark generic FPS. Nothing to suggest it was actually a Duke Nukem game.
The guys making this game deserve to be on the dole. They're the gaming equivalent of a bunch of builders that get 90% way through a job and then never finish it no matter how much money is thrown at them.
I'd love to play the 1998 and 2001 versions. Would take me back to the N64 days judging from the trailers (with and without the expansion pack respectively)
If its nearly finished you think they'd throw them some cash to get it finished. Especially if thier is only about 10% of the game left to complete. Alternatively they could ask for the code and get another studio to do it. Hmmm, with 3D Realm's track record I'd take the 'only 10%' left bit with a large slab of Welsh rock salt!
I really enjoyed the 2D versions in their day, and the 3D fps; but after all this time it is unlikely to live up to the hype.
Found this yesterday at http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/Duke-Nukem-Forever-Lie,news-31080.html
"According to Charlie Wiederhold, one of the developers who worked for 3D Realms between 1998 and 2006, Duke Nukem Forever was a project concocted by industry leaders that would span decades... on purpose. Yes--it was all a strategic lie to attempt to make the most memorable game ever."
Quite an interesting read. Wont ever be "the most memorable game ever" though
Here's the original "story" http://gamingisstupid.com/2007/12/17/the-chair-story-original/
Found this yesterday at http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/Duke-Nukem-Forever-Lie,news-31080.html
"According to Charlie Wiederhold, one of the developers who worked for 3D Realms between 1998 and 2006, Duke Nukem Forever was a project concocted by industry leaders that would span decades... on purpose. Yes--it was all a strategic lie to attempt to make the most memorable game ever."
Quite an interesting read. Wont ever be "the most memorable game ever" though
Here's the original "story" http://gamingisstupid.com/2007/12/17/the-chair-story-original/
Edited to add a link.
Just wanted to point out that that story was apparently a piece of fiction.
Check it out, http://gamingisstupid.com/2009/05/06/the-chair-story-revival/
Could this explanation be the truth or is it actually part of a grand conspiracy as some form of damage control.
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