3D Realms closure confirmed, Take-Two retains Duke Nukem Forever publishing rights

hail to the king baby...

Rest in Peace, to a great company of many memorable classics

@nappan your novalogic comment>> HAHA So true!! And well if I'm incorrect so are you as Duke Nukem is and will be 3DR's "Intellectual" property and will continue to be, the IP isn't just a guy with a blonde crewcut. And publishing rights doesn't actually give the publishers rights to the name only the rights to retail the title. It's the same sort of situation with Operation Flashpoint 2 and BI studios. ArmA was going to be OFP2 however Codemasters owned the rights to the brand name as well as the publishing rights in that situation the dev studio doesn't have a leg to stand on legally and courts see it the same. Also you say that they could just "rework" it. That is 100% incorrect IF you are saying just take out duke and put in another bloke as 3DR own all the levels/textures/models/voice acted audio etc as again "Intelectual property" so no...no you couldn't just rework it although I see your reasoning and we would all think that. I've seen stuff like this happen before in the games industry and I highly doubt T2 would take this to court seeing how I don't believe they put anything towards the funding they have not lost a coin. Legally, 3DR are secure in all ways but how to pay off the staffs redundancy pay. However, you are correct saying that Duke had a place in all 2nd gen gamers and the humor still sticks however the gameplay is dated...Would it have been improved? we'll never know. @Daniel7728 Yes...Yes it is D.N.F's perfect ending. Duke Nukem Forever Did Not Finish :P

it's D.N.F. perfectly fitting.

@ZedFragg: How does Nova survive, even when their games are horrible? They publish and sell them. :)

@ZedFragg: You're incorrect. This has the potential to further delay the release of a nonexistent game, which for the record, I would NOT buy and think would have been a huge disaster. It was clear 7+ years ago that this was going nowhere, and I enjoy my fond memories of Duke... but I was a kid then. Any other franchise can do what Duke Nukem "promised", and just rework it. What's the IP after all? A blonde crewcut guy named Duke? How long would it take someone in marketing to rework that into something that would surivive the legal process. Also, there is laches, and T2 could easily make a case for fraud, etc. Do you honestly believe that the now "only on paper" corporation known as 3DR, which is completely unfunded, and fiscally radioactive is going to survive the kind of legal pressures T2 could bring to bear? They stand to gain nothing. If T2 wants any Duke Title released, it will be, but I doubt that's going to happen. Gaming has moved on, and while the Duke Nukem humour has a place in gaming, the gameplay doesn't... and the humour + totally new gameplay = different game.

Well 3DR is vanishing, but maybe the game will come out. Something anyway. As far as looks go it's kinda dated and you can currently play the JFDuke Mod pack for the game with hires graphics which is good enough. I never got into worrying about DNF cause i knew it prolly wasn't gonna come out. It's too bad though, that 3DRealms is going under. They had some very fun creative games.

Well if anyone had the BALLS instead of cheap big talk 'n big speak, they would've gone and physically protested signs-in-hand outside the developers' studio for them to get DNF goin' and out the door! Throw or stick your chewed bubblegum to their cars and building! Heh heh. I'm starting to wonder if 3D Realms was a *Work at Home* scheme.

@Jedilink109 I know what you mean dude, I remember recently seeing that they were hiring. Could be a lot worse, at least we have DN3D to live with... And Doom 4 will be out soon-ish after ID's next release (rage?)

It wouldn't be so bad if 3D Realms had been absorbed and become part of another company or something. This really sucks dude! I just recently posted a blog about Duke Nukem Forever, hopeful that the game was actually finally coming along! I was ALSO hoping for a sequel to Prey as well! :'( I hope that 3D Realms becomes something else and can continue their work on their numerous franchises as well as bringing new IP's to the market. This is such a huge shame. RIP 3D Realms....

Although (again sorry for double posting) how the hell are NOVALOGIC still alive? they have lived off of the delta force brand for how long?? with the DFX2 beta running pretty much the same engine as Delta Force: Blackhawk Down...No improvment just...the same thing being re-re-released...How do Nova survive?

After heading to the 3DR forums I now feel sorry for the developers. The webmaster Joe has a kid on the way in 3 weeks and he only gets paid til next week... F*** Duke Nukem Forever...I don't care one bit anymore I just hope they all find jobs! It'll be harder for Joe as there are so many webmasters out there already now... And with "3D Realms" on your Resume you can count yourselve screwed to a wall because even though they worked hard a potential employer will think "3D Realms? oh god this guy is either lazy, a wow fan or just f-ing CURSED!" Best wishes 3DR and Joe...

athenian29 Posted May 8, 2009 3:29 pm CT So, that's it? It's all done? They're just shutting it down? I don't quite get it, are they handing it over to someone, or what? Maybe I'm just in denial. I'm not a Duke Nukem person, but having that one tiny bit of my mind waiting for Forever all this time... It's just one of life's constants - Earth turns, fire hurts, and DNF is in production. Still, I guess that's why they called it "Forever."

So 3D Reals "is done"

BK-Sleeper Posted May 8, 2009 4:43 pm CT @ MushroomRevenge You can only delay a game to "make it better" for so long until it's just ridiculous.

I don't care, not even slightly.

This..........is a huge bummer.

It would be nice if this was a stunt, like the DiabloIII build up, and then they announce that it's gone gold, but I highly doubt it.

Also (Sorry for double posting) DNF has gone through more engines than a Ford Cortina and they decided to settle with the Doom 3 engine (a Quake 3 based engine) with all the same enemies and weapons... I'm sorry but 3DR had this coming...Just as Remedy have closure coming after the Alan Wake joke...Alan Wake was going to be a Xbox 1 title ffs! and a 360 launch title!!!! Developers like this have closure coming I under stand they want the game to be "right" but after all these years if they can't get it "right" ditch it for something with more profitable values and thats easier to get "right"... It's not acceptable from a business standpoint... In AW you can see it's a modded Max Payne engine (look at alans fingers...stuck in the "holding the gun pose") unacceptable....

@nappan Yes Take-Two retains the publishing rights however 3D Realms continue to own the IP meaning Take-Two cannot just "give" somenoe else it to make. It doens't work that way, unless 3DR sell the IP to another developer it won't be release. I've been watching this for the last 11 years, it's a stab in the gut...However lots of reports did open my eyes to something, before the XBLA release of D3D (which has not aged incredibly well even if I am a fan I have to admit) no new generation gamers knew who Duke was. This wouldn't sell as greatly as you'd think, I'd buy it...you'd buy it...Many people would but it just wouldn't have the new guys limiting sales somewhat. Duke Nukem Forever...Ironic really... Unless 3DR sell...Time to let this aging hero die...

They wouldn't have to close if they released DNF, everyone would buy that game if it was released, I'd buy 6 copies if it were released, 2 for each system, 1 each to play and another to keep sealed.

@Cloud737: "Take-Two retains Duke Nukem Forever publishing rights" is in the title of the article... ;)

Oh man, this royally sucks! After waiting (more like hoping while being skeptical) for 12 friggin years, and after relaunching my hopes, hype and anticipation of the title, they go the way of the dodo AND take the IP rights with them (so no other studio belonging to Take-Two to care on the franchise)? This is a really dark day in the history of gaming. Hell, even if somehow some other studio gets the rights to keep doing it, I'll still miss 3D Realms' logo (mainly for nostalgia reasons) and expertise on the game. We'll be missing you very much, 3D Realms, so please, (somehow) come back (preferably under the same name)!

I never kept up with DNF but Duke Nukem 3D is one of the games that got me into playing video games, it was the 2nd "mature" game I played, (the first being Doom) and was one of the funniest, funnest, and over all one of the most importent games of all time. I'll miss it, only Duke had true BALLS OF STEEL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

RIP

12 years what did we get? Few trailers and handful of screenshots. No offence but maybe instead of playing WoW they should have done actual work there. Why they just were not satisfied with the game earlier even though it could have sucked atleast it would have came out.

@ MushroomRevenge You can only delay a game to "make it better" for so long until it's just ridiculous.

So, that's it? It's all done? They're just shutting it down? I don't quite get it, are they handing it over to someone, or what? Maybe I'm just in denial. I'm not a Duke Nukem person, but having that one tiny bit of my mind waiting for Forever all this time... It's just one of life's constants - Earth turns, fire hurts, and DNF is in production. Still, I guess that's why they called it "Forever." :D

@FallenAgngel: Yeah pretty much :( . I know what you mean about the sadness too. I suppose it's the very low level emotional equivalent of having someone "missing" for 12 years, vs finding the body immidiatly... ;)

It looks like i wont be chewing bubble gum and kicking ass any time soon

@mugasat999 Ever heard of Legend of Zelda? They take the "its done when its done" approach and they have made some of the greatest games of all time. TP was delayed for what two years? I'd rather a company take time with the game then rush it to make a release date.

@nappan You know what, actually you're right. My first emotion was sadness, but yes, no way a game should take 12+ years to complete. That's just bull, and the whole 'we're trying to make it the bestest thing evar!' excuse just don't fly after a while. 3D Realms = Fraud.

It's time to kick ass and chew bubblegum, and I'm all out of funding.

Maybe it'll be like what happened to fallout. I can see it now, like five to ten years from now, some develepor revives Duke Nukem. Maybe, just maybe.

Damn, I saw Duke Nukem Forever had a news update and I was praying after all these years it finally had a release date as it had been FINALLY showing some real progress in the last couple of years. Unfortunate that the game will probably never come out because 3D Realms will probably refuse to sell the IP to a company that won't waste all their time playing WoW and would actually spend time working on a game. (Not being a fanboy here, watch the Jace Hall video when he interviewed the guys at 3D and they say it themselves.)

OMG about time this game is shut off for good. I know it's a great game I really did enjoy the Duke Nukem series but jeez this game been reported so so so many time. Oh yeah even worst then any delay for any Final fantasy games lol. I think it's time to move on when you take so many many year to work on a game and it must had coast so many money to keep paying 3D Realm making games. But I must say 3D Realm will always be in my heart hehe.

I wouldnt be suprised if we see another DNF trailer at E3 by another company

They should release Duke Nukem forever on an N64 cartridge, and Playstation 1 CD. As final FU to the gaming world.

And now, I have a feeling these news may be fake... What if it didn't closed? What if they are working secretly on it, just to we not know? This could spawn a number of conspiracies IMHO...

Ah thats bad:(

Seriously, what was 3DR expecting to do with such time?? Sure, (this is my guess, so don't agree with it) I think graphics CAN help gameplay improve (more gore, brutal dismemberment, cool effects and support, not to mention nice physics, and much more) but they shouldn't do this... if DN3D sold over million copies, they would last a bit more. That's what I honestly think

this is what you get when you delay a game for 5657578848 years.

The King will return despite all this commotion. Always bet on Duke.

I'm actually glad this happened to them. Got tired of waiting for DNF.

Duke was just a smarmy FPS that looked like Max-headroom on Steroids and stole lines from Bruce Campbell movies. It DID have cool multiplayer for the time but c'mon, even if this isn't a marketing stunt (and I'm not completely convinced it isn't), what's with the solemn declarations of love and woe...as if bunch of baby ducks got set on fire and then tragically run over?

Duke Nukem R.I.P.

@PodXCOM: "So it took [3D Realms] a long time, so what? Half-Life 2, Team Fortress 2, StarCraft 2, Diablo 2, Warcraft 3, Diablo 3 all took just as long time to make, and no one here is making fun of them now, are they?" Just as long a time as DNF would be 12 years. QED, byatch.

@magusat999 Blizzard takes time to make their games enjoyable and long lasting. It's not like EA who is milking their good games for money, and publishing bad games. I haven't seen EA make a good game in some time now...

I thought everyone already knew by now that the Forever in Duke Forever stood for the release date.

I cant wait until this game comes out!