GT Interactive Responds to 3D Realms Loss

Coincidentally or not, on the same day that Mike Wilson and g.o.d. were announcing their developer lineup, Ron Chaimowitz and GT Interactive had this to say about the company's relationship with 3D Realms and Apogee Software: "GT Interactive continues to hold long-term global rights to 3D Realms' major properties, Duke Nukem and Prey: A Talon Brave Game, as well as ancillary media rights, including films, books, toys, and other entertainment media." The company continued, "Duke Nukem sequels, including Duke Nukem Forever for PC, and Duke Nukem: Time to Kill for PlayStation and the N64, are currently in development. GT Interactive also retains rights to a future Duke Nukem title."

GT said it holds the license to publish 3D Realms' Duke Nukem titles for the next two years.

Chaimowitz, president and chief executive officer of GT Interactive, said, "GT Interactive continues to enjoy a powerful publishing relationship with the talented developers of 3D Realms, and together we look forward to further strengthening their franchises in the years to come."

GameSpot News spoke with Scott Miller, CEO of 3D Realms, who said, "GT Interactive has the rights to Duke Nukem Forever, which will probably be coming out late this year," he said. "And they also have the marketing and other media rights to Duke Nukem. They have the same sort of rights to Prey. So we'll definitely be working closely with GT Interactive for the next few years."

"We're very happy with our relationship with GT Interactive. Nothing that they have done has caused us to sign with g.o.d. But at the same time, Gathering is the first Dallas-based publisher that I'm aware of. And, of course, we are located in the Dallas area. And their whole philosophy - they're comprised of developers and work for goals sympathetic to developers - proved very attractive to us."

Nondisclosure agreements stopped Miller from getting too specific about the Apogee/3D Realms titles g.o.d. will publish but added, "New projects that we're working on, projects in development, might go with g.o.d. Max Payne, for instance, is a title we have in development; Max Payne will most likely be a g.o.d. title."