Duke Nukem ... Finally?
by Kevin Kelly 
{ Dec 2nd 2006 at 8:30PM }
Although the title should be Duke Nukem Forever (in the Making), is it finally coming out? It was announced way back in 1997, meaning that there are tons of young gamers out there who have never even seen a Duke Nukem title, so they have no idea what all this about anyhow. Best Buy is listing it for sale now on January 2nd, 2007 for $59.99. They also claim that, "Duke Nukem is an action hero for the ages, with his big muscles, big guns and an even bigger sense of humor." For the ages. Yep, they sure would have appreciated this guy back in 1300 AD. He could've teamed up with Ash, ftw.The listing is probably pure crap, especially since both the Take 2 and 3D Realms sites say nothing about a final release date. But, it sure makes us wonder. Is this thing ever going to see the light of day? Several key members of the Duke development team left 3D Realms in August, which surely hurt the work on this title. Your guess is as good as any if this listing is real or not. But for the adventurous readers out there, pre-order and cross your fingers.
Of course, if it doesn't come out, we're pretty much used to waiting at this point, as evidenced by a similar situation last year. However, if a miracle happens and it hits the shelves, where will we point to as the longest game in development from now on? Does anyone still care about Duke at this point?
[Thanks, Kurt & Tim]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
John Musco @ Dec 2nd 2006 8:33PM
Fuck Duke Nukem. Why even bring that crap up anymore? It's the Chinese Democracy of videogames and nobody cares. Must be a slow news day.
Nutman @ Dec 2nd 2006 8:38PM
Duke Nukem is and always has been the shit. I hope this info is right.
Thrall @ Dec 2nd 2006 8:39PM
yes! yay for PC game we've heard about 10+ years! Truthfully it should be a great game.
ChrisL @ Dec 2nd 2006 8:55PM
Daikatana was starting to get the same vaporware treatment after about 3 years. Look how great it turned out in the end!
3DR should just erect a tombstone for Duke next to Elvis and let him RIP.
Kn1ves @ Dec 2nd 2006 9:01PM
Duke Nukem would kick Master Femix's ass. Yes both of them.
Exbzurg @ Dec 2nd 2006 9:10PM
domo armigato mr.roboto. domo...domo
/um wait. my zwinky says ur full of crap best buy. And thats even with her favorite dress on. pfft on you! time to accesorize
Foetoid @ Dec 2nd 2006 9:06PM
Duke Nukem is awesome. The problem is, that releasing it now, compared to the likes of Crysis, F.E.A.R and GoW, it'll look like shite, and all the graphics whores out there will cry like little babies.
Ian @ Dec 2nd 2006 9:11PM
Seriously? You really believe posting something like this is... ... .. . ...
Wow. You guys suck.
Nate @ Dec 2nd 2006 9:12PM
If this game is shorter than 20 hours than fuck it.
chenry @ Dec 2nd 2006 9:17PM
Man, bestbuy.ca has a listing for Fallout 3 and that game has no release date either.
heretrix @ Dec 2nd 2006 9:34PM
Duke Nukem is a shining example of how NOT to do game development. There should be a point where you say enough is enough and can the project..Taking 10 years to do a FPS is moronic.
Mr. Roboto @ Dec 2nd 2006 9:39PM
I agree with you #1 and #12. Fuck Duke and just end the damn project.
RCS @ Dec 2nd 2006 9:44PM
It's listed on EBGames.com also, release date 1/1/2007!
Let's see how it turns out!
http://www.ebgames.com/product.asp?product%5Fid=T000469
Cyber @ Dec 2nd 2006 9:44PM
January? Take your time, 3dRealms. Take it easy. Just 10 more years to put those pieces together... again... and again... and (why not?) again. I'm not hurry. I'll be waiting here...
Dirtyboy @ Dec 2nd 2006 9:44PM
Duke Nukem Never
Kevin @ Dec 2nd 2006 9:46PM
Are you kidding me?? This game has absolutely no relevance anymore. I can still remember reading a PC Gaming magazine in the winter of 1998 and being so pumped for this game. That game faded from my memory YEARS ago, and I can honestly say that I would have zero interest in playing it all these years later. The fact that this game is still somehow in development is laughable at best.
friedgreenmushrooms @ Dec 2nd 2006 9:50PM
I really, really was sure that this project was cancelled. That said, kudos to them if they finally get it out.
Joe Siegler @ Dec 2nd 2006 9:52PM
False, false, false. Don't believe a single release date you read anywhere. They're ALL LIES.
http://forums.3drealms.com/vb/showthread.php?t=23939
As for the folks who say F Duke Nukem.. We deserve some of that because of the length of development. But when it comes out it will be a fun game, and you won't care how long. Valve took a lot of crap off of HL2, and that turned out awesome. No worries.
LongshotX @ Dec 3rd 2006 6:17PM
We don't need no stinking Duke Nukem when Marcus Fenix is wayyyyy cooler.
Advice to Everyone: Buy Gears of War immediately. It is a must have game for the Xbox 360. Must have period. Game of the year!!!!
minus_273 @ Dec 4th 2006 4:40PM
well, windows vista which has been development almost as long finally came out, so who knows.
Jecrell @ Dec 2nd 2006 9:57PM
@6. "Duke Nukem would kick Master Femix's ass. Yes both of them."
Who the fuck is Master Femix?
Guess somsone doesn't even know what Gears of War is.
Congratulations, you're an idiot.
Now go make out with your Duke.
Kevin @ Dec 2nd 2006 10:02PM
@21
Something tells me DNF doesn't have the mass appeal and demand that Windows Vista has....
Now if the game were shareware... Well that would be great!!
RevJonathan @ Aug 21st 2008 11:24PM
Joe,
No, you deserve all of the "F Duke Nukem talk". For the love of all that is holy, just release it. At this point you could probably put it on one of the next-gen console's online stores to make up for the inevitably lacking graphics you'll have. At least Direct2Drive for 10 bucks. Cut your losses.
Kn1ves @ Dec 2nd 2006 10:13PM
"Who the fuck is Master Femix?
Guess somsone doesn't even know what Gears of War is.
Congratulations, you're an idiot.
Now go make out with your Duke."
Master Chief And Marcus Fenix, yes both of them. Idiot.
Jecrell @ Dec 2nd 2006 10:35PM
@24. "Master Chief And Marcus Fenix, yes both of them. Idiot."
So you made a special combo name to insult two completely unrelated video game characters?
I really can't top that sort of stupidity even if I tried.
Sorry bro, you just outrank me.
Big Ed @ Dec 2nd 2006 10:41PM
My my my, what language. That's a sure fire way to illustrate your maturity.
Josh @ Dec 2nd 2006 10:43PM
Is anyone here familiar with the saying--
"Arguing over the internet is like the special olympics, whether you win or lose, you're still a retard."
At this point I'm guessing no.
From the looks of these comments I'm one of the few who remember rocking out hardcore with Duke Nukem back in the good ol' days. I for one would love to play Duke Nukem Forever and truly am hoping to see a good game released soon.
IggyChaotix @ Dec 2nd 2006 10:48PM
no, nobody does care about duke nukem anymore, now that valve and bungie pretty much rule the world of fps's.
Kn1ves @ Dec 2nd 2006 10:54PM
"So you made a special combo name to insult two completely unrelated video game characters?
I really can't top that sort of stupidity even if I tried.
Sorry bro, you just outrank me."
Completely unrelated? You seem to have gotten butt hurt by the comment, xbot.
"Guess somsone doesn't even know what Gears of War is."
Seems I do and seems like you lose this argument.
DUKE NUKEM FOREVER!
FYI: I'd kick your ass if we were in the special olympics! :)
Jecrell @ Dec 2nd 2006 11:03PM
Dude, Gears of War is probably coming to the PC.
I'm no Xbot, and even then, Duke is probably coming to the Xbox 360 anyway, just like Prey.
... Now you've just gone nuts.
RCS @ Dec 2nd 2006 11:06PM
"FYI: I'd kick your ass if we were in the special olympics! :)"
Well, you're still a retard, so...
RedStar @ Dec 6th 2006 8:36AM
Teamfortress 2 is supposed to come out around the same time.
We are in danger of a timewarp!
:)
Kyouryuu @ Dec 2nd 2006 11:26PM
Prey took about ten years. Of course, that was from the original idea to the final implementation. The version running on the Doom 3 engine, as we know it, spent a handful of those years in development. And Prey turned out alright. While not the greatest FPS ever, it was a solid game that brought some intriguing new ideas to the table.
Point is, Duke Nukem Forever is entirely possible. Like Prey, it seems to have undergone one "reboot" after another along the way. The real question is whether or not it would be any good when it does release.
ocdblackmage @ Dec 2nd 2006 11:50PM
Funny how the Abbreviation for Duke Nukem Forever is DNF, the same for Did Not Finish. That being said, the last installment, Duke Nukem 3D, is one of my favorite games of all time. "It's time to kick some ass"
diskoboy @ Dec 2nd 2006 11:53PM
You know, as many delays as Half-Life 2 had, it finally came out. Even though it took six years.
Duke, on the other hand.... 3DRealms just needs to come out and honestly say, "We give up. We're abandoning all development on DNF. Nothing is coming to fruition."
Or just hand the Duke Nukem franchise over to another developer. Either way - I don't care one bit about this game, anymore.
nirv @ Dec 2nd 2006 11:54PM
That fat ass blew it. Look at his posts on shacknews. Every single one of them is about how he's watching soem movie, playing a 360 game, or just dicking around.
http://www.shacknews.com/jazz/search2.x?query=lost&user=GeorgeB3DR&type=all&action=search
I remember the Quake 1 development days. Someone asked Romero about another game that just came out. You know what he said?
"why would i want to play that when i can play quake"
That's what a real developer says. George also plays World Of Warcraft (he's a priest). Do you honestly think half the employees would have left when 3DRealms pays royalties if they thought the game had a chance of selling 1 million+? It's over. He blew it.
TC @ Dec 3rd 2006 12:15AM
This game has been in development for so long that it has been "Optimized for the 3DFX Voodoo3 card".
Note to Developers: Please test the game on a more moderate system... like a PIII 900Mhz?
LaughingTarget @ Dec 3rd 2006 1:47AM
Joe,
I think it is about time to consider hiring a competent project manager. A basic idea behind software development (I hope you actually know what this is) is to build the project details, put up solid boundaries, and stick to them. Whenever some neat new engine comes out or a designer gets some cool new idea, tell them to stick it on the back burner and use it for the expansion and/or sequel.
Valve had the same problem with Half-Life 2 -- they still do, it shouldn't take a year to put out a 4 hour long episode -- and look how that turned out. An 8 hour Havok tech demo isn't exactly exciting. Luckily the Half-Life name was strong enough to fool the public into thinking it was good. We all know that *IF* DNF does get released, we're going to be seeing a lot of exploding barrels placed around rickety old wood bridges enemies love to hang out at and conveniently placed crane hooks to bust down gates (triggered, surprise surprise, by an exploding barrel).
Here's a challenge for you: see what you have written down as the project specifications right now? Don't add ANYTHING to that. Stick with the engine you have NOW. I can guarantee you will release the game by this time next year. I'm sure that is going to be significantly more lucrative than cycling out entire development teams (I seriously doubt there are any more than a half-dozen guys working on DNF that were there in 1996) and sending money down the toilet becuase you decided that the Quake 2/Quake 3/Havok/Crysis/DirectX 22 engine just wasn't up to snuff.
You need to hurry, the generation of gamers who even remember Duke Nukem is aging and will start exiting the market. Duke just can't compete with Master Chief or the newly created Marcus Fenix. He's too early-90s and the whole 'tude fad that Duke is all about died out with M.C. Hammer's career.
otakucode @ Dec 3rd 2006 2:22AM
I'm pretty sure they're packaging DNF with Team Fortress 2.
Hart704 @ Dec 3rd 2006 2:34AM
I honestly don't care about this game and I can't see why others are still talking about it. Nobody cares. I don't and now you officially don't either.
Drakkenfyre @ Dec 3rd 2006 2:20PM
I think the biggest problem is 3DRealms just wants to keep jumping to the "latest and greatest" engines as they come out, Duke Nukem Forever started on the Quake 2 engine, then they switched to the Unreal engine, then the Unreal Tournament engine, and that was the last they publically said, I have no doubt that they switched to the UT2003/UT2004 engine, and probably switched to another engine afterwards, if so it is a losing battle, pick an engine, STICK WITH THE DAMN THING, and release the freaking game! with every engine switch it sets the team (pffffffft, what is left of it, anyway) back as they have to port over the assets and create new material to take advantage of the new engine (why else would they keep switching?)
it is funny that about a half dozen other Duke Nukem games have been released since DNF was announced
-Drakk )))
Douglas Cartland @ Dec 3rd 2006 6:59AM
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Take-2-Interactive-Nukem-Forever/dp/B00005NCEZ/sr=8-5/qid=1165146868/ref=sr_1_5/203-2901351-4677552?ie=UTF8&s=videogames
Amazon.co.uk states a September 29, 2007 release date. (My birthday to be exact. :D) Not that amazon counts as any real confirmation, but hey, thought I should comment it anyway.
Moogle @ Dec 3rd 2006 7:49AM
Good grief, LT, your fears are certainly warranted but unless you have some inside info on the company, you're being pretty damned presumptuous.
Your opinion on FPS quality is circumspect now anyway. I mean, god forbid having a game let the player progress by manipulating the game environment. That detracts from all other qualities, certainly, especially a great story, environment, and atmosphere! Yes, lots of barrels, sometimes small concessions to reality are made for the sake of gameplay and entertainment. At least they're used against you as often as for. Would you rather they give you a blue key or pull another lever? Should the world be made of nothing but static conveniently chest-high walls and rubble for cover? The path from A to B unhindered by anything but bad guys?
Just because your opinion differs from the mainstream, it doesn't mean it's necessarily right, rational, or even sane. Do you think everything you don't like is popular as result of the world being stupid and gullible? You know, maybe it's just you. </flame>
Back on topic, I'm looking forward to DNF, for one. But I don't have the highest hopes. I thought Prey was pretty awful, but then, I think it didn't use the portals to enough good effect and the story sucked. I'm not sure how DNF could be any good, but I willing to give it a chance to surprise me. Also good to see Joe out here communicating in some small way.
WhaleMenacer @ Dec 3rd 2006 7:58AM
There's no reason to hate on a game because it takes longer then an hour to release a new title you whinos. I'm looking forward to buying it, whenever it comes out. It wouldn't kill me to wait another 8 years either and I would still be happy to play it.
Tarheel_Mark @ Dec 3rd 2006 9:36AM
Actually, they're releasing it under a new name.
Duke Nukem: Chinese Democracy
Pulse @ Dec 3rd 2006 9:41AM
Yay! Duke! I remember playing this game back in the day, lol, if its good I'll definatly pick up :) I loved this game.
Philip Karpiak @ Dec 3rd 2006 11:08AM
Well it's either the retailers word or...
"Marketing for the game will begin 10-12 months out. Basically when we finally see new stuff, we'll be a year out from playing the game." - Scott Miller
"Still "When it's done" but light is slowing coming in the tunnel. Most likely a couple years yet." - Scott Miller
Dated back in October of this year from http://ve3d.ign.com/articles/740/740238p1.html
You be the judge.
32_Footsteps @ Dec 3rd 2006 6:17PM
Funny thing is, I'm actually in the process of doing research for the column I'm writing in March about the tenth anniversary of Duke Nukem Forever's announced development.
Among other things, there have been no less than 13 different game platforms (both handheld and console) and no less than 17 Final Fantasy games (16, if you count the fact that FF7 came out before DNF was announced in Japan). Pokemon hadn't come out in the US yet, and DDR didn't exist at all.
And DNF has already been in development 3 times as long as Daikatana (which was around 3 years and 1 month). On the bright side, it's pretty likely that DNF is going to be better than Daikatana... I'll go so far as to say 3 times as good.
Tig @ Dec 3rd 2006 12:35PM
Since the original and announcement of DNF I will have graduated high school, graduated college, attained my master's degree, and finished my doctorate.
To me that's funny.
CryingTheAnnualKingo @ Dec 3rd 2006 2:50PM
Future's Dan Morris saw a running build of the game not too long ago and said it looked great, but I believe it was 3D Realms' Scott Miller who very recently said the game still had a couple of years to go.
I personally think that the thing is currently undergoing yet another graphical upgrade so it can be competitive with the likes of Crysis and whatnot...