duke-begins posts

This is, without a doubt, a huge rumor but if it's true it could signal the completion of a game that's been in development for well over a decade. Kotaku is reporting through unnamed sources that development of Duke Nukem Forever is underway again but not at the first person shooter's original home of 3D Realms. Instead the story claims the game is in the hands of fellow Dallas-based developer Gearbox Software.

Just a recap: 3D Realms spend a ton of time and money to make Duke Nukem Forever but disputes with the game's publisher Take Two Interactive forced lawsuits between the two companies and the shut down of the game's dev team at 3D Realms in May 2009. The legal issues between the two companies were settled earlier this year but details about the settlement were not revealed. One thing that did come up in the lawsuits was that Gearbox was working on a separate spin-off game, Duke Begins, that was halted when the issues between Take Two and 3D Realms begin in 2009.

Reps from Take Two and 3D Realms would not comment on these latest rumors but Gearbox head man Randy Pitchford said he may be able to say something to clarify the issue at this year's Penny Arcade Expo in Seattle in September. Could PAX finally be the light at the end of this long, dark tunnel that is Duke Nukem Forever's development? Stay tuned.

In their fight over the fate of Duke Nukem Forever, Take Two Interactive has now revealed via new court records (uncovered by Shacknews) that Gearbox Software is (or rather was) the developer for Duke Begins, a third party Duke Nukem game that was previously revealed in a court filing by Duke Nukem Forever developer 3D Realms/Apogee.

According to the court records, Duke Begins was part of an agreement between Take Two and 3D Realms in 2007 with Gearbox handling the actual development of the title. Take Two does admit that development of Duke Begins has "for the time being" been stopped but has denied that the game has been canceled entirely. One thing is for sure; this dispute will keep going for some time to come.

3D Realms (under their Apogee Software parent name) has now officially responded to Take Two Interactive's lawsuit filed last month concerning the shut down in the development of Duke Nukem Forever. In the 20 page response filed on Friday (found by GamePolitics) with the US District Court in the Southern District of New York, 3D Realms/Apogee denies most of the allegations made by Take Two in its lawsuit.

However the response has also revealed that 3D Realms entered into an agreement with Take Two for an all new Duke Nukem game, Duke Begins. The agreement was made in 2007 and the development would be handled by an unnamed third party game studio, not 3D Realms, and published by Take Two's 2K Games brand. According to 3D Realms, Take Two/2K Games ordered work halted on Duke Begins in April 2009,something which 3D Realms says Take Two has denied.