Updated: 3D Realms Shutting Down

[John Funk]

Updated: 3D Realms Shutting Down

Sources have told The Escapist that once-mighty studio 3D Realms will be closing its doors.

Though 3D Realms has yet to provide a reason for the closure, it's not too hard to guess that it has something to do with Duke Nukem Forever's turbulent development history. The game was originally announced in late April of 1997, then spent over twelve years in development hell. Despite George Broussard's claims that the title had "hit a major milestone" [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/90964-Duke-Nukem-Forever-Hits-Major-Milestone] last month, there hadn't been even the barest hint of a demo build. If your answer to the question, "So, you've been working on this game for twelve years ... got anything playable to show?" is "No, not really..." then it'd be understandably difficult to convince people to keep funding a project.

As for right now, the fate of gaming's most famous vaporware is undetermined. It's possible that there could be a sudden savior to swoop in and save the infamous title and studio from the brink. It's possible that 3D Realms might be able to just slap something together and hope for the best, but none of that is really likely.

The Escapist has contacted 3D Realms for a statement and is awaiting a response.

UPDATE: Deep Silver and Apogee Software have issued the following statement: "Deep Silver and Apogee Software are not affected by the situation at 3D Realms. Development on the Duke Nukem Trilogy is continuing as planned."

Permalink

 

[Doug]

I wouldn't be surprised if this where true (at time of writing, unconfirmed) - after all, 12 years and only a few cutscene videos out of the damned thing - Oh, and an apparent play of it by that Jason Hall.

Anywho, if true, at least the IP might go to a company that can actually deliver a product inside of 10 years Valve, for example.

EDIT: Ok, not Valve, someone else.

 

[samsonguy920]

Unless 3D Realms has some property to actually show to any interested investors, then I think we can safely say, "RIP Duke." It is too bad since I have been looking forward to a good current gen FPS that doesn't take itself seriously, at all.

Edit: Sweet Cartridge mockup, btw!

 

[Kross]

Unless 3D Realms has some property to actually show to any interested investors, then I think we can safely say, "RIP Duke." It is too bad since I have been looking forward to a good current gen FPS that doesn't take itself seriously, at all.

It's so not-serious that they didn't even bother seriously making a game!

I was hoping to see another Duke Nukem FPS sometime during my life though.

 

[Doug]

Unless 3D Realms has some property to actually show to any interested investors, then I think we can safely say, "RIP Duke." It is too bad since I have been looking forward to a good current gen FPS that doesn't take itself seriously, at all.

It's so not-serious that they didn't even bother seriously making a game!

I was hoping to see another Duke Nukem FPS sometime during my life though.

*pats* maybe you will! If 3D Realms is truly RIP, maybe the Duke Nuke'm mod for HL2 will be resumed!

 

[TsunamiWombat]

Duke Nukem was taken off life support today, May 6th 2009. He went into a Coma 1997. He is survived by his stripper wife and his many grandchildren, every modern FPS.

The debate over the morality and legality of removing the Duke from his feeding tube rages on, but whatever the case at least we know, Duke is going on to a more peaceful place.

RIP
Duke Nukem
May 6th, 2009

Shake it Baby

 

[Ashbax]

I wouldn't be surprised if this where true (at time of writing, unconfirmed) - after all, 12 years and only a few cutscene videos out of the damned thing - Oh, and an apparent play of it by that Jason Hall.

Anywho, if true, at least the IP might go to a company that can actually deliver a product inside of 10 years Valve, for example.

valve took ten years to make TF2.

 

[Valiance]

...

I have absolutely nothing nice to say.

I guess I can believe it, but I never really hoped it would come to this.

 

[jimBOFH]

I wouldn't be surprised if this where true (at time of writing, unconfirmed) - after all, 12 years and only a few cutscene videos out of the damned thing - Oh, and an apparent play of it by that Jason Hall.

Anywho, if true, at least the IP might go to a company that can actually deliver a product inside of 10 years Valve, for example.

valve took ten years to make TF2.

Not to mention that they still haven't finished HL2.
Still, that's marginally better than Blizzard, right?

 

[ChromeAlchemist]

I wouldn't be surprised if this where true (at time of writing, unconfirmed) - after all, 12 years and only a few cutscene videos out of the damned thing - Oh, and an apparent play of it by that Jason Hall.

Anywho, if true, at least the IP might go to a company that can actually deliver a product inside of 10 years Valve, for example.

Valve wouldn't be able to get the humour right, I think. Not sure who would be best suited for this.

 

[Smurfy 0151]

I'm going to miss his snarky remarks, awesome left foot, and sunglasses that look surprisingly like nerdy specs, just tinted.

 

[Kiutu]

Unless 3D Realms has some property to actually show to any interested investors, then I think we can safely say, "RIP Duke." It is too bad since I have been looking forward to a good current gen FPS that doesn't take itself seriously, at all.

Edit: Sweet Cartridge mockup, btw!

Well, they did have like, a couple of screenshots unlockable in the DUke Nukem game re-released for xbox live arcade.

 

[Pseudonym2]

What about Prey? I was looking forward to the sequel.

 

[JC175]

Duke Nukem was taken off life support today, May 6th 2009. He went into a Coma 1997. He is survived by his stripper wife and his many grandchildren, every modern FPS.

The debate over the morality and legality of removing the Duke from his feeding tube rages on, but whatever the case at least we know, Duke is going on to a more peaceful place.

RIP
Duke Nukem
May 6th, 2009

Shake it Baby

/thread

I am disappointed. If this turns out to be true, "when it's done" will go into dictionaries all around the world, defined as "never."

 

[Doug]

I wouldn't be surprised if this where true (at time of writing, unconfirmed) - after all, 12 years and only a few cutscene videos out of the damned thing - Oh, and an apparent play of it by that Jason Hall.

Anywho, if true, at least the IP might go to a company that can actually deliver a product inside of 10 years Valve, for example.

valve took ten years to make TF2.

*'Silences' the dissenter and then draws a discrete vale over the fact* Anyway.... [/joking]

Anywho, true, BUT at the same time, Value managed to show signs of life - for example, releasing Half Life 2, and episode 1, and building up Steam. Whereas 3D realms had done....what? Ok, Prey was released - but even then, 3D realms didn't develop it - they paid another company to do it!

 

[Doug]

I wouldn't be surprised if this where true (at time of writing, unconfirmed) - after all, 12 years and only a few cutscene videos out of the damned thing - Oh, and an apparent play of it by that Jason Hall.

Anywho, if true, at least the IP might go to a company that can actually deliver a product inside of 10 years Valve, for example.

Valve wouldn't be able to get the humour right, I think. Not sure who would be best suited for this.

Maybe.... I suppose they could hire some of the ex-3D Realms people to do the story/dialogue stuff whilst the Valve team do the actual game engine work

 

[Aardvark]

valve took ten years to make TF2.

Done. With that kind of experience on their resume, I'm sure Valve are fully qualified to continue production of DNF well into the next century.

 

[Ashbax]

I wouldn't be surprised if this where true (at time of writing, unconfirmed) - after all, 12 years and only a few cutscene videos out of the damned thing - Oh, and an apparent play of it by that Jason Hall.

Anywho, if true, at least the IP might go to a company that can actually deliver a product inside of 10 years Valve, for example.

valve took ten years to make TF2.

Not to mention that they still haven't finished HL2.
Still, that's marginally better than Blizzard, right?

...What the hell are you on about? HL2 was released in 2004...