3D Realms Responds to Take-Two Allegations

[Andy Chalk]

3D Realms Responds to Take-Two Allegations

3D Realms [http://www.3drealms.com/] found Scott Miller has responded to allegations that the company has stashed money in offshore accounts by pointing out that even though the studio has been sued numerous times, it has always come out on top.

It Apogee Software [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/92427-Take-Two-Alleges-Offshore-Banking-Shenanigans-at-3D-Realms] (the legal name of 3D Realms) over the collapse of Duke Nukem Forever, believes the developer has stashed a "substantial" amount of money in offshore bank accounts in an effort to avoid paying off debts related to the game. The claim naturally caused something of an uproar, as it implied that 3D Realms management was preparing for things to fall apart even as it assured Take-Two and everyone else that work the game was coming along nicely.

But Miller, who founded Apogee in 1987, dismissed the allegations in a statement to Shacknews [http://www.shacknews.com/featuredarticle.x?id=1151]. "Do readers here realize that filed lawsuits are entirely one-sided statements, based on knee-deep BS and with more spin that[sic] a top?" he said. "3DR has been in nearly a dozen lawsuits (including against Warner and Fox). We're always innocent, and we always win. This one is no exception. Give it a year, then the truth will come out."

There's absolutely no proof behind Take-Two's claim and there won't be for awhile, as the case isn't expected to go trial for another eight to 11 months. But Miller's credibility has taken a beating lately and gamers can be forgiven if they don't put too much faith into statements like "we're innocent." After all, two months prior he was claiming with equal gusto that work on DNF was progressing full steam ahead.




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[HobbesMkii]

Yes! I was waiting for this. Totally going along with belief there's some deeper level to this. Notice he didn't directly deny the off-shore account. Because I wouldn't exactly call one company declaring that another has an off-shore banking account doing much "spinning." It's more like an open attack.

What is it Mr. Miller? Are you the mastermind behind the conspiracy, or just a cog in it's machine? Is it the Mafia? The Russians? The Chinese? Who are you working for? I'll bet that if they lose and the police go to their offices, it's nothing but empty rooms with no computer equipment or staff or anything. Just a front.

I think the only way that Apogee could have been more entertaining in it's meltdown on DNF would've been if they'd had accidentally detonated a nuclear device in their offices during development.

Also, they've been sued 11 times? They're a developer for pete's sake! What are they doing, getting drunk and running over other companies CEOs' dogs? I mean, how do you generate that much ill will if you've been developing one game for over a decade?

 

[squid5580]

"There's absolutely no proof behind Take-Two's claim and there won't be for awhile"

and by the time they get close the money will be gone (insert evil laugh here).

Economics isn't my strong suit so out of curiosity I would like to ask. If this money is really stashed away in some swiss bank account somewhere how can anyone prove it? Is that not the whole point of having the Swiss bank account to begin with?

 

[The Shade]

Could this be the games industry's version of Enron? We'll have to wait and see!

Everyone loves a good scandal. But Take-Two's lack of proof is a bit disturbing.

 

[Jsnoopy]

shit, if I was take-two I would balls-pissed too.

 

[Darkwolf9]

To be fare though there is a lot of that crap going around, especially the hiding money or finding ways to keep it via loopholes. The dude has been FoS before so It's hard to want to believe him now. From what the way he was talking there wasn't much of the game left to work and since all of this blew open it sounds as if they had barely gotten started.