Duke Nukem Originally Had a Gay Robot Sidekick

John Funk

U.N. Owen Was Him?
Dec 20, 2005
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Duke Nukem Originally Had a Gay Robot Sidekick

Sexuality is an important theme in Duke Nukem Forever, which is why Gearbox originally planned to give Duke a sidekick with a different one.

Duke Nukem is all about sex, baby. He goes after aliens once they try to steal Earth's women. He says of a female monster, "I'd still hit it." He even starts the game (or the game's demo, actually) getting oral sex from two women dressed as schoolgirls. Suffice it to say that sex is part of The King's whole appeal.

According to Gearbox boss Randy Pitchford, part of the original plan for Duke Nukem Forever was to give Duke a sexual foil as a sidekick in the form of a gay robot. "Sexuality is part of the Duke personality," Pitchford explained, and the team wanted "to explore how Duke would relate to a peer that might have a different sexual orientation."

Though Pitchford said that he couldn't elaborate because the team might bring the gay robot sidekick back later on, he did say that the robot's story ended tragically. "Ultimately the robot was in a situation where for an order for victory against the aliens to be accomplished, the robot's inner workings - a nuclear generator - had to be sacrificed." I think there's a TV Trope for that [http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/BuryYourGays].

Pitchford said that the sidekick wasn't necessarily played for laughs, either. "The exploration was all very sincere and real and maybe we'll come back to that at some point."

I'm not so sure, though. Sexuality - and homosexuality in particular - is still a very touchy subject in the real world where LGBT people are subject to harassment and discrimination. It's all the more rare to have homosexuality explored in games without being reduced to a joke.

Gearbox may have intended to be completely sincere in its treatment of the subject, but this is a game about a super-macho chauvinist fighting pig-aliens who have stolen Earth's women. It's hard for me to imagine the gay robot sidekick as being treated as anything but one giant gay joke. Maybe Gearbox will go ahead and prove me wrong.

(Via Eurogamer [http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2011-05-12-duke-nukem-had-gay-robot-sidekick])

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EHKOS

Madness to my Methods
Feb 28, 2010
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Reminds me of that robot in Timesplitters 3. Though I would have thought it would be very interesting to have a homosexual robot as a compainion. Just...don't push it like they did with Arcade Gannon. Try more like Anders. I didn't know he was gay until I heard the controversy.
 

Azex

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Jan 17, 2011
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duke is so manly he gives off an aura that makes all those around him just a little gay by comparison
 

Waaghpowa

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Apr 13, 2010
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First thing I thought of when I read gay robot was Caboose from RvB calling Church a gay robot...

 

nickyv917

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Nov 11, 2010
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Let's see how many references to Nick Swardson's gay robot are in this thing by the end of the week.
 

Mister Benoit

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CannibalRobots said:
Honestly, I think Duke is secure enough with his sexuality to not care at all if his robot sidekick is gay or not.
Pretty much this, you nailed it.

I think the two would probably get along pretty well and be able to poke fun at each other =p
 

Waaghpowa

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Apr 13, 2010
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Mister Benoit said:
CannibalRobots said:
Honestly, I think Duke is secure enough with his sexuality to not care at all if his robot sidekick is gay or not.
Pretty much this, you nailed it.

I think the two would probably get along pretty well and be able to poke fun at each other =p
Duke: Hey fudge packer!
Gay side kick: Hey Pig!
Both: Lol
 

BreakfastMan

Scandinavian Jawbreaker
Jul 22, 2010
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That... Actually might have been kind of cool. It would certainly make the the game more interesting. I say put him back! Or at least bring him back in some DLC!

EDIT: Hmm... New rules. They seem pretty reasonable. Though, I suspect a good number of people here are will be in some serious trouble...
 

Lt. Vinciti

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Nov 5, 2009
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Rewrite him for a DLC....he can be shot be a preacher and then Duke can hunt down preacher...all while getting women...

CONTROVERSY WOO WOO
 

NinjaDeathSlap

Leaf on the wind
Feb 20, 2011
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I really, REALLY hope this makes it into the final game.

When will people realise that being able to make jokes about a stereotype (especially in a game that is supposed to be taken about as seriously as a clown running for president) actually PROMOTES tolerance, by using casual laughter to negate any sense of malice in that stereotype.

Honestly, the idea that Duke Nukem, a character who is designed to be over the top macho in every single respect, being secure and progressive enough to have an openly gay sidekick would be a legitimate example of maturity that gamers could hold up for the whole world to see (even if the rest of the game is the complete opposite).
 

EHKOS

Madness to my Methods
Feb 28, 2010
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CannibalRobots said:
EHKOS said:
Reminds me of that robot in Timesplitters 3. Though I would have thought it would be very interesting to have a homosexual robot as a compainion. Just...don't push it like they did with Arcade Gannon. Try more like Anders. I didn't know he was gay until I heard the controversy.
Wait wait wait wait...

You think Arcade was more of a stereotype than Anders?

Arcade had next to no sexuality whatsoever.
Arcade had that kind of tone of voice, and his lines in battle indicated it. Anders (from what I've seen, about five hours of the game played on youtube) is just there. Arcade just stuck out more for me. IDK why.
 

varulfic

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Jul 12, 2008
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Pitchford said that the sidekick wasn't necessarily played for laughs, either. "The exploration was all very sincere and real and maybe we'll come back to that at some point."
I fell out of my chair laughing at that.

Oh, and thanks for linking to tv tropes. There goes my whole weekend... douchebag.
 

Thaluikhain

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Jan 16, 2010
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John Funk said:
Pitchford said that the sidekick wasn't necessarily played for laughs, either. "The exploration was all very sincere and real and maybe we'll come back to that at some point."
Do they honestly expect people to believe that, or are their April's Fools jokes also running behind schedule?
 

epikAXE

Save the planet: It has beer!
Oct 26, 2009
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Im glad they didnt tbh. Knowing gearbox they probably have went with the over sexualised gay stereotype, which we dont need anymore of :3