Duke Nukem Developer Closes, PSP Game Unaffected

Kris Erickson • May 7, 2009 • Comments ()

Video Game developer 3D Realms may be shutting its doors permanently after company staff members tipped the closure to press outlets earlier today. One insider wrote on the official forums today that "[i]t's not a marketing thing. It's true. I have nothing further to say at this time."

3D Realms is currently most widely known for its work on the vaporware title Duke Nukem Forever. Having been announced way back in 1997, the much-hyped followup to Duke Nukem 3D was in development for the past 12 years. The only thing we have seen from the game since then has been a teaser trailer and a handful of mediocre screenshots, suggesting that the title was not even close to completion. Undoubtedly this makes Duke Nukem Forever the longest-delayed title in history, and we wouldn't be surprised if this delay had something to do with the company's closure. In between the announcement of Duke Nukem Forever and its closure today, the company also produced two Max Payne titles and the moderately popular first-person shooter Prey.

Take Two Interactive, publishers of the GTA series, own the publishing rights to the Duke Nukem Forever game, so the closure of this studio does not necessarily mean the end (of waiting) for the game. Heck, the folks at Rockstar could probably turn the title out in time for the holidays, if given enough resources.

Meanwhile, there are three handheld Duke Nukem games coming out for the PSP collectively called the Duke Nukem Trilogy. However, these games are under development by Apogee Software and are unaffected by the closure of 3D Realms.