Slashdot Mirror
3D Realms Sued Over Failed Duke Nukem Forever Plans
Take-Two Interactive has now sued 3D Realms over the cancellation of Duke Nukem Forever . Take-Two did not provide continuous funding for the game, but they did pay $12 million for the publishing rights to the game. A Bloomberg report quotes Take-Two's complaint as saying that 3D Realms "continually delayed the completion date" and "repeatedly assured Take-Two and the video-gaming community that it was diligently working toward competing development of the PC Version" of the game. (The complaint refers to 3D Realms as part of Apogee Software, Ltd., not to be confused with Apogee Software, LLC, the publisher behind the still-forthcoming Duke Nukem Trilogy.)
A gameplay video leaked a day or two after 3DR announced the closing.
Here it is http://www.gossipgamers.com/duke-nukem-forever-gameplay-footage-leaked/
Yeah, they could have released, say, Max Payne games in 2001 and 2003, and Prey in 2006?
Oh wait, they did. You fail it.
Ah, Prey. Almost as vaporware as DNF was until I actually saw it come out. FYI, Prey was "in development" for 11 years. So this really poor management thing seems to be a recurring problem with 3D Realms.
Having seen a build of the game run a while back, I can confirm that it's real. If it was ever going to be released it would be a fun game with a LOT of personality. :)
What most people don't realize is that Take 2 NEVER paid 3D Realms directly for development on DNF. 3D Realms self-funded ALL 12 years of development. The money they're suing them for was for publishing rights purchased from GT Interactive and Infogrames several years ago. This is completely separate from 3D Realms.
Most people assume this is a typical publisher-developer relationship, but it's not. Take2 doesn't own the rights to the game or any of the content in it... only the rights to publish it whenever it's done. 3D Realms ran out of money, asked them for some, were denied, and had to close down for lack of funds and all their employees are now looking for new employment in a horrific economy.
It's a shame 3DR couldn't have gotten it together sooner.
Random daily trivia: that phrase comes from a once-common medical practice, and began to be used when it was discredited.
"They were pure niggers." – Noam Chomsky
Max Payne was developed by Remedy and Rockstar. Prey (the version we finally got), was developed almost entirely by Human Head.
3D Realms hasn't singlehandedly developed a game in a very long time.
Sigs are for losers
it doesn't matter. this meme is redundant any time it's posted. we get it dnf = did not finish. thanks, chuckles.
A link for those wanting to watch the lawyering: NY court info
A preliminary injunction has been filed, I would guess to keep the IP from being idly sold off in the bankruptcy, but no lawyers for 3DRealms has been noted on the site. "Disposition deadline" is in August 2011. How swift is that?
Take Two may be using this suit to establish a claim it can take to the bankruptcy court. Once there, however, it'd have to swim with the other creditors in the pool and fight for whatever morsels it thinks is coming to it.