Perhaps the most notorious video game title of all-time, Duke Nukem Forever is nearing its long awaited release after 14 years of speculation, delays and studio switches. It’s also been stewing in controversy over alleged game content across numerous news sources.
Gearbox Software’s Community Manager Chris Faylor recently sat down for an exclusive chat with Arcade Examiner’s Patrick Scott Patterson about this long awaited release.
Q: How excited is Gearbox Software to be the company to finally bring this long-awaited game to the market?
A: We are very excited to be bringing Duke Nukem Forever to market. The game is, quite simply, legendary in its legacy. This is a game that many, many people, including those of us at Gearbox, have been anticipating for a very long time now.
More than that, we’re extremely honored to be the caretakers of the Duke Nukem estate, as it were, moving forward. Many had feared that Duke Nukem was gone forever. The character of Duke Nukem is one that has directly and indirectly impacted millions, and many of those people hold the character near and dear to their hearts. Randy Pitchford and Brian Martel, co-founders of Gearbox, worked together at 3DRealms and on Duke 3D along with numerous other developers here at Gearbox. Duke is huge to us and we can’t wait to show everyone Duke Nukem Forever.
However, it is important to note that Gearbox isn’t the only company working to deliver Duke Nukem Forever. Triptych Games, a company formed by several former 3D Realms employees, were instrumental in keeping Duke Nukem Forever alive. The guys at Triptych continued to work on Duke Nukem Forever after the closure of 3D Realms. They worked out of their own homes with no pay and their dedication for Duke is truly inspiring. Likewise, Piranha Games has been assisting with the development of the console versions and multiplayer component, and 2K Games has provided the support we needed to actually get the game into retailers.
Q: How much does the game that's coming out resemble the previously unfinished versions of the game?
A: We are dedicated to fulfilling the vision 3D Realms had for Duke Nukem Forever. There are many elements within the game that are still true to what 3D Realms had to offer. We also provided elements of our own that we know Duke fans will really enjoy.
Graphical fidelity within the game has improved significantly. The levels became larger and contain much more content. The core fundamentals of the game – the concept of the ultimate alien ass-kicker returning to save Las Vegas (and by proxy, the world), the over-the-top action, the focus on interactivity – these all still resonate throughout the game. Old school Duke Fans will love it and new fans will get a brand new perspective on over the top first person shooters.
Q: What can a gamer expect when picking this game up for the first time?
A: Duke Nukem Forever represents a return to form for the first-person genre. The fans can expect tons of over-the-top ass-kicking action. They can expect single-player campaign that will last longer than an afternoon, and will require players to do more than just run-and-gun through hallway after hallway. They can expect a lot of nods and references to earlier Duke Nukem games. They can expect fast-and-furious multiplayer that will keep you on your toes and not always camping behind cover.
Most importantly, however, they can expect to have a good time and lots of laughs.
Q: How would you describe this version of the Duke Nukem character?
A: It’s been over ten years since we last saw Duke, but not much has changed. Much as the game evolved over time but stayed true to its roots, the same can be said for the character of Duke Nukem. Thanks to advances in technology, Duke looks better and more detailed than ever and has more lines of dialog than ever before.
Duke’s attitude, confidence, and ego, however, are exactly what you’d expect from someone who has single-handedly saved the world numerous times over.
Q: Just for fun, a story surfaced after the last studio cancelled development about a gamer who still has a pre-order receipt from 2001 for Duke Nukem Forever. Any chance Gearbox might do something for this guy for his continued patience?
A: Slash000 is a patient, patient man, and he’s not the only one. We’re aware that there are numerous people out there who have been holding on to their pre-orders for years while retailers went through bankruptcies, buyouts, closures, relocations, rebrandings, and so on.
We very much want to do something special to recognize these people and their loyalty, but we’re still working out the details. Many parties have to be involved and willing to do this, so we don’t want to make any specific promises yet.
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Arcade Game Examiner would like to thank Chris for taking the time out of his busy schedule for this interview.
To contact the author of this story, please e-mail him at psp@patrickscottpatterson.com or visit his website at www.PatrickScottPatterson.com.
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