Take-Two chairman Strauss Zelnick tells Forbes that “you will see future Duke IP coming from this company.” Pretty clear cut, but Zelnick gets less clear when expounding upon the future of Duke (and other games).
“Part of it is the economic opportunities that interact with entertainment are so huge,” Zelnick says. “Part of it is that we are very creative folks in control. Part of it is we don’t want to ever be in the position of dumping something down just to make another buck. If we can take some of our intellectual property and bring it to another medium in an extraordinary high quality way, that delights consumers and represents an interesting commercial opportunity for us, we will. We have certainly considered doing that with BioShock and with other titles. So far we haven’t brought anything to market, but stay tuned.”
The Duke Nukem IP will be exploited next month in comic book form with the release of IDW’s Duke Nukem: Glorious Bastard, but it sounds like Strauss and company have grander plans than just comics. Take-Two and developer Gearbox at one point had a spin-off, Duke Begins, in the works, a game that was reportedly scrapped amidst lawsuits between the publisher and 3D Realms.
I’d be willing to give Duke another shot, given a shorter, better directed development cycle. You?
Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick: Our DNA Is Gameplay, Our Clothing Is Cinema [Forbes]
Ema Nymton
Tuesday, June 21, 2011 at 2:19 PMI’d still hit it!
Andrew Burdusel
Tuesday, June 21, 2011 at 10:54 PMI’d hit it…on the head…with a shovel.
James Mac
Tuesday, June 21, 2011 at 2:24 PMWell, we knew that.
No matter how much Pitchford wanted to relive his glory days, Gearbox wouldn’t have bought the IP unless they planned to make their own game with it.
Also, dammit McWhertor… check your proof reading.
Tim
Tuesday, June 21, 2011 at 2:28 PMJust played DNF.
Worst. Game. Ever.
Take your generic FPS, add in some textures and graphics from a decade ago, throw in load times of half a day, poor sound, uninspiring “funny” lines. poor gameplay mechanics – should’ve let Duke retire or die, rather than producing this pathetic excuse for a game. Rivals ET on Atari for shovelware.
And the developers think they can milk it any further? This is one way to ensure no-one ever pays any attention to anything else they ever produce, ever. Reminder to self: avoid any further Take2 games.
Dissection
Tuesday, June 21, 2011 at 2:39 PMJust read your comment.
Dumbest. Comment. Ever.
Take your generic nerd rage, add in remark about graphics (because they totally matter), throw in an elitist sense of humour and a reference to “gameplay mechanics” to sound smart – should’ve tried to construct a reasonable comment rather than producing your typical “hater” remarks.
And people think they can keep saying the same crap? This is one way to ensure no one ever pays any attention to stupid haters again. Reminder to self: avoid reading any further idiot remarks.
TvZ
Tuesday, June 21, 2011 at 3:46 PMBest.Comment.EVER!
In other news, I think they should make as many Duke Nukem games as possible.
How about ‘Duke Nukem: Sagging Balls edition’. Where Duke is confronted by Aliens in his retirement home. Then he beats the shit out of them with his cane and walker!
Ben
Tuesday, June 21, 2011 at 4:33 PMBA-BOOM! You just owned that guy!!!
HotDamn!
Tuesday, June 21, 2011 at 4:42 PMPoor Tim. -We should run a blog commenting mechanics story some time.
oggob
Tuesday, June 21, 2011 at 2:50 PMlol, wow… it’s amazing to think people were expecting a game that was going to change FPS as we know it.
As you mentioned the game has been in development hell for over 10 years, what exactly were you expecting?
Picked up the Balls Of Steel Edition and have no regrets, even though I know I’ve played far better games.
As for the worst game ever?
http://www.gamerankings.com/browse.html?sort=1
Doesn’t make the 1st page (just, lol)
Bring it Gearbox, bring on the real Duke game and Borderlands 2 also… actually, now that I mention those two games, Duke as a playable character IN Borderlands 2!
/ drools!
The Insufferable Senor Steengo
Tuesday, June 21, 2011 at 4:20 PMYou didn’t get it. DNF is intentionally bad, it’s mocking this generation’s horde of creatively-bankrupt first person shooters!
Gorhob
Tuesday, June 21, 2011 at 11:52 PM… he’s right about it being bad though.
ShiggyNinty
Tuesday, June 21, 2011 at 2:35 PMHell yeah I would. I actually really like DNF so more Duke is always welcome.
Rod
Tuesday, June 21, 2011 at 2:37 PMFrom the reviews I’ve seen, the Duke IP is failing to impress people just as much as the game’s outdated visuals and gameplay.
Maybe another 15-year wait is the best solution.
Jerkoff
Tuesday, June 21, 2011 at 2:38 PMI’d hit Duke again for sure
A game where you fling wet shit around?
Winner
Awnshegh
Tuesday, June 21, 2011 at 2:38 PMI bet Duke Begins was further along than we all know and they’ll be dropping it on us just in time for christmas.
Jordaan Mylonas
Tuesday, June 21, 2011 at 2:43 PMGearbox have made it very clear they don’t get what Duke is about. DNF is like a fourth-hand, chinese-whispers retelling of Duke’s personality.
Dissection
Tuesday, June 21, 2011 at 2:44 PMPlease, enlighten us on what Duke is about.
SOX
Tuesday, June 21, 2011 at 2:55 PMDuke is about defending/justifying your purchase of a full priced game released this year of questionable to bad quality.
Gog
Tuesday, June 21, 2011 at 3:03 PMHang on… are you saying Gearbox is to blame for how Duke turned out? Really?
Blake
Tuesday, June 21, 2011 at 4:14 PMOf course not, I mean, it’s not like the CEO of Gearbox worked on Duke 3D or anything.
Lone Wolf
Tuesday, June 21, 2011 at 2:54 PMHonestly doubt the work done on Duke Begins would have disappeared altogether, but it might be better starting from scratch.
Part of the issue (not the only one, I know) with DNF was the development cycle was too long and the team scrapped it twice to update the graphics.
As long as Gearbox makes the next game fun and injects some modern sensibilities into it, (graphics, optimised loading etc.) and doesn’t take too long, they can make it work.
Braaains
Tuesday, June 21, 2011 at 3:28 PMMaybe they’ll make a game where Duke goes around to the houses of each and every person who bagged DNF in internet forums and beats the shit out of them. Like the end of Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back but with more tits.
The Insufferable Senor Steengo
Tuesday, June 21, 2011 at 4:21 PMHell, I’d challenge Duke to a fist-fight. It’d be funny to see him cowering behind a bench, waiting to regenerate health, after I land my first hit.
Gordon Pedersen
Tuesday, June 21, 2011 at 4:30 PMThe scary thing is, that might work as a small downloadable title.
Cephalxn
Tuesday, June 21, 2011 at 3:41 PMSoooo sick of hearing everyone blaming Gearbox for the game, didn’t they just pick up, quickly “polish” it up and release it? I’m actually really interested in what they can do now that they can do it their way.
Matt
Tuesday, June 21, 2011 at 10:18 PM^^this
in fact people should be happy this finally got released after a decade, problem is they just polished it off, they didnt really start from scratch, so why the hate for them?
I think they can bring out great Duke titles, sure might be a couple of years down the line, but i’d expect it to be a lot better then what they just finished off.
Pete
Tuesday, June 21, 2011 at 3:50 PMI don’t see the fuss about Duke Nukem Forever.
It’s a solid 6/10-8/10 IMO. Certainly not the worst game ever, or even close. It has a lot of issues, but they’re not real game breakers.
Adrian Milano
Tuesday, June 21, 2011 at 5:04 PMI got it on PC and enjoyed it. Loads really quick on my pc and looks good at 1920×1600 (my native res) it’s nice to play a game and not a press one button to intereact with scripted michael bay movie ala COD.
Wesley Franc
Tuesday, June 21, 2011 at 6:58 PMI loved DN:F. Sure, it had some issues, but it also had FUN*. The graphics might be a bit dated, but they were far from the horrible abomination reviewers make it out to me, and the ability to move, shoot and jump simultaneously is wonderful. Most fun I’ve had multiplayer since Quake Live (still the best FPS ever).
* (for those who don’t remember, fun was quality possessed by many FPS games before government legislation required every game to be identical to COD)
Kizaru
Tuesday, June 21, 2011 at 10:08 PMAll I want for the next game is for Gearbox to start the game with the ending of DNF, and then Duke wakes up abruptly from a coma Walking Dead style, and we pretend it never happened.
Becca
Tuesday, June 21, 2011 at 10:41 PMthe DNF was kinda a dissapointment since the producers and makers talk it up abit too much saying “its gonna be the best out there” and “its gonna be a beasty game” and other outrageous exaggerating terms.
although I gotta admit, it wasnt a total dissapointment, there were some good bits in it though the execution moves were getting a little repetitive.
Aerinthe...meh...
Tuesday, June 21, 2011 at 11:01 PMSweet. This is what I’ve been hoping for ever since Gearbox picked up the torch for 3D Realms and said they would release DNF as 3D Realms had been creating it.
I knew I would play DNF and that it would be fun, if not particularly ‘great’ :-P But most of all I wanted it to mean that afterwards Randy Pitchford would rally all the powers of Gearbox and create a truly awesome Duke game. Crossing my fingers… I think they could really do this well.
Brimm
Tuesday, June 21, 2011 at 11:10 PMThat’s what I’ve been saying all along! I don’t doubt Gearbox will bring a Duke game out in the future that will rock.
Jason Oliver
Wednesday, June 22, 2011 at 6:40 AMI don’t think DNF is as dated as reviewers are making out
http://seven2nd.blogspot.com/2011/06/hail-to-king-is-king-old-hat.html