Preview: Duke Nukem Forever

Duke Nukem Forever is an upcoming first-person shooter video game currently in development by Gearbox Software, and a sequel to the 1996 game Duke Nukem 3D, as part of the long-running Duke Nukem video game series.

Release Date: May 3, 2011
MSRP: $59.99
Also on: PC, PS3
RP-M+ for Rating Pending, Targeting a Rating of Mature or Above
Genre: First-Person Shooter 
Publisher: 2K Games
Developer/Co-Developer: Gearbox Software / 3D Realms

---

Intended to be groundbreaking, it has become infamous in the video games industry and was considered vaporware due to its severely-protracted development schedule; the game has been in development since 1997. Originally in development under 3D Realms, director George Broussard, one of the creators of the original Duke Nukem game, first announced the title's development in April 1997, and promotional information for the game was released in one form or another from 1997 to 2008.

After repeatedly announcing and deferring release dates, 3D Realms announced in 2001 that it would be released simply "when it's done". In May 2009, 3D Realms was downsized for financial reasons, resulting in the loss of the game's development team. Statements by the company indicated that the project was due to go gold soon with pictures of final development. Take-Two Interactive, which owns the publishing rights to the game, filed a lawsuit in 2009 against 3D Realms over their failure to finish development. 3D Realms retorted that Take-Two's legal interest in the game is limited to their publishing right. The case was settled with prejudice and details undisclosed in May 2010. On September 3, 2010, after 13 years, Duke Nukem Forever was officially reported by 2K Games to be in development at Gearbox Software, with an expected release date of 2011. The official release date has since been revealed to be May 3, 2011 in North America, with a worldwide release following on May 6, 2011.

Duke Nukem Forever has drawn a number of jokes related to its development timeline. The video gaming media and public in general have routinely suggested several names in place of Forever, calling it "Never", "(Taking) Forever", "Whenever", "ForNever", "Neverever", and "If Ever". The game has also been ridiculed as Duke Nukem: Forever In Development, "the longest game ever in production" and "an elaborate in-joke at the expense of the industry".

The game itself has been shown to relish on the jokes on its expense: As shown at PAX 2010, the game contains jokes about its long development time. The titular character is seen using a urinal for a rather long time and exclaims, "This is taking forever!" Also, when asked if the game is any good, he replies, "Yeah, but after twelve fucking years it should be." In the final trailer, he alludes to the "Forever" jokes, asking "Did you think I was gone forever?"