After more than a decade of waiting, rumors and false starts, the most famous vaporware in gaming history is finally coming out.
Yesterday’s rumor that Duke Nukem Forever – possibly the most delayed game of all time – was actually finished has been confirmed today at PAX Prime in Seattle. Gearbox Software, maker of Borderlands, apparently took over the development in 2009 following the demise of 3D Realms, and is said to be in the process of polishing the game.
Gearbox CEO Randy Pitchford said that 3D Realms had actually created a lot of content for the game – although obviously, it never finished it – and that Gearbox was able to bring it all together and make it “the game it was meant to be.” Duke Nukem Forever’s story will be familiar to those who have played previous Duke Nukem games, as Duke is forced to fight off alien invaders in order to save the Earth.
The game is expected to ship in 2011, although Pitchford is reluctant to be more specific. “This is a game where we cannot make a promise we cannot fulfill,” he said. “We need to get past the shock and awe and then we can go to all the retailers and first parties and work out a launch plan.” Gearbox is just a touch more consistent about releasing games than 3D Realms, so unless the game is actually cursed or something equally silly, Duke Nukem Forever will actually be hitting shelves some time on the near future.
Source: Wall Street Journal via Kotaku
