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Considering the hype and incredibly long development schedule, can Duke Nukem be anything but a disappointment? We might get our first taste of hipster -- those who will lavish Duke Nukem Forever with praise in an "ironic" way, so that makes it "cool." Ugh, I hope not.
So, Duke Nukem Forever finally has a release year. I can't believe it. I won't believe it. Not after 13 years.
I know, I know. You could play the game on the PAX Prime floor. Screenshots galore followed, along with video of real gamers like you and me annihilating pig cops like it was 1996. Duke's cliche-yet-popular catch phrases like "always bet on Duke" and "hail to the king, baby" flooded Internet forums.
And yes, Duke is now in the very capable -- and more importantly -- competent hands of Gearbox Software, of Borderlands fame.
But part of me still can't believe that Duke Nukem Forever is a regular game now, complete with marketing and a semi-definitive release date.
I feel like one of those lunatic fringe people -- you know, the birthers, the people who think 9/11 was a government conspiracy (or didn't even happen!), or the people who think President Obama is Muslim. Now you can add the Duke Nukem Forever non-believers to that group, and I think I'm one of them.
At least my disbelief has a solid foundation: The game's developer, now-defunct 3D Realms, announced the game in 1997 after the very successful DOS-based Duke Nukem 3D and promised more interactivity, more babes, and better graphics using id Software's then-revolutionary Quake 2 engine. They said they would release it "when it's done," and vowed not to rush anything so as to not risk releasing a turd.
The problem is that this relieved 3D Realms of any accountability. I wasn't privvy to the inner workings at this Texas-based developer, but clearly after three trailers, a few screenshots, countless vaporware "awards," and at least one engine change (to Epic Games's Unreal engine), someone screwed up big time. And that someone was 3D Realms Director and Duke co-creator George Broussard.
Following the well-received trailer in 2001, several members of the 3D Realms staff expected Broussard to make a push for finishing the game. That push never came, and a skeptical-yet-still hungry gaming audience wouldn't see another trailer until 2008, when we were told to "stay tuned."
Development had stretched for 11 years at this point. In May of 2009, 3D Realms finally ran out of money to pay its staff.
Some -- including myself -- believed that after the 2008 trailer, the game looked polished and almost ready to go. No way was this game not going to get released, even with 3D Realms out of the picture...and that's exactly what's happening now.
But the words "Duke Nukem Forever" will always carry the stigma of the unbelievable. Perhaps when I boot it up for the first time, I can finally put my skepticism to rest.
