Following the awesome news
that Duke Nukem Forever will indeed see the light of day thanks to the development efforts of Gearbox Software (Borderlands, Brothers in Arms), it’s additionally been announced that Gearbox has acquired the full intellectual property rights to the Duke Nukem brand.

This includes Duke Nukem Forever and “all future projects in a cooperative deal made with 3D Realms.”

President of Gearbox, Randy Pitchford spoke about the significance of Duke Nukem to him and his studio:

“Fifteen years ago, Duke Nukem 3D helped launch my professional video game development career,” said Pitchford in a statement. “The Gearbox Software team and I are ecstatic that we have grown to a position to be able to pick up and carry the torch and help Duke rise back to glory in his time of need.

“Fans of the legendary hero and all the incredible talent that have ever helped him all deserve the very best support that we can bring,” continued Pitchford. “Please join me in supporting Duke in his triumphant return so that we may all enjoy the unique, one-in-million entertainment experience that only Duke Nukem can bring.”

Scott Miller, co-founder of the studio that brought Duke Nukem to life, 3D Realms, added his comments on why Gearbox was chosen to continue the Duke name:

“Gearbox was handpicked as the new home for Duke Nukem because of their continued passion, commitment and long-time heritage with the brand and 3D Realms. Gearbox and Duke Nukem make for a devastating match made in video game heaven.”

“The gaming community’s love and demand for the Duke Nukem brand never wavered and Gearbox will not disappoint them. As you have seen from titles such as Borderlands, Gearbox will bring the right level of addictively compelling gameplay, humor and high powered explosive action to the franchise. Duke Nukem is back and will be bigger than ever.”

And last, but certainly not least, co-founder of 3D Realms and the man who stewarded the development of Duke Nukem Forever for a long 12 years, George Broussard commented:

“Gearbox was the only home appropriate for the Duke Nukem brand. They are very talented and possess the perfect perspective and understanding of the brand. Their vision for its future direction is exciting and unbelievable. I am personally cannot wait for fans to see their unique take on the franchise. This will be a win-win situation for everyone involved, especially the fans.”

Duke Nukem Forever will be out in calendar 2011, on Xbox 360, PS3 and PC. The wait will finally be over. Get your first glimpses of the game’s box art over here.

You can visit the new official Duke Nukem site over here, and read a great interview at Gamasutra with Gearbox head Randy Pitchford to discover how this unique deal was brought about.

Source: Gearbox Forums

Tags: 3drealms, dukenukem, dukenukemforever, gearboxsoftware, georgebroussard, randypitchford, scottmiller