A Carrot for Duke Nukem Forever Team

Possible incentive for 3D Realms to finish the game turns up in a publisher filing, but don't hold your breath.

It was 1997 when Duke Nukem Forever was first announced. In you case you can't remember that far back, it was the year Titanic broke all box-office records and the Spice Girls were tearing up the music charts. Nearly 10 years on and we're still waiting for the game, but there are hints that we could see it this year - maybe.

Publisher Take 2 apparently offered the game's developer, 3D Realms, an extra $500,000 in 2005 if it could deliver the near-mythical PC game by the end of 2006, Next Generation is reporting. The incentive came to light after detailed scouring of recent financial declarations made by the publisher.

Duke Nukem Forever is the next instalment in the once-hit PC shooter series Duke Nukem. The fittingly titled game was announced at a time when the character was popular with PC gamers fresh from his anti-heroic exploits.

Unfortunately, even with the bonus, it seems that we'll be waiting a while still for the game. Duke Nukem: Forever was nowhere to be seen at this year's Electronic Entertainment Expo and the developer isn't giving away any clues either. Its Web site currently says the game will be out "when it's done".

"And yes, we know the game has taken a long time," reads a blurb on the site. "There's no possible joke you could make about the game's development time that we haven't already heard."

Alex Wollenschlaeger
Editor, Kikizo Games