Duke Nukem 3D: Reloaded Delayed Due To Creative Differences

Okay, so every gamer out there who was (or still is) a Duke Nukem fan should know by now that just about all the reviews out there completely trashed Duke Nukem Forever, the semi-salvaged wreck from Gearbox Software and 2K Games. Well, an indie team going by the name of Interceptor Entertainment has been hard at work on a redo of the classic Duke Nukem 3D appropriately called Duke Nukem 3D: Reloaded. However, the team hit a bit of a snag over the creative direction they wanted to take with the game and the limitations imposed on them by the license agreement they have with Gearbox Software.

As stated on the official website in a public post…

After careful consideration of the progress and direction of the project, Interceptor Entertainment has decided to finish Duke Nukem: Reloaded at a future date that is yet to be determined.Interceptor Entertainment still has the good will and non commercial license provided to us to use the Duke Nukem brand for our creative ambitions. We hope to resume that work again when the time is right.

The reason the game is now put on the shelf, in terms of development progress, is because of a few creative issues the team apparently ran into while working on the project and finishing up certain aspects of the gameplay. According to Blues

We are around 90% finished with the current Multiplayer version - But you have to remember, that we don't own the game. Its done under a signed license with Gearbox Software. Which ultimately means, that we cannot do whatever we want with the project.Its not really up to us. We have had a long conversation with Gearbox about this matter. And the fact is, that we are bound by a license. A license of an IP owned by Gearbox Software. And we can't do much about it.."

Ouch. Sounds like there were some legal hurdles they ran into, but I’m not really privy to the whole ordeal so I can’t really say. A few gamers seem to believe that if the game turns out to be better than Duke Nukem Forever then that could also spell marketing trouble for future Duke Nukem games coming out of Gearbox studios. I mean, who would pay $60 for a broken port when they could pay far less (or nothing at all) for a game that plays like a triple-A title?

Nevertheless, it would be very cool to see how the game is coming along and usually indie devs focus a lot on the gameplay content that aims to keep gamers entertained, since they don’t have the budget to include quick-time events that include Michael Bay ‘Splosions™ or over-dramatic action sequences with spittle and sweat flying everywhere.

You can support the project or just get an idea of what the team is working on by visiting the Official Duke Nukem 3D: Reloaded Website.

Will Usher

Staff Writer at CinemaBlend.