Only so much can be done for this game.

[conantheking]

2k and Gearbox have taken over a project that was nearing completion.

The problem is that if this game turned out to be bad, blame couldn't really rest on these two firms but rather 3D Realms.

Now this raises the question, if Duke Nukem Forever turned out to be bad (Unlikely, but not impossible) do you think 2K and Gearbox will try their hand at making a new Duke Nukem game from scratch? Hopefully so, even if DNF turned out to be bad, I would hope that it sells enough to demonstrate that there is still money to be made from the franchise and it carries on.

[KO Gilligan]

If Gearbox invested a ton of money on this game and it tanks, it's over.

But it wasn't like they bought it without knowing what assets were there. They took a game that was said to be very near completion and spent as many hours as 3DR has total on it... Perhaps the original game was near completion, but it was not close to where it is now, and I'm sure 3DR had not put much investment into porting yet (that's what George probably needed the money for). Now there are over 3000 data issues to resolve per Randy, and only because the game is over 17 hours long and is now going on 3 platforms.

My thinking is they better just make sure it's not buggy and that they've resolved whatever was causing some stutter at vegas.
If they can do that, I'm sure everyone's gonna buy it - The collectors edition pre-orders sold out at Amazon within hours.
They're gonna make a ton of money, but they spent a ton of money.... They'll look at that, and the public's reaction, then they will look at the viability of another game. The franchise could get canned even if Duke does good - for those estimates on profits from more games we'll have to wait and see.

But yes, if it tanks, the Duke name will probably die with it.

[Blue Lightning]

I don't think 2K and Gearbox could make another Duke Nukem without 3D Realms permission. If I'm not mistaken, 3DR still has the Duke ip, but Gearbox/2K has permission to finish and publish/release DNF, and DNF ONLY. Ask Damian Azreal about it (a member here and at Gearbox), he knows about all that stuff.

[DavoX]

No, Gearbox is now the owner of the Duke Nukem IP.

[KO Gilligan]

... yes it's all Gearbox now.

also, I think any other games could go to another publisher of their choosing (with the exception of Critical Mass - or code thereof)
- although I can see 2K and Gearbox probably see eye to eye, businesswise.

[Blue Lightning]

Ah I see. So really 2K has the IP for DNF and possible future releases, but not the rights to DN3D.

[DavoX]

No, GBX has the IP. NOT 2K.

[MusicallyInspired]

2k has the PUBLISHING rights to Duke Nukem Forever. I'm not sure if they have exclusive rights to anything related to Duke Nukem after DNF or not, but they do not own the IP. Gearbox owns the IP. But they do not own the original Duke1, Duke2, or Duke3D which still belong to 3DR.

[Stewox]

2K has only publishing rights to DNF , but after Duke IP transfer , gearbox signed a long-term publishing with 2K for future duke titles, something 3DRealms would never do.

[Caekzor]

Well Gearbox and 2K have a good relationship going.

[ilblogics]

3D Realms has the rights to all Duke games before Duke Nukem Forever, Gearbox has the rights to Duke Nukem Forever and all games that come after it.

[Damien_Azreal]

2K is a good publisher, I would be happy if they continued publishing Duke games long after DNF ships.

[MrBlackCat]

I want to see Add-Ons like Duke Caribbean and Duke it out in D.C.

MrBlackCat

[glesson]

This thread is pointless. Always bet on Duke!