The lighthearted announcement trailer aside, Pitchford didn’t keep it a secret that this was not what they wanted for the title, especially with its long history of delays and cancellations.
Everyone thought Duke Nukem Forever was done for good back in 2009 when 3D Realms announced that it was going to be laying off the majority of its staff and cancelling the mostly completed game. Thankfully, 3D Realms sold the project to Gearbox and Pitchford – a former 3D Realms employee – was given a chance to make the impossible happen and ship the next Duke Nukem once and for all. It’s no wonder then that he’s got a vested interest in this being a reality.
Speaking with Eurogamer, Pitchford was quick to dismiss that this delay was anything but a necessity as the team anticipates expectations to be high for the title and anything but a pristine version of the game at release could hurt the title overall.
This will no doubt be a relief to fans who thought that the game wasn’t going to be released after all or that this was all just a marketing stunt to help get some more last minute pre-orders for the title.
Pitchford remained adamant that the delay was entirely in the interest of the fans, after all, Gearbox wants to see this part of gaming history released as much as anyone else.
Do Pitchford’s most recent comments help instill confidence that this title is going to live up to its incredible reputation and development time?
Duke Nukem Forever is finally due in North America on June 14, 2011 with an international release happening a few days earlier on June 10, 2011. It will be released for the PC, PS3, and Xbox 360.
Source: Eurogamer
