Duke Nukem The most delayed video game of all time is adding to its
record.
Duke Nukem Forever, which has been in development for over a
dozen years and very nearly died in 2009, won't make its targeted May 3 release
date. Instead, developer Gearbox Software has announced (via a clever, but not
entirely work safe YouTube
video) that it will ship to U.S.
players on June 14.
In practical terms, that's nothing, but it sure has given
fans and detractors of the franchise something to laugh about.
"It merely says 'June 14' on the poster. They didn't
give a year..," wryly noted commenter 'xeropulse' on Shacknews.
Gearbox and publisher 2K Games are assuring customers that
this isn't history repeating itself, however.
"We're committed to deliver a laugh-out-loud,
politically incorrect experience that people will talk about for years to
come," says Christoph Hartmann, president of 2K. "We thank Duke's
fans for their continued patience - I promise this won't take another 15
years."
What really has U.S. fans of the game upset is the
revelation that the rest of the world will get to play DNF before they do.
Gearbox says the game will ship internationally on June 10. Given the game's
extensive (and dubious) history, that's raising fears that domestic players
will opt for pirated versions in order to be among the first to say they've
played.
The delay isn't the only controversy Duke Nuke Forever has
had to contend with lately. Critics have also taken the game to task for a
multiplayer mode dubbed "Capture the Babe". The mode, a take on the
classic "Capture the Flag" mode type, particularly drew attention
when it was revealed that players would sometimes have to calm the 'babe' with a
slap on the fanny.
In the end, Duke might benefit from this delay, though. May
is a crowded month for videogame releases. Among the other titles due are
Rockstar's L.A. Noire, Bethesda's
Blink and Warner Bros F.E.A.R. 3.
Even Duke Nukem might have trouble kicking that much butt.