Legal Battle Over Locally Not-Produced Duke Nukem Forever Now Names Plano's GearBox

Long story short for those without short- or long-term memories: After Garland-based video game developer Apogee Software/3D Realms took forever developing and never delivering Duke Nukem Forever (12 years, to be precise), the company funding the project -- Take-Two Interactive Software Inc., responsible for Grand Theft Auto and the millions...

By Robert Wilonsky

July 14, 2009

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Long story short for those without short- or long-term memories: After Garland-based video game developer Apogee Software/3D Realms took forever developing and never delivering Duke Nukem Forever (12 years, to be precise), the company funding the project -- Take-Two Interactive Software Inc., responsible for Grand Theft Auto and the millions that went into the project -- sued the locals; Take-Two wants, among other things, the source code for the game. But that was two months ago, and the story's gotten crazy complicated since then, with complaints and counter-complaints flying from all directions.

But the latest revelation's an interesting one that also concerns a major local game creator -- Gearbox Software, so happens, straight outta Plano. ShackNews, which has been keeping tabs on the story that'll probably turn into a movie starring Jim Sturgess, reveals that in court docs filed by Take-Two, the company happened to mention that Gearbox is also working on a Duke Nukem sequel -- Duke Begins, ironic. But, see Apogee insists the game's been canceled, and that Take-Two couldn't nuke the game, the result of a deal between Take-Two and Apogee dating back to '07, without its permission. To which Take-Two replies: Unh-unh and no way, respectively.

In a related story, GearBox appears to have 13 job openings. So hop to, genius.

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