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Savedukenukem.com registered the day before 3D Realms closed photo

Everyone loves a good conspiracy theory, so here's some further credence to the idea that Duke Nukem Forever's death is merely a marketing ploy by 3D Realms. Apparently, the URL "savedukenukem.com" was registered on 05/07/09, the day before 3D Realms announced its closure.

Many people now believe we are being played, which is something I myself had considered briefly, since I'm convinced that everyone involved with Duke Nukem Forever has been laughing at us for the past ten years. Some suggest that the huge amounts of assets that have come flowing onto the Internet since 3D Realms' closure also hints that this is little more than a gimmick for PR purposes.

So, what do you think? Are we indeed to believe that 3D Realms has been sitting on all the hot Duke Nukem information that has suddenly come out? Has that information been made up after 3D Realms closed just to rub salt in the wound? Hell, does Duke Nukem Forever even exist, or was it all a big joke from the start? So many questions. 

Whether or not Duke Nukem Forever is officially dead, this story looks like it'll keep going for a while. A fitting tribute to the game that did nothing for a whole decade.

[Thanks, Reaprar]


Continue: More Duke Nukem stories





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41 comments | showing # 1 to 41

SuitcoatAvenger's Avatar - Comment posted on 05/12/2009 11:03
SuitcoatAvenger
If this is in fact some sort of weird-ass hail-mary marketing plan, 3DRealms is going to get some serious backlash.

Oh, who the hell am I kidding? Even if it is, it doesn't mean Duke Nukem Forever is ever going to come out.
SnakeDude4Life's Avatar - Comment posted on 05/12/2009 11:05
SnakeDude4Life
Bigfoot left down, UFO top center, Glassy Knoll Guy next to the pin ball.
MrSadistic's Avatar - Comment posted on 05/12/2009 11:06
MrSadistic
I am pretty sure that someone is a super matlock and just found out about 3D Realms closing before it started spreading around and just decided to register the web site.
Nathan Summers's Avatar - Comment posted on 05/12/2009 11:07
Nathan Summers
duke nukem forever- game of the year 2009! how many days til e3? why has no one heard from broussard?
Rockvillian's Avatar - Comment posted on 05/12/2009 11:10
Rockvillian
A closure isn't decided the day OF closure, I'm sure it was in the works and then some people still had enough spirit to open the site before everything went down the tubes... for real this time... I think.

Or it's a conspiracy >.>

It is more fun that way.
Justice's Avatar - Comment posted on 05/12/2009 11:10
Justice
What Mr Sadistic said, and like SuitcoatAvenger said, if true, this would cause a large backlash, even though the game may never come out.
13thDragon's Avatar - Comment posted on 05/12/2009 11:11
13thDragon
I've been hearing about DNF for so long, I really don't think I care any more.
Chronic Logic's Avatar - Comment posted on 05/12/2009 11:13
Chronic Logic
Oh yes, play with my feelings all in some twisted scheme just so you can drum up hype. Way to go you douchebags. I might forgive you if the game does turn out really good.
Necro BABS's Avatar - Comment posted on 05/12/2009 11:22
Necro BABS
Fuck em
They deserve to fall as far possible if this is some retarded joke then it's stupid they develop a game for ten years and all they give us is a three boobed monster then let them die
John Johnson's Avatar - Comment posted on 05/12/2009 11:26
John Johnson
Was anyone really excited for Duke Nukem in the first place? If suddenly tomorrow Duke Nukem came out, does anyone really think that it would be good? Hell, I don't even know if the video game messiah, Valve, could make a good game out of this.
Faust2814's Avatar - Comment posted on 05/12/2009 11:44
Faust2814
Last time I gave a shit about this game was when they released some video back in the late 90's I think. 3DRealms was saying Megadeath did the duke theme and or was doing the music too I think. It is a little curious that the prospector seems to have been in every version of the supposed "game-play" footage I've seen as far back as then though.
Monodi's Avatar - Comment posted on 05/12/2009 11:47
Monodi
Let's face it guys, the miserable joke will end once this thing gets released
Lord Helmet's Avatar - Comment posted on 05/12/2009 11:49
Lord Helmet
This has probably never been said before, but Necro-bestial Anal Butt Sex is right. This game has been moving forward for the past decade or so on nothing more than hype.

Remember Daikatana?
Remember Prey?
Remember Too Human?

Screw Duke. The thrill is gone.
GoatRoyale's Avatar - Comment posted on 05/12/2009 11:55
GoatRoyale
I'm not sure if I really believe it's all a big conspiracy, but, from the start, I DID believe that this scenario would make for a highly visible PR stunt. I mean, really, how bad would the backlash be if this turned out to be a hoax? Sure, games media would be hella pissed (and rightfully so), but consumers? Eh, if the game launched the week of / after E3, I'm sure you'd get some decent, knee-jerk sales.

Honestly, we hear every year that DNF is "coming soon" or "out by the end of the year", so if 3D Realms really WAS in the final push before release who would believe them at this point? Or better yet, who would care? Yet, look what happens when 3D Realms dies -- tons of assets leaked and the internet starts buzzing about the game. Again, not saying I think that it IS a PR stunt, but I could totally see Broussard and Co. laughing their asses off for pulling one over on everybody and actually finally releasing the game that everyone had already decided would never come out.

... or I could just be talking out my ass
Faust2814's Avatar - Comment posted on 05/12/2009 11:59
Faust2814
I can't comment on Too Human but Prey while not one of the best games I own, definitely deserves better than to be lumped in with Daikatana of all things.
Nukkus's Avatar - Comment posted on 05/12/2009 12:02
Nukkus
actually guys, everyone was talking about the closure as early as the 6th.
CRKFIEND's Avatar - Comment posted on 05/12/2009 12:04
CRKFIEND
I hope Duke Forever will still continue on... Duke Nukem 3d was, and still is, a gaming masterpiece.
AngelsDontBurn's Avatar - Comment posted on 05/12/2009 12:22
AngelsDontBurn
The thrill is never gone. You guys are vags. Especially a lot of you noobs.
BluDesign's Avatar - Comment posted on 05/12/2009 12:27
BluDesign
I can't see why there can't be a conscious effort on the part of the remaining staff of 3D Realms to try and farm out interest in finishing the game with all this. The more that word and interest builds on the title, some developer could come in and hand 3D realms some money to finish the game. If the storyboards are recent and accurate, the game is STILL a long way from complete. There's nothing on here to explain the overly long development times, even with the engine changes they made mid-development.

I mean, from the leaked storyboards, the game is hardly revolutionary in execution. It's a FPS heavily laced with jokes that sit on the verge of being old and dated. And the main thrust of Duke being some celebrity going on a talk show also seems really restrained compared to the fucked up shit seen in Prey or Duke 3D.
silvain's Avatar - Comment posted on 05/12/2009 13:03
silvain
Yes, it is a hail mary. The big question is: why should anyone care?
It's not relevant anymore, and it hasn't been relevant for 7 years.
John Johnson's Avatar - Comment posted on 05/12/2009 13:07
John Johnson
The problem with the Duke Nukem series, as BluDesign hints at above, is that it comes from the an era where first person shooters were relatively new, and shock value and decent graphics were the most important factors in selling a title. Jump to 10 or so years later, and that won't cut the mustard anymore. We've got Crysis-like games pushing the limits on graphics (would DNF be as pretty as Crysis? Probably not). We've got games with an actual worthwhile storyline (could you work a muscle-bound misogynist into a deep and involving story line? Probably not).

Simply put, the gaming community has outgrown Duke Nukem.
MechaMonkey's Avatar - Comment posted on 05/12/2009 13:26
MechaMonkey
If this does turn out to be true and it's all just a big conspiracy, I will never consider buying this game. I likely wouldn't to begin with, but now I'll also do my best to make sure others don't purchase it as well.

Grow up and finish your damn game.
Illuminerdi's Avatar - Comment posted on 05/12/2009 13:34
Illuminerdi
While this is a somewhat stupid PR stunt if so, there is some credence to the theory.

A better question would be how they didn't see this coming, and why an official press release regarding the closure was never actually sent out. They just shut down with barely a word - no "we're sorry we blew 10 years and millions of development dollars". Kinda odd for a studio as high profile as 3DR to go so quietly into the night. Then again, that would be somewhat fitting, all things considered.
Lord Helmet's Avatar - Comment posted on 05/12/2009 13:37
Lord Helmet
@ Faust2814
I lumped Prey in that category because as decent as it was, it was nowhere close to what the hype said it would be.
randombullseye's Avatar - Comment posted on 05/12/2009 13:50
randombullseye
It is awesome promotion for Duke Nukem, pretending to shut down a whole company. What about the next Max Payne?
DeusPayne's Avatar - Comment posted on 05/12/2009 13:55
DeusPayne
What's the deal with so many people throwing the number TEN around so much? Are you really giving them a free 2 years? April 1997 was when it was first announced, let alone how long they 'hid' it before the official announcement. 2 years is nothing small, and accounts for almost 20% of their development time. Stop leaving it out.
The7thLevel's Avatar - Comment posted on 05/12/2009 14:07
The7thLevel
I think insofar as console FPS titles, DNF would stand out. Most of what passes for "humor" in modern shooters boils down to how many times Sev or Rico say f*ck in Killzone 2, or the headless cat thing from Halflife 2 screwing up the transporter.

The closest to that kind of humor in an FPS rightnow would probably be Battlefield Bad Company, and it really is just in the dialogue. An over the top, lewd, loudmouth smartass Duke would be a welcome change to the "This is the most tense and serious situation we've ever f*cking been in, F*CK! ASS!" style plots and characters we've been playing in shooter since Duke disappeared.

Seriously, the only thing that comes close in today's current titles is Matt Hazard, and he's a parody of Duke in a 3rd person shooter.

I think the genre could use some Duke style humor. I've been getting bored with the whole space marine cliche.
Ebonix's Avatar - Comment posted on 05/12/2009 14:33
Ebonix
This has got to be the worst move ever if thats what 3D Realms has done.

Head up their ass comes to mind.
Faust2814's Avatar - Comment posted on 05/12/2009 14:52
Faust2814
@Lord Helmet Well yeah on that I've got to agree with you it definitely wasn't anywhere near the hype, but it's not often that games live up to hype.
Genius's Avatar - Comment posted on 05/12/2009 15:09
Genius
Considering I know several people who just lost thier jobs at 3DR Id say this is no joke or much of a laughing matter to them.
Naim Master's Avatar - Comment posted on 05/12/2009 15:12
Naim Master
It's a joke from the Somenthing Awfull site staff !
Cyber Altair's Avatar - Comment posted on 05/12/2009 15:53
Cyber Altair
The fact they already released the plot details makes me wonder.
Dexter345's Avatar - Comment posted on 05/12/2009 17:44
Dexter345
Alternatively, somebody from the dev team might have registered the domain because he knew that the game they had been working on for years would soon be in jeopardy.
dfielder's Avatar - Comment posted on 05/12/2009 20:30
dfielder
I think it would be cool if this is a whole PR stunt, hopefully I will get to play some Duke soon because I've been craving this game for years and years.
FlakJakit's Avatar - Comment posted on 05/12/2009 21:41
FlakJakit
Guys, don't be idiots. It's not a PR stunt.

Ever hear of TIMEZONES? It was probably registered soon after the news broke, but it was close enough to say the day before in the locale where the DNS was registered.

Give it up. 3DRealms is dead and gone. Thank god.
WarZombie's Avatar - Comment posted on 05/13/2009 00:38
WarZombie
Just when you think you won't hear about it anymore, it just keeps making headlines. How 3D Realms manages to do this, I don't know, but even after you think they're dead, they keep on coming back. Seriously, they need to either release this shit or just die. I wish DNF would quit making so many headlines, not because it's annoying, but because a game that has been in development for this long doesn't deserve this much attention.
skankerzero's Avatar - Comment posted on 05/13/2009 02:15
skankerzero
but most of us in the industry knew the company was shutting down a couple days before they announced it.


That and the ex staff is really looking for jobs.
Los255's Avatar - Comment posted on 05/13/2009 02:58
Los255
Why would there be big backlash? Because they made people feel a little crazy about a game they forgot was in still in the works?

If this is a PR stunt, I think it would be the best for the whiners who still gave a shit and 3D Realms itself. Now that would take balls of steel to do.
exodus1925's Avatar - Comment posted on 05/13/2009 10:40
exodus1925
It would be a bloody good PR stunt if it is one. However, I believe that it's just an employee who found out the day before the news was released publicly and decided to set up a website. (I'd assume to save his/her job)
bermensch's Avatar - Comment posted on 05/13/2009 16:35
bermensch
It will never die! It will live on FOREVERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR
Hamster Alliance's Avatar - Comment posted on 05/13/2009 21:36
Hamster Alliance
Duke is Dead.

Join in A Dirge for Duke Nukem and let's move on.
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