Gearbox buys Nukem IP in bid for series revival

Borderlands developer Gearbox Software stepped in to buy the Deuk Nukem IP after 3DRealms went bust.

And the Texan studio announced on Friday evening that it will be releasing a final and finished version of Duke Nukem Forever in 2011 – brining to an end the most famously protracted game project in living memory.

Gearbox says it has “acquired the full intellectual property rights of the Duke Nukem brand including Duke Nukem Forever and all future projects in a cooperative deal with 3DRealms”.

3D Realms, the former developer of the Duke Nukem games, was forced to close its studio last year.

Gearbox CEO Randy Pitchford said his company was “ecstatic” to have sealed the deal.

”Fifteen years ago, Duke Nukem 3D helped launch my professional videogame development career,” said Gearbox CEO Randy Pitchford.

“The Gearbox Software team and I are ecstatic that we have grown to a position to be able to pick up and carry the torch and help Duke rise back to glory in his time of need.”