There were many who believed the world would end before Duke Nukem Forever was finally released. The fact that it did not end last weekend and DNF has finally gone gold are indications that balance may have finally been restored to the universe.
It took 15 years, several company changes, numerous development delays, and finally a new publisher to bring Duke Nukem Forever to this point. It has been the butt of jokes for most of my adult life, being someone who remembers playing the original Duke Nukem games and Duke Nukem 3D (1996) as a teenager. DNF came to stand for “Did Not Finish”.
Now, 2K Games has announced that Duke Nukem Forever has gone gold, meaning that the development process is finished, and the game is now being prepared for shipment. When it hits stores, Duke Nukem will be even more of a grownup game than its predecessor, carrying an M rating for “mature” in the U.S.
DNF is a first-person shooter and will feature both single-player and multiplayer components. The original version featured Duke Nukem as a muscular alpha male with spiked hair who uses a variety of small and large weapons to kill aliens who were attempting to take over the world. It also included strippers and other barely-dressed women throughout the game. This new version promises to deliver more of the same.
Duke Nukem Forever is scheduled to hit stores June 10, 2011 in Europe, Japan and Australia, and June 14 in North America. It will be available for Microsoft Windows, Xbox 360, and PlayStation 3, but like the foretold end of the world, many will not be holding their breath.