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Pitchford explains the Duke shirt that predates Duke Nukem Forever
Come get some background on Randy Pitchford's back-in-fashion Duke Nukem shirt, seen above: "I moved to Texas and became a professional game maker to join Allen Blum, he created Duke Nukem 3D," the Gearbox co-founder told an audience at PAX. "He and Todd Replogle in Southern California, freaking invented this whole damned thing. And I moved out to Texas to join him and George Broussard and Scott Miller, and all the guys on the team, so that I could be part of Duke Nukem 3D. Because I wanted to add to that. I thought it was awesome; it was really fun and I wanted to be part of that team. "This t-shirt I'm wearing, George gave me this t-shirt in 1996," Pitchford continued, now speaking as part of the team that now hopes to complete Duke Nukem Forever. "And we've been waiting for this game ever since. Guys like Alan didn't want to let the Duke dream die. They've worked their butts off all this time making great stuff." [Image credit: Mikey Neumann, Gearbox creative director; via Twitter]
Duke Nukem Forever preview: Yeah, it's actually playable. No, really.
After what is arguably the longest, most troubled development in the history of video games, Duke Nukem Forever is finally, really, truly here. It's not being shown secretly, behind-closed-doors at some industry event. Instead, it's at PAX, an event that is, more than any other in this industry, consumer facing, and that tangibility is a big part of Gearbox's reveal. Wait, who? Gearbox Software, the Texas-based dev who's helping to bring 3D Realms' pre-Google (think about it!) labor of love to consoles, is behind this revival along with publisher 2K Games. "This is a game you can't make promises about," Gearbox prez Randy Pitchford told an audience of incredulous gamers this morning. "Haven't we not been teased enough? We don't want to tease. We just thought we'd bring it to PAX." And Gearbox didn't just bring a trailer – although it did bring one of those – but more importantly, there's about 15 minutes of playable game. Let that sink in for a while. While we weren't able to grab video of the trailer – you'll have to settle for my account – Pitchford did say that people could take pics. Actually, he said, "You've got cameras. You've got cellphones with cameras on them. Take all the pictures you want [...] We'll even take the pictures for you." You know, when Duke Nukem Forever was first announced, I didn't have a cellphone yet ... and the idea of a cellphone with a camera on it? Madness. %Gallery-101315%
Gearbox Software promises to finish Duke Nukem Forever, for real
The game, the myth, the curse -- Duke Nukem Forever has brought companies to their knees and dashed the hopes of a generation of gamers, but it's refused to go away for well over a decade; we just couldn't let it. Now a new company has stepped up to the challenge -- Gearbox Software (of Borderlands fame) has announced that it plans to finish the game, and that 2K Games will release it sometime next year for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC. Will it actually happen? We can't say we'd bet on it, but we want to believe. Update: If you still need a bit more convincing, there's an actual press release after the break.
Duke Nukem Forever footage: Press Right Trigger to urinate
2K Games hosted a video livestream of its booth shortly after the re-announcement (or is it un-cancellation?) of Duke Nukem Forever, showing off a few fans getting their first shot at the alien-murdering sim. You can check out a couple of over-the-shoulder gameplay clips from this stream posted just after the jump. And, yes, it is worth noting that this particular demo begins with Duke Nukem relieving himself, an action you apparently execute by pressing Right Trigger. You're going to feel tempted to press Left Trigger, but for the sweet love of God, you have to resist that urge. %Gallery-101310%
Duke Nukem Forever coming '2011' on Xbox 360, PS3 & PC, courtesy of Gearbox
It's finally, really, actually ... maybe going to happen at this point. The rumors are true: Gearbox Software and 2K Games have taken on the Herculean task of completing and releasing 3D Realms' unfinished Duke Nukem Forever. The project was officially unveiled today at PAX during a livestreamed presentation at the 2K Games booth and announced for Xbox 360, PS3 and PC. "It's coming out in 2011," Gearbox president Randy Pitchford said during the presentation. (Of course, we're skeptical about any release date associated with this particular title.) Gearbox began finishing Duke Nukem Forever in late 2009, according to The Wall Street Journal. "Clearly the game hadn't been finished at 3D Realms but a lot of content had been created," Pitchford told WSJ. "We're in the polishing phase now. This is a game where we can not make a promise we can not fulfill," Pitchford added. "We need to get past the shock and awe, and then we can go to all the retailers and first parties and work out a launch plan." Duke Nukem Forever is a sequel to Duke Nukem 3D and will feature both a single-player campaign and multiplayer. "Aliens come and say they're going to be our friends, and Duke knows this isn't going to work out," Pitchford revealed of the plot. "Duke once again is in the pivotal spot and it's up to him to save the world." [Image credit: Kurt Miller]
Duke Nukem Forever appearing at 2K's PAX booth [update: pictured!]
digg_url = 'http://www.joystiq.com/2010/09/03/duke-nukem-forever-rumored-at-pax/'; "OMG, Duke Nukem is at PAX!" At least, according to an effusive tweet from Joystiq alum Dustin Burg. In addition, a source at the convention told Joystiq that images of Duke Nukem are visible at the 2K booth, which has yet to open to the public. The Gearbox logo can be seen, but the title of whatever Duke Nukem game is being promoted is currently covered. However, we might have a clue, thanks to reports coming in from CVG's "US dev sources," who tell the site that the game is actually Duke Nukem Forever, and will be given a "grand demo" at the show. Rumors have been flying recently about Gearbox signing on to complete the game. Also flying: pigs, in an image tweeted by 3D Realms' George Broussard (who joked with 1UP in a January 2006 interview that he expected DNF to be released "when pigs fly") . 2K did say it planned "something big" at its booth, and this would certainly qualify. Update: Gearbox creative director Mikey Neumann tweeted a picture of CEO Randy Pitchford wearing a Duke t-shirt. Seems portentous! Update 2: A partial image from 2KGames' Twitter account also shows the Duke "radioactive" logo. Update 3: Well, here's the most concrete evidence you could ever ask for. Pikimal [via Shacknews] posted several images, like the photo stand seen above, of Duke Nukem Forever signs at the 2K booth.
Borderlands Game of the Year Edition announced, all four DLC packs included
Gearbox Software has just revealed the "Game of the Year Edition" of Borderlands via Twitter, announcing the re-release for Xbox 360, PS3 and PC on October 12. The package will include all four DLC add-ons, plus a foldout map of the game's territories. The GOTY Edition will be priced at $60 for Xbox 360 and PS3, and $50 for PC. Today's announcement also seems to confirm that the "Borderlands GOTY Official Strategy Guide" is real. The guide popped up last month in a GameStop listing (but has since been removed from the retailer's site).%Gallery-101162%
Borderlands DLC 'Claptrap's New Robot Revolution' due in September
The fourth piece of Borderlands DLC, "Claptrap's New Robot Revolution," will be available in September on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC for $10. You've read the "draft" info on the latest expansion, now here's the official word: the vault hunters are being sent to suppress a Claptrap uprising and will come face to face monocle with the infamous Ninja Assassin. The DLC introduces 20 new missions, Claptrap-modded beasts (crab-traps, rakk-traps and skag-trapps), more skill points, more backpack slots and, most importantly, more LOOT! 2K's announcement makes no mention of the unconfirmed Borderlands GOTY edition, which we suspect will offer the original game alongside all four expansions later this year. %Gallery-99212%
Rumor: Duke Nukem Forever being completed by Gearbox
According to unnamed sources speaking with Kotaku and "claiming to have knowledge of the situation," development on Duke Nukem Forever is continuing -- until completion -- with Borderlands developer Gearbox Software. Stranger still, the sources also claim that a "playable demo" will be distributed at some point "later this year." While Take-Two confirmed that it retains the rights to DNF, it didn't offer any comment on the matter. Gearbox head Randy Pitchford couldn't say anything either, but did note that he might be able to "better clarify the situation" at this year's PAX Prime. Duke Nukem creator George Broussard declined to comment as well. Although this is most certainly a "rumor" for now, we'd still like to wish Gearbox the best of luck over the next 15 years.
Pitchford: Leaked Borderlands DLC details like 'reading a draft of a script'
Gearbox Software President Randy Pitchford isn't denying leaked details about the company's upcoming Borderlands DLC, but he has said that the notes don't give the full picture. Speaking to IGN, Pitchford explains that the details are like "reading a draft of a script for a movie that hasn't even been announced yet." He expressed that people might learn something by reading it, but "it's not the real thing and it could just drive you crazy thinking about it." Officially, a representative for publisher 2K Games says it plans to make an announcement about upcoming Borderlands content "in the very near future." Gearbox tells us it has no comment on the situation as it is "still getting some things sorted out." Hopefully, those announcements will include all the DLC expansions ("The Secret Armory of General Knoxx," "Mad Moxxi's Underdome Riot" and "The Zombie Island of Dr. Ned.") being put in one "Game of the Year" edition. [Thanks, Conor]
Hey, check out this Claptrap toy, everybody -- it's dancing, it's dancing
Everyone's favorite character from Borderlands is getting a toy, courtesy of NECA. No, we're not talking about a Scooter action figure (though that sounds like an excellent idea), we're talking about bounty board attendant supreme, CL4P-TP -- Claptrap, for short. NECA was on-hand at Comic-Con this past weekend, showing off the prototype above. The final version, which will be able to recite lines from the game, is slated for release this October. Frankly, we can't wait to get our own, mostly because we've always wondered what kind of loot our house has been hiding.
Borderlands GOTY edition teased by GameStop strategy guide listing
GameStop's "Borderlands GOTY Official Strategy Guide" listing would appear to be the unofficial harbinger of a "Game of the Year" edition for Gearbox's loot-whoring shooter, Borderlands. The book currently has a September 9, 2010, release date and we'd expect it to cover the DLC expansions "The Secret Armory of General Knoxx," "Mad Moxxi's Underdome Riot" and "The Zombie Island of Dr. Ned." Take-Two CEO Ben Feder stated earlier this year the publisher would "continue to support" the successful title with more DLC. We've contacted Gearbox and 2K Games for more information and will update if they send us a claptrap with more details. [Thanks, Eric K] %Gallery-51471%
Amazon offering Borderlands for $40, The Saboteur for $20
If you've got a handful of twenties just lying around, then first, congratulations for staying so moneyed during trying financial times. Second, Amazon's got a couple new deals you should look at -- the online retailer recently knocked the price of Borderlands down to $39.99, further reducing the game's gun-to-dollar ratio to a staggering 1 to $0.0002. If you're on a somewhat tighter budget, you can grab Pandemic's open-world swan song The Saboteur for just $19.99. Sure, it didn't receive as much critical acclaim as Borderlands, but if you pronounce its title with a hard "a," it turns into The Sabo-Tour, a sports simulator following the life of bespectacled Cincinnati Reds legend Chris Sabo. That's well worth the $20, in our humble opinion.
Xbox Live April schedule: Final Fight, Mega Man 10 DLC
Microsoft has unfurled some of its plans for Xbox Live downloadable content for April, including new additions to Games on Demand and Deals of the Week, as well as the April 14th release of Final Fight: Double Impact. On top of that, look for a half-priced The Maw on the week of April 12 and two add-ons for Mega Man 10 this week: Bass and Special Stage 1. Head past the break for the full list. %Gallery-79231%
Video: Borderlands' ClapTrap at the AIAS Awards
One could argue that ClapTrap is the most charismatic entity in Borderlands ... and that person would be correct. The penchant for dancing and demeanor of the robotic denizens of Pandora are a highlight of the title, without a doubt. And like all talent, ClapTrap can get a bit temperamental -- especially when said talent didn't win in its respective category of the Interactive Achievement Awards. The Outstanding Achievement in Character Performance ended up going to Mark Hamill for his portrayal of The Joker in Batman: Arkham Aslyum, and ClapTrap has been simmering for the past month. If you ever doubted a robot's capacity to feel, you need only watch the video above.
Borderlands 'Double Game Add-on Pack' arrives April 6 in NA, April 9 'internationally;' not coming to PS3
"A two pack?" you ask, confused by today's announcement of the Borderlands DLC retail package. "But doesn't that game have three DLC packs? And aren't there more coming?" Yeah, sure, and you might even have a point! But for now, 2K Games chose to announce the release of The Zombie Island of Dr. Ned and Mad Moxxi's Underdome Riot, together on disc, for $19.99 (starting on April 6 in North America and April 9 everywhere else). More confusing? Apparently the retail pack won't arrive on PS3, though both pieces of content are already available digitally (for the same price, no less) on the PlayStation Network. Yep, we're not really sure what to say either, but we've asked Gearbox and 2K Games for a reason why the pack isn't heading to the PS3 (or if it ever will, for that matter), and if this also be the case with future DLC releases at retail. We'll let you know what we hear back as soon as we can. %Gallery-80032%%Gallery-75689%
SXSW: Creating 87 bazillion guns for Borderlands
Fact: there are 16,164,886 guns in Borderlands according to Gearbox Software developers Matthew Armstrong and Jimmy Sieben. That's a lot of guns. Remember that scene in The Matrix where Neo says "Guns. Lots and lots of guns."? It's a lot more than that. That's also the number of guns before the DLC, which has inflated it even further. So how do you have someone design each one of those firearms and build out the specs? Even if you only paid 25 cents per gun, that would still chew into your development budget to the tune of over four million dollars. So what do you do, hotshot? Easy! You make a system that does it all for you. In an SXSW panel, Sieben and Armstrong spoke about the systemic development tool named Gearbuilder that they developed, going into detail about how they created the system to handle the creation of that many customized guns. It generates the guns based on one of 12 different manufacturers, giving each one a different grip, body, cylinder, barrel and accessories. Based on those, that same system determines how much damage the gun will deal. But what's surprising is, as impressive a figure as 16 million is, it's still only one gun. Shoot on through the break for more.
Borderlands getting more DLC
Hidden in a dark, damp crevice of the Take-Two mega-mountain of news today was a brief, albeit interesting, comment from Ben Feder, president and CEO. After referencing the success of Gearbox's Borderlands, Feder stated that Take-Two "will continue to support the title with add-on content." So, if you've finished The Secret Armory of General Knoxx, Mad Moxxi's Underdome Riot and The Zombie Island of Dr. Ned, expect more soon. But, where will our intrepid foursome go next?
Snap Judgment: The Secret Armory of General Knoxx
When we review a game without finishing it, we call it a Snap Judgment. Read why here. Time played: 4 hours I was in for a surprise as I set out for The Secret Armory of General Knoxx with a level 50 character, because as beefy as I thought my Siren was, she couldn't stand up to what was waiting for me at T-Bone Junction and beyond. Basically, I died. All of the time. I went from having around four million dollars in my bank account down to under a million before I even gained my first level in the DLC -- the hefty cost of respawning in the wilds of Pandora. And that's what made this whole thing so odd. The expansion -- which is intended to give you some more mileage out of your maxed-out characters by raising the level cap to 61 -- continues from the end of the Borderlands story, so playing it before finishing the game proper is not advised. I finished my second playthrough with a level 50 character, so to start this add-on and run into such a wall, such constantly merciless opposition, was pretty perplexing. %Gallery-84191%
Borderlands kicks it up a Knoxx with third content pack's launch trailer
Alongside today's release of The Secret Armory of General Knoxx DLC for Borderlands (on the Xbox 360, at least -- it's this Thursday for PC and PlayStation 3), Gearbox Software has unveiled a new trailer touting the many new features of its third content pack. As you can likely guess, a multitude of guns, creatures, dudes, and the destruction thereof, makes up the majority of what you see above -- there's also some pulse-pounding music to go right alongside that, if you're so inclined. With a raised level cap and a lack of arena-based combat (at least as far as we know), General Knoxx could very well be the most enticing content add-on to date for Borderlands. And that's exactly why we're standing near a couch when reviewing it, hoping to be knoxx'd off our feet. (Sorry, there was no getting around that one.) We'll let you know in a few. %Gallery-84191%
