Gearbox Sues To Stop New Duke Nukem Game

We reported earlier this month about a new Duke Nukem title, to be named Duke Nukem: Mass Destruction, coming from Interceptor and 3DRealms. However, the IP owner Gearbox Software had another idea.

In documents released recently, Gearbox has sued Interceptor and 3DRealms after finding out that the former is creating a new Duke Nukem game on behalf of the latter, despite all copyrights being bought by Gearbox in 2010.  This has resulted in the teaser website, that was counting down to the 25th of February, now showing an Emergency Broadcast System message and the media file now playing an alien attack on a room of humans. Of course, the countdown is gone.

The seven-page document leaves no doubt that continuing with the title would breach the terms of the Duke Nukem IP contract, in which 3DRealms signed over everything but "already in-progress" games. As Mass Destruction production began late 2013, it is a clear three years out of contract.  3DRealms have replied, agreeing that they were in breach of contract.