Take Two Sues 3D Realms

[Duke's New Chainsaw]

Originally Posted by Ramen4ever

They kept the game to themselves!!!

*grumble grumble grumble*

*GASP*

What bastards!

[Mr.Deviance]

Originally Posted by Airtraffic

Pretty sure Take 2 will claim it's a scam by 3DR to get out of their agreement and no judge will rule "just pay pack the original $12m"

This whole ordeal is about greed on both sides, since consoles came out gaming is 50 times more lucrative than when TT bought the rights.

You mean 50 times more retarded and more shovelware oriented!

[Revenant]

My thoughts on this?

Take 2 and 3DR haven't been the best of friends for some time, at least from the few comments made by 3DR towards them it seems that way. So the question is, how do you shake off a Publisher you don't want/need? Close shop.

I could see the staff of 3DR migrating to the new Apogee, which is operated separately from Take 2 as it's own publisher. Here's a snip-it from their own site:

Apogee Software, LLC, is a privately held Texas limited liability company, with a core team of industry experts in game development, publishing, and distribution.

In my opinion, if this was a way to "cut the fat" from Duke Nukem Forever, than bravo George. Nothing better than having your cake (Duke Nukem Forever release) and eating it too (being your own private development AND publishing company).

[Blue Lightning]

2008: George knows he's in trouble. So he up's his WoW hours to 10 a day.

December: He drives to California and shows Take Two some DNF. Take Two is not impressed with the three screenshots. He asks for 5 million to finish. On his way out the door, Take Two executives can be heard asking him if "he is going to tell them to STFU?"

May 2009: Take Two levys a lawsuit against him, in an effort to grab the Duke IP. Take Two has a plethra of attorneys and a lot of money. However George has all of those hours of WoW. He shrewdly challenges Take Two to a WoW tourny game, winner takes all. Take Two dumbly agrees.

Winner: George.

[maxius4]

just some digging i did theres more bt this will hopefully clarify things

2003
http://www.shacknews.com/laryn.x?id=7653477

"By: Cygnus X-1 x
Isnt 3dr financing Duke THEMSELVES? WTF does their publisher have to do but wait for for it to be done?
May 29, 2003 3:08pm CST

By: GeorgeB3DR
Exactly. Take Two needs to STFU imo."

2003
http://www.shacknews.com/laryn.x?id=6846402

"By: Scott3DR x
The write-off has to do with the fee that Take2 paid to Infogrames to buy the rights to DNF. 3DR got no part of this money -- a total of $12 million.

The reason Take2 did this is that it's a smart revenue management move: Take a markdown now while Vice City is super successful and overall revenues are sky high, then when DNF comes out it's 100% pure profit (because they took the write-down well before the game came out).

2006
http://www.gamespot.com/pc/action/du...ml?sid=6152687

"Broussard went on to outline the current status of Duke Nukem Forever. "Our deal is simple," he said. "We're making the game. It'll be done when it's done. We've funded 99.999% of the game (aside from a very, very small advance from GT Interactive, years ago, before Take 2 bought the game from them). It's our risk, our necks and our gamble. Under the deal we should be earning royalties from about unit 30,000 or so (that's a real small number)."

2007
http://www.yougamers.com/articles/18...be_king-page4/

"Given the publishing experience of 3DRealms and their willingness to tackle difference platforms, it made sense to enquire as to what lies ahead for DNF too. For example, are Take 2 Interactive Software still publishing Duke Nukem Forever? Given the amount of experience 3D Realms has in the production area, it might make more sense for 3DRealms to do this themselves:

Scott: Possibly, but Take2 has inherited the agreement we originally signed with GT Interactive back in the 90’s. This agreement does allow us to direct sale the game, such as through an online digital service, and we plan to take full advantage of this."
----------------------------------

from my perspective t2 has no legal leg to stand on they never gave one penny to 3dr. now w/e gti gave 3dr back in the day does not give them any right to source code or the 12 mil they paid for the publishing rights from infogames.

if i am reading everything correctly t2 is trying to steal the duke nukem IP and the source code to 12 years of work they never gave a dime for so i feel they can go **** themselves.

just a little hope in the court doc's anyone notice they are to appear on the last day of e3 <3

[Blue Lightning]

Wow maxius4, great post! Scott speaks! I never saw that before.

[maxius4]

Originally Posted by Blue Lightning

Wow maxius4, great post! Scott speaks! I never saw that before.

yeah all i can say is god bless google and sites never deleting old news!

[Steve]

Oh wow, nice find!

[maxius4]

i call for stickies!

[Blue Lightning]

I was supportive of Take Two for a while today..but now I'm not so sure. The 12 million never went to 3D Realms. Unless 3D Realms promised in a contract that the game would be done by X date, I dont see how Take Two wins this.

Damn it, why cant George just say to them "I need the money to finish it and Ill sign a contract with a release date that I must honor". That would solve this whole mess.

[Ramen4ever]

Very interesting indeed.

[Firstperson]

Originally Posted by Blue Lightning

Wow maxius4, great post! Scott speaks! I never saw that before.

NOW.... what about George? Did Scott tell him to STFU?

[3rdmillhouse]

Originally Posted by Blue Lightning

I was supportive of Take Two for a while today..but now I'm not so sure. The 12 million never went to 3D Realms. Unless 3D Realms promised in a contract that the game would be done by X date, I dont see how Take Two wins this.

Damn it, why cant George just say to them "I need the money to finish it and Ill sign a contract with a release date that I must honor". That would solve this whole mess.

The worst of it it's the shroud of secrecy that surrounds 3dRealms imploding and laying off their crew, it's like 3dRealms is George's private club and he owes us no satisfaction whatsoever. Which is quite wrong, after all, I take it that most of us will buy DNF once it comes (I have no doubt it will come out, eventually). At least Scott Miller tolds us, mere mortals, something.

[Blue Lightning]

Scott:

Possibly, but Take2 has inherited the agreement we originally signed with GT Interactive back in the 90’s. This agreement does allow us to direct sale the game, such as through an online digital service, and we plan to take full advantage of this."

Smell Steam anyone?

Can George sign a deal with Steam (Valve) for digital distrubution, and get funds from them?

[maxius4]

Originally Posted by Blue Lightning

Scott:

Smell Steam anyone?

Can George sign a deal with Steam (Valve) for digital distrubution, and get funds from them?

unless the so called 07 agreement closed that loophole but till i see the 07 agreement i call bullshens

[Steve]

Oh snap, no digital distrubution? That sucks. I was going to get it on Steam and retail

... but it's never coming out now so whatever

[3rdmillhouse]

Originally Posted by Blue Lightning

Scott:

Smell Steam anyone?

Can George sign a deal with Steam (Valve) for digital distrubution, and get funds from them?

Get funds? Don't think so, Steam is Valve, and Gabe Newell has already said that 3dRealms never aproached them asking for greenies. But publishing DNF through Steam is something I've always taken for granted. Seeing now that many good games are being distributed through that service, it's only natural that 3dRealms chooses Steam for distributing DNF.

[maxius4]

Originally Posted by Steve

Oh snap, no digital distrubution? That sucks. I was going to get it on Steam and retail

... but it's never coming out now so whatever

well i figure that unless their was an agreement that filled that hole but i doubt it since the before mentioned agreement has not seen the light of day and always bet on duke :P

[Blue Lightning]

Here's a thought...

If Steam/Valve could get a DD deal from George for DNF and then fund George to finish the game, how would that effect Take Two's relationship with Valve? 2k (who is owned by Take Two) had a DD deal with Steam/Valve right now. It might appear that Valve would be doing Take Two a favor by taking the risk to give funds to George, but mabey not in the eyes of Take Two, if Take Two's real goal is just to grab the Duke IP.

Man, this is gettin' confusing

[Steve]

Originally Posted by Blue Lightning

Man, this is gettin' confusing

You're telling me!

[wayskobfssae]

Originally Posted by TechAnalyst

Unethical? Its corporate america my friend

Doesn't make it ethical. The whole system should be scrapped/outlawed.

[Ramen4ever]

Official news like BBC?

Publisher Take-Two says it will no longer fund development of the game but retains rights to the title.

[3rdmillhouse]

Originally Posted by Mr.Deviance

Some people are born inferior don't sweat it
Some people say it has to do allot with your race, I say it has to do allot with everybody's ability to understand things.

Seriously now, why the hell are you guys trying to decipher shit that is going to get deciphered in official news, very soon?

What do you suppose we do? Speculating is fun.

[v.o]

1. What all about that ,agreement, talk, companys brake,Change,buy,sell Agreements all the time, its not somethink statik.

2. I dont think 3DR is playing some sort of Strategy Game, They cant pretend to fire ppl, the Court will check every think. If they claim they Closed and fired all ppl, they they did.

3. I dont think they fire ppl today , and then after (if) they won, they get them back..just doesn work, becouse they allready have other Jobs, they cant work as Freelancers, whaiting to get back to 3DR, Once they fired them.

4. Becouse they Fired them (if), they need new ppl, they have to learn how to use the Engine, so it will take years, so they can basically start from the Scrath, The best Exemple is Stalker. They had nearly the same Dev. Time like DNF has. And the Engine is totaly OutDated, they did Patch it to DX10/DX10.1 but it looks stil like Crap,
Not that it does count to me, i Dont care about Grafiks, but the Causal Gamers do...

I Sadly Belive that DNF is Dead.

[wayskobfssae]

Originally Posted by Alhexx

Well, shacknews seems to be convinced that this actually is Scott Miller.

Ok good. I'll take it now that they've confirmed it, but I wasn't going to assume it was him by a username anymore than I'd assume that Joetrillionaire was 3DR's Joe coming in with a ton of cash to bailout the DN4E team.

[v.o]

meh, he said somethink about planes, and linked to a Youtube Video, big ******* Deal
Wtf is wrong with you Guise ? a flippin Youtube video and you start puke out words like KKK and what not. Kinda messed up...

[Ramen4ever]

Huge ass font.. my eyes.

Originally Posted by v.o

meh, he said somethink about planes, and linked to a Youtube Video, big ******* Deal
Wtf is wrong with you Guise ? a flippin Youtube video and you start puke out words like KKK and what not. Kinda messed up...

You seem to be thinking there are multiple individuals responsible. Where as it's just Mr.Deviance.

[v.o]

ppl. knock it off allrdy

no news, no leaks, no statement...nice

[Derfernet]

I'm lost. What the hell is going on? Is this some sort of performance art? What is happening here!?

[Blue Lightning]

Man, we got to get some word from George or Scott. Their silence is deafining...

[wayskobfssae]

Originally Posted by Derfernet

I'm lost. What the hell is going on? Is this some sort of performance art? What is happening here!?

I wish it were. It'd have a better script.

[Mr.Deviance]

Originally Posted by Derfernet

I'm lost. What the hell is going on? Is this some sort of performance art? What is happening here!?

Yeah this is all part of the intro where Duke Nukem Forever will be announced today by George in this very topic.
The previous posts can be considered as being the festivities before the big announcement.

[FPS SpitFire]

Originally Posted by Derfernet

I'm lost. What the hell is going on? Is this some sort of performance art? What is happening here!?

All I know is that Nacho or Joe is going to go ballistic when they see this.

[Blue Lightning]

Yeah stop the flame war already. Instead let us return to the mega drama soap oprea that is Take Two vs. George.

Originally Posted by Heil Duke

Man I just wanted to send a message to 3dr (that we in saudi arabia TOO Love Duke)

Welcome to the forums.

[v.o]

all his : [email protected] fault

[Mr.Deviance]

Originally Posted by Blue Lightning

Yeah stop the flame war already. Instead let us return to the mega drama soap oprea that is Take Two vs. George.

On a more serious note. The fact that it has gone to this is imo, proof that the subject is no longer that interesting anymore.
If it would have been interesting it would have had much more mature people around debating in a much more mature manner than is being done now.
This is a forced subject that everybody knows about and doesn't have anything new to bring to the table.
When a subject gets boring shit like this starts to appear on topics.

[FPS SpitFire]

Originally Posted by Superczar

LOL, it's ok, they know how we feel...

Indeed they do. They usually watch the forums and see what we have to say. One of the reasons I like 3DR.

[Blue Lightning]

Originally Posted by Mr.Deviance

On a more serious note. The fact that it has gone to this is imo, proof that the subject is no longer that interesting anymore.
If it would have been interesting it would have had much more mature people around debating in a much more mature manner than is being done now.
This is a forced subject that everybody knows about and doesn't have anything new to bring to the table.
When a subject gets boring shit like this starts to appear on topics.

I think if you dont like the thread, your always welcome to leave it (man, I wish I had a ban stick).

[Heil Duke]

Originally Posted by Blue Lightning

Yeah stop the flame war already. Instead let us return to the mega drama soap oprea that is Take Two vs. George.



Welcome to the forums.

I am here since the begging of this website

[Derfernet]

Originally Posted by naddie

Alright, calm down now. Can we control ourselves without any moderators?

We're all gonna go nuts!

Stop talking! I have the conch!
I say we paint ourselves and sacrifice things to the beast!