quake/articles/1997/art-1360
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From: joe.siegler@apogee1.com (Joe Siegler)
Newsgroups: rec.games.computer.quake.announce
Subject: 3D Realms Licenses Quake II Engine for Duke Nukem Forever
Date: 30 Apr 1997 14:13:06 +0100
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Reply-To: joe.siegler@apogee1.com (Joe Siegler)
On Monday, April 28th, 1997, GT Interactive & 3D Realms both released
press releases regarding the next all new Duke Nukem game, entitled Duke
Nukem Forever. The first, from GT Interactive details the licensing of
the Quake II engine from id Software for use in the game, as well as
some other issues regarding Duke Nukem. The second, from 3D Realms,
details our reasons behind licensing the Quake II engine instead of
using our own Prey engine. You can read the press releases here:
Press Release #1
----------------
GT INTERACTIVE SECURES EXCLUSIVE GLOBAL RIGHTS TO 3D REALMS' `DUKE NUKEM
3D' SEQUELS
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Garland, TX - April 28, 1997
3D Realms Licenses id Software's 'Quake II' Engine for `Duke Nukem
Forever'
GARLAND, TX -- In an unprecedented convergence of industry titans, GT
Interactive Software Corp. (NASDAQ: GTIS), 3D Realms, a division of
Apogee, and id Software are teaming up on Duke Nukem Forever, the sequel
to the best-selling PC game Duke Nukem 3D. Under the agreement, GT
Interactive obtains all interactive publishing rights for personal
computer and video game systems to 3D Realms' Duke Nukem Forever, which
will utilize id Software's proprietary cutting-edge Quake II game
engine. In addition, GT Interactive obtains merchandising rights for all
derivative works, including films, home video and books for Duke Nukem
Forever, as well as rights on a future title, tentatively called Duke
Nukem 5.
"`Duke Nukem 3D' has become a premier interactive entertainment
franchise and shows no signs of slowing as the title continues to
sell-through at retail," said Ron Chaimowitz, president and chief
executive officer of GT Interactive. "Obtaining the sequel rights allows
us to expand the amazing growth and popularity of this dynamic property
via integrated marketing campaigns and multi-platform versions." Duke
Nukem 3D has captivated gaming enthusiasts by combining strong character
development, gripping graphics and irreverent humor with an advanced 3D
gaming engine. The resulting game play experience "raised the bar" for
first-person action games prompting such leading industry publications
as Boot and Wired magazines to respectively call Duke Nukem 3D the
"absolutely best first-person action game of the year, bar none" and
"the undisputed king."
"Teaming Duke Nukem, perhaps the most recognizable character in the PC
industry, with the Quake II engine, the most advanced currently
available 3D engine, is an amazing quadruple-win situation: for 3D
Realms, id Software, GT Interactive, and especially players and fans of
both Duke Nukem, Quake and high-action 3D gaming in general. What more
can players ask for than combining the technology of Quake with the
attitude and interactive gameplay of Duke Nukem!" said George Broussard,
head of 3D Realms. In a recent article on the success of Duke Nukem 3D,
The Wall Street Journal wrote, "Action-game hero Duke Nukem gives
players something they can't get elsewhere: a hero with attitude." The
article also quoted industry publication GamePro who said, "This is the
first game where personality has taken hold and become something unto
itself." Duke Nukem Forever will further emphasize Duke Nukem as a
strong action-game character who has already endeared himself to gamers
worldwide.
Acclaimed for its technological 3D brilliance, id Software's Quake
joined Duke Nukem 3D at the top of the charts. id's Quake II engine has
enhanced capabilities over its predecessor, the end result of which will
allow gamers to fully immerse themselves in a 3D environment like never
before. "id Software has long been known as a innovator in 3D gaming and
we are excited to be teaming with 3D Realms, a leader in their own right
and Texas neighbor," said Todd Hollenshead, chief executive officer of
id Software.
Offering multi-player competition via networks and the Internet, Duke
Nukem 3D has consistently performed in the top 10 PC charts and later
this year, GT Interactive is releasing the original Duke Nukem 3D for
play on the Nintendo N64 and Sony PlayStation console systems. 3D Realms
Entertainment, a division of the long-standing Apogee Software, Ltd.,
founded in 1987 and headquartered in Garland, TX, is 100 percent focused
on creating highly innovative real-time 3D action games and nothing
else. Apogee is the pioneer of multi-episode shareware marketing for
games and has won numerous industry marketing and game awards. Previous
hit releases include Raptor, Rise of the Triad, Wolfenstein 3D, Terminal
Velocity and Death Rally. On the web, visit www.3drealms.com for more
information.
id Software, founded in 1991, is a development company located in
Mesquite, Texas. id's team of talented developers continue to make
gaming history by creating and publishing one sensational game after
another. Wolfenstein 3D, DOOM, DOOM II, Heretic, HEXEN and QUAKE have
created a frenzied demand worldwide and have managed to consistently
break shareware and retail sales records at home and broad. id Software,
founded in 1991, is a development company located in Mesquite, Texas.
id's team of talented developers continue to make gaming history by
creating and publishing one sensational game after another. Wolfenstein
3D, DOOM, DOOM II, Heretic, HEXEN and QUAKE have created a frenzied
demand worldwide and have managed to consistently break shareware and
retail sales records at home and broad. Headquartered in NY, GT
Interactive Software Corp. is a leading global publisher of
entertainment and edutainment software under the GT Interactive,
Humongous Entertainment and Cavedog Entertainment brands for personal
computers as well as video game systems from Sony, Nintendo and Sega;
and Macintosh software under the MacSoft brand. Among GT Interactive's
best-sellers are Duke Nukem 3D and QUAKE. The company is also a leader
in value-priced software. Located at http://www.gtinteractive.com on the
World Wide Web, GT Interactive is publicly traded on the NASDAQ National
Market System under the symbol GTIS.
For more information contact either:
Scott Miller: scottm@3drealms.com
George Broussard: georgeb@3drealms.com
[ END ]
PRESS RELEASE #2:
-----------------
DUKE DOES QUAKE -- THE BIG QUESTION ANSWERED: WHY?
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Garland, TX - April 28, 1997
Here's why we didn't use our more advanced Prey engine to make Duke
Nukem Forever...
Garland, TX -- The big announcement leaked Friday night, scooped by
Jason Bates of PC Gamer Online, and immediately caused a shockwave
through Internet gaming newsgroups and IRC channels for Duke Nukem and
Quake. Today, GT Interactive made public this big news: Duke Nukem
Forever, the next all-new game starring icy confident, attitude busting,
Duke Nukem, will be created using id Software's leading-edge Quake
technology and tools.
3D Realms, at the same time, is developing Prey, a next-generation 3D
game using technology that skips over the technology seen in today's
current and soon-to-come 3D games.
This leads to the question being asked most about the Duke meets Quake
connection: Why is 3D Realms using the Quake technology rather than
using their own Prey technology?
Head of 3D Realms, George Broussard, responds: "It's a very good
question, but we have a very good answer. Our Prey technology is
predicated on 3D hardware, such as the 3DFX card and the Rendition card.
Prey will not work without the current best 3D cards on the market. When
Prey is released late in 1998 only then do we believe there will be
enough of an installed base to support sales of a high-end 3D hardware
game."
"Obviously, we considered developing Duke Nukem Forever with the Prey
engine," said Broussard, "but that would have put us in the position of
releasing both Prey and Duke at nearly the same time, and we didn't want
both games competing so close together and taking attention away from
each other. Both games would have been hurt under that scenario."
Scott Miller, head of Apogee, adds, "We want to give Prey as much space
as possible, so this meant getting Duke Forever done early in 1998, and
to do this we need a ready-to-go, track proven engine. I called Todd
Hollenshead, CEO of id Software, and got the ball rolling."
"We've actually been working on the game since January," said Miller,
"prototyping new effects, adding game features, models, weapons, etc.
We'll be showing Duke Forever in a back room at E3, at the GT
Interactive booth, which will be the press' first glimpse of the game.
Our goal is to release Duke Nukem Forever no later than mid-1998 and
Prey late that year, making 1998 a big year for us."
Broussard continues, "Duke Nukem Forever will have all of the
functionality of Quake and bring in the new Quake II functions, too,
including support for 3D hardware, colored lights, Internet multiplayer
capability (including a QuakeWorld similar setup) and other cool things
too soon to mention. The Quake engine is a joy to work with and players
have yet to see its full potential, which we plan to exploit. As Duke
would say: 'This is gonna rock!'."
For more information contact
Scott Miller: scottm@3drealms.com
George Broussard at georgeb@3drealms.com
[END]