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3D Realms Drops Royalty Suit Against Gearbox
In June, Duke Nukem creator 3D Realms filed suit against Gearbox Software for unpaid royalties related to Duke Nukem Forever. The $2 million case has been withdrawn today, and a statement has been issued by 3D Realms.
"After reviewing evidence regarding our business affairs, and without any money exchanging hands, we have satisfactorily resolved any and all differences that we perceived against Gearbox," writes CEO and founder of 3D Realms Scott Miller.
"In all sincerity, we regret the misunderstanding that instigated our lawsuit. Now that we better understand--and appreciate--the actual nature of our business matters, we have voluntarily withdrawn our claims against Gearbox, with genuine apologies to Randy [Pitchford] for any damage that our lawsuit may have caused to the relationship."
Duke Nukem Forever was a 12-year endeavor that passed through the hands of many different developers. The final product was not terribly well received by critics, earning an average 51 Metacritic score across platforms. Our review pegged the game at a slightly more generous 6.75.
For more on the suit, check out the original filing via Duke4.net.
Our Take
Because the suit was focused on an audit of royalties and sales, the only indication we have about who was in the right is the withdrawal of the suit. The statement from 3D Realms is necessarily contrite, as the allegations brought to bear against Gearbox had the potential to damage the developer's reputation. We don't often see settlements that come to a close without cash changing hands, but it's better for everyone involved that Duke Nukem Forever is put to bed for good.
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