Developer never expected cash bonus for releasing game before the end of 2006

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Duke Nukem Forever has been in development at 3D Realms for quite some time, and a possible release of the finished product doesn't appear any closer in the horizon. Analysis of a recent earnings statement from Take-Two Interactive suggested the publisher would offer 3D Realms an incentive to release the game before December 31st 2006, in the form of a $500,000US completion bonus.

However, 3D Realms President George Broussard denies any knowledge of such a bonus, and there are currently no plans to ship the game before the end of this year, even if the bonus was real:

"As for the 500k completion bonus, I don't even know were that came from," said the outspoken executive. "I do know that we never cared or asked for it, and I think it was just tossed in as part of some other agreement. We're certainly not motivated by that amount of money, after all this time, and getting the game right is what matters. I would never ship a game early (even a couple of months), for 500k."

"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)."