Gearbox Sued By 3D Realms

[Gahars]

After the release of Aliens: Colonial Marines, Gearbox has been mired in controversy. From complaints about the game's hideously poor quality to accusations of false advertising to allegations that the developer misused funds for the game, it's been a pretty messy affair.

Well, it's getting even messier - 3D Realms is joining the fray.

Duke Nukem Forever may have been one of the most embarrassing videogame bombs of all time, but a deal's a deal and 3D Realms says Gearbox isn't living up to its end of the agreement that gave it the rights to the property back in 2010. According to a lawsuit filed earlier this week, Gearbox agreed to pay off a $2.9 million loan that 3D Realms owed to another software company and to pay it a percentage of royalties earned on future Duke Nukem releases; it also agreed not to deduct any of the debt it assumed from the royalties paid. Yet 3D Realms says that's exactly what Gearbox has done.

"Despite the assurance it provided to 3D Realms, Gearbox now claims that it is entitled to first deduct the full amount of the debt it assumed (i.e. the entire $2.9 million Duke loan) before any royalty payments become due to 3D Realms," the complaint says. "Thus, Gearbox is turning the tables."

3D Realms claims it's owed more than $2 million on the game, but Gearbox said in response that the company has already "received the full benefit of its bargain," and also slipped in a shot or two at 3D Realms' inability to complete the game itself.

"Gearbox, in fulfillment of its commitments, enriched 3D Realms, saved 3DR from its debts and rescued 3DR from its failed dozen-plus year attempt to ship Duke Nukem Forever," the studio told Law360. "Everyone wished that 3DR's game was better received by the market for the benefit of gamers and profit to its creators. While 3DR might not wish the reality that the results make clear, 3DR turned out to be the only beneficiary of the deal. Gearbox Software, meanwhile, experienced damage to its credibility and loss of its money."

The Escapist

I guess the consequences of Gearbox's acquisition of the Duke Nukem brand will be felt... for an indefinite period of time, up to and including eternity. Is there another word for all that?

It's another ugly mess for a studio that's been mired in ugly messes for quite some time. It seems Gearbox's year just got that much worse.

Honestly, it's about time the company picks up a new motto. Gearbox Software: The ride never ends!

 

[Xuphor]

I KNOW this has been posted before, it's fairly old news, but everytime I try to use Search to find it, it says "The search could not be completed. Please try again later."

Someone help me out here?

 

[Gahars]

I KNOW this has been posted before, it's fairly old news

This is pretty recent as far as I can tell, so I doubt this specific news was posted for.

Now, Sega was sued for falsely advertising Aliens: Colonial Marines, and there were threads all about that. Is that what you're thinking of?

 

[ShadowSoldier]

I KNOW this has been posted before, it's fairly old news, but everytime I try to use Search to find it, it says "The search could not be completed. Please try again later."

Someone help me out here?

You must be talking about the other thread where fans were suing Gearbox.


Anyways this is bad. Honestly, I'm starting to not like Randy Pitchford to be honest. Don't get me wrong, the team is great and do fantastic work. But Randy just comes off as this arrogant dude who will do anything or take anything to get ahead. You don't hear this kind of stuff with any other studio.

I mean shit dude, Borderlands 2 made an insane amount of money. Just fucking pay up the 2 million. You fucked over Duke Nukem, Aliens Colonial Marines by not even developing the damn game, get some cred back, shit.

 

[Xuphor]

You must be talking about the other thread where fans were suing Gearbox.

....yea, that's what I was thinking of.

 

[8BitWalugi]

I guess you could say the Gearbox ride feels like "Forever"

 

[FAST6191]

I always thought most accounting scams tended to have basic fronts to just keep them ticking over and not occasionally making good products. Guess I was wrong.

 

[BORTZ]

I read the title as "Gearbox seduced by 3D realms". Needless to say, I entered this thread disappointed.

 

[FAST6191]

I read the title as "Gearbox seduced by 3D realms". Needless to say, I entered this thread disappointed.

You mean the story of an young headstrong entity with few morals catching the eye of a faded beauty, though one very much the product of their time, having a fling the result of which had the frustrations of a misspent life birth a child bearing evidence of all the mistakes of the misspent life and the resulting fallout in the maintenance battle is not a story for the ages?

 

[BORTZ]

You mean the story of an young headstrong entity with few morals catching the eye of a faded beauty, though one very much the product of their time, having a fling the result of which had the frustrations of a misspent life birth a child bearing evidence of all the mistakes of the misspent life and the resulting fallout in the maintenance battle is not a story for the ages?

Its good, but nothing that is going to get chronicled and read to my grandchildren on the hearth of my fireplace.

 

[Subtle Demise]

Well I guess this means no more Borderlands 2 DLC lol

 

[Qtis]

Well I guess this means no more Borderlands 2 DLC lol

Highly doubtful this will happen. Regardless of Gearbox being sued by someone, they'll be pumping one of their most successful franchises with DLC. Or at least someone will, since Borderlands is making money for the company.