Timeline: Duke Nukem Forever

Jan 9, 1997

Work on Duke Nukem Forever started

"We've actually been working on the game since January." -- Scott Miller, 1997.

Apr 9, 1997

Quake 2 engine purchase announced.

Scott Miller states that he is confident that DNF will be released by mid 1998 and prey in late 1998 making 1998 a bit year for 3DR. He also mentions that his confidence is not misplaced.

Apr 25, 1997

3D Realms press release on DNF

Aug 9, 1997

First Screenshots in PC gamer appear

Oct 9, 1997

Grand Theft Auto released

May 9, 1998

First E3 video shown

Nov 19, 1998

Half Life released

Dec 9, 1998

3D Realms announces switch to Unreal tech.

It is expected to take no longer than 6 weeks and 3DRealms says "DNF is a 1999 game."

Jun 9, 1999

3DR admits that the engine switch took a lot more time than originally estimated.

Oct 22, 1999

Grand Theft Auto 2 released

Dec 9, 1999

3DR announces upgrade to UT level tech.

It is expected to take two weeks. 3DR releases a Christmas card saying that DNF will be released in 2000.

May 9, 2001

3DR comes out of nowhere and puts DNF up at E3

They state that DNF will be released in 2001 and the end of the E3 2001 video says "WID in 2001". Many part of the video bear a clear resemblence to the 1999 screenshots.

Oct 9, 2001

Broussard posts "sorry guys, it won't be a 2001 release" on the VE3D forums.

"Don't worry, the last major hurdle is AI."

Oct 22, 2001

Grand Theft Auto 3 released

Dec 9, 2001

Broussard states that DNF will definitely be out before Unreal 2.

Jan 9, 2002

Voodoo Extreme makes a list of top 10 titles to be released in 2002. #1 on that list is Duke Nukem Forever

Someone posts "when will we see something" in the 3DR forums. Broussard responds with "soon".

Jun 9, 2002

June 2002: The "soon" thread gets locked.

Dec 9, 2002

Broussard states that DNF will definitely be out before DooM 3.

Jan 9, 2003

Broussard states that DNF has been "on track since early 2002" and that they haven't reached the light at the end of the tunnel, but "they finally found it."

He wisps away the years between January 1997 and January 2002 and wishes people would consider DNF's development as if it started in 2002 (this is a strong hint that DNF was far from complete). Unreal 2 released.

Dec 9, 2003

Take 2 complains about DNF development and expects it around "late 2005"

"At this point we're just hoping the team [in garland] will finish the project."

Jul 9, 2004

Broussard states that DNF development has been on track since "late 2002/early 2003"

Bumping up his earlier statement in an attempt to fight back release expectations. It is clear, from this behavior, that DNF will not be released this year or next. DooM 3 is released. Half Life 2's release is anticipated this year.

Nov 16, 2004