Gearbox talks Duke Nukem multiplayer

By Wesley Yin-Poole Published 21 February, 2011

It'll "be exciting for people to discover".

For all the talk of Gearbox's Duke Nukem Forever revival, one feature has slipped under the radar: multiplayer.

Have no fear: according to outspoken Gearbox boss Randy Pitchford Duke's multiplayer is in good hands. It's just that the Dallas, US developer is still trying to work out how to show it off.

"Multiplayer is something where, in order to 'get' it, we need to figure out a way that people can feel it, because multiplayer's something you need to play," he told Eurogamer.

"You can get some things across in screenshots but not really. So we're kinda struggling with how we expose it so people understand what's there. The proof is in the pudding so to speak, so I don't want to talk about it too much."

DNF's multiplayer is being developed by little-known Canadian studio Piranha.

Its list of credits include PSP games Medal of Honor: Heroes 2 and Need for Speed: Undercover, PC title Die Hard: Nakatomi Plaza and MechWarrior.

While Pitchford refused to divulge multiplayer details, he did promise fans will enjoy discovering them.

"Don't worry about it, we remember why we played Duke and part of that was wanting to get online and shrink you and break you into ice cubes, and so on, and the correct multiplayer experience for Duke Nukem Forever has to pay those things off," he said.

"Some of the interesting questions are what it does beyond that, and that'll be exciting for people to discover and I'm really looking forward to that.

"There's no aim with a multiplayer game like Duke to try to be the next competitive platform – it's about entertainment, it's about fun, it's about getting together with your buddies to talk shit, and using these unique tools to be the best on the battlefield."

Tom went hands-on with Duke Nukem Forever earlier this month. "You may laugh uncomfortably at the borderline sexism," he wrote, "and you may log onto a forum occasionally to make fun of the graphics, but the ageing ideas and references that date the game also give it a sense of history and belonging."

Picture of Wesley.

About Wesley Yin-Poole

Wesley is Eurogamer's news editor. He likes news, interviews, and more news. He also likes Street Fighter more than anyone can get him to shut up about it.

Read more articles from Wesley by visiting the Wesley Yin-Poole archive page.

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Comments (14) Latest comment 1 year ago

Comments for this article are now closed, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • cianchristopher #1 1 year ago

    DNF's multiplayer is being developed by little-known Canadian studio Piranha.

    Its list of credits include PSP games Medal of Honor: Heroes 2 and Need for Speed: Undercover, PC title Die Hard: Nakatomi Plaza and MechWarrior.

    Wow, talk about a heavy-hitter. I have no doubts whatsoever that this'll be the best game ever.

  • StolenGlory #2 1 year ago

    Die Hard: Nakatomi Plaza?

    Yeah, this is fucked.

  • Murton #3 1 year ago

    "it's about getting together with your buddies to talk shit, and using these unique tools to be the best on the battlefield."

    That sounds more my style, can I assume that it has some sort of co-op? If the point is to play with my buddies and have some fun and beers then I would hope that they're playing together rather than against each other.

    The gameplay vids I've seen so far have been pretty underwhelming, co-op would definitely put this back on my radar as a one to watch but at the moment it's a little too "meh" to get really excited about.

  • bratmandu #4 1 year ago

    It's Gearbox - there's bound to be some sort of co-op involved. Am I remembering incorrectly or did the original duke3d not have 8 player co-op?? Be hard to top that!

  • reelbigkris #5 1 year ago

    All I ask for a multi player game is a tacked on split screen or on-line co op through the single player campaign. I don't care if the second player is not mentioned in any cut scenes and is some sort of unknown entity that no one cares to mention... or about delivering specific co op challenges that can not be completed with less than two people.

    Sure if they can deliver a fantastic ground breaking multi player game, then go for it, but if they want some sort of longevity to avoid second hand sales, I'm happy to play through the story mode with my friends repetitively in co op to get the best score :)

  • bikmate #6 1 year ago

    Don't include multiplayer only achievements and then I don't care. I hate multiplayer because I suck and can only beat the AI.

  • spekkeh #7 1 year ago

    I'm only interested in multiplayer Duke Nukem if it involves laboriously hooking up two computers in an attic with a crappy nullmodem cable.
    Edited by spekkeh at 21/02/11 @ 15:45

  • Shakey_Jake33 #8 1 year ago

    "and you may log onto a forum occasionally to make fun of the graphics, but the ageing ideas and references that date the game also give it a sense of history and belonging."

    You need not defend yourself, sir! I won't be playing this game expect a graphical tour-de-force. Just give us Duke Nukem done well, and resist the urge to imitate more contemporary titles.

  • SeesThroughAll #9 1 year ago

    Multiplayer is something where, in order to 'get' it, we need to figure out a way that people can feel it, because multiplayer's something you need to play,

    Is it just me or was this guy just trying to use the verbs "get", "feel" and "play" together?

    What happened to making sense?

  • Olemak #10 1 year ago

    Ha ha, nullmodems, I had forgotten about those.

    I hope this game will let me get some more mileage out of my Kali lifetime subscription :)

  • metalangel #11 1 year ago

    Remember those keys in early online multiplayer games, to play an annoying quip at your opponents? It would be a laugh if they brought those back for this.

  • NunianVonFuch #12 1 year ago

    Die Hard: Nakatomi Plaza was no classic but quite a fun little romp. They even had the voice of Lt. Powell in it.

  • obscured021 #13 1 year ago

    I loved Duke 3D mulity player, the days of the zone and swapping landline numbers on forums to play in ladder matches.

  • Stratix #14 1 year ago

    My first multiplayer memories were of Duke 3D co-op over serial. Two old pc's, one so slow it needed sone kind of boot floppy to play the game, but I've rarely experienced anything like it since. Only perfect dark came close. I very much doubt this Duke will include co-op. Competitive multiplayer only, I'd bet money. Shame.