Duke Nukem Forever

Today is a day that will long be remembered among fans of first person shooters: Duke Nukem Forever has an announced release date and isn't some variation of "when it's done." Just let that sink in for a minute. By Christmastime next year, you'll definitely have a chance to play Duke Nukem Forever, a game that, until a few hours ago, I assumed my children's children would never see.

But the Duke is back and he's bringing some new friends with him, specifically Randy Pitchford and his team at Gearbox Software. After turning Borderlands into something of an underground sensation, Pitchford needed a new challenge. And I believe he's found it in Duke Nukem Forever.

Gearbox is no stranger to the ways of the Duke. Pitchford himself got his start at 3D Realms (the original developer of Duke Nukem Forever), working on the Atomic Edition of Duke Nukem 3D. And when DNF appeared to stand for "Did Not Finish," 2K contracted with Gearbox to create a prequel game known as Duke Begins. That game never saw the light of day, but it laid the groundwork for this historic passing of the torch due to the demise of 3D Realms.