As developer and publisher Gearbox Software ends off the year with praise over the recently released and free next-gen upgrade for Borderlands 3, 2020 has seen the studio locked in legal battles. The cause for the tension is Duke Nukem, a franchise that has faced a litany of problems over licensing rights. As more issues seem to constantly arise with the classic first person shooter, at least two major legal disputes have been put to rest.
It was announced via press release that the music licensing lawsuit between Gearbox Software, 3D Realms, and Apogee Software has reached a settlement. The agreement refers to both lawsuits filed over the last 15 months ending another legal battle tied to the Duke Nukem IP. The terms of the settlements between the three companies, along with Gearbox CEO Randy Pitchford and Duke Nukem creators Scott Miller and George Broussard, were not disclosed.
It was in 2019 that that the initial lawsuit was filed as Duke Nukem composer Bobby Prince sent legal notice to Gearbox over the licensing rights to Prince's music and due royalties. After a year since the lawsuit was first brought to light, Gearbox Software announced that the relevant parties had reached an agreement. In a statement released by the developer, Randy Pitchford confirmed that following "thorough review," all parties agreed to dismiss their claims
In-between the initial lawsuit filing and the recent agreement, Gearbox Software filed its own lawsuit against the original Duke Nukem development team. This lawsuit was in relation to Prince's initial complaint against the developer and its CEO Randy Pitchford. Gearbox's own lawsuit, filed against developer 3D Realms and parent company Apogee Software, claims that the music licensing was not disclosed during the acquisition of the IP. According to Gearbox, the initial deal over the Duke Nukem IP failed to mentioned any licensing deal with Prince. Following the confirmation of dismissal, 3D Realms considered the licensing of Prince's music an oversight, noting that the ownership of the Duke Nukem soundtrack as "inadvertently overlooked" during the acquisition.
Prince also provided comment on the matter confirming that following "productive discussions," the composer's music and sound effects would remain in Duke Nukem 3D: 20th Anniversary World Tour. Prince continued his statement by thanking Randy Pitchford and Gearbox for their "collaboration, partnership, and understanding" in the matter.
With the closing of the most recent lawsuit, fans of Duke Nukem are hopeful that the new decade will be kinder to the once beloved FPS protagonist. The 2010s saw the franchise go through a tumultuous ride between the notorious launch of Duke Nukem Forever and the continued legal battles over the ownership of the brand. With 2021 just around the corner, maybe it might mean a more successful run for the gum-chewing hero.
Duke Nukem 3D: 20th Anniversary Edition World Tour is available on PC, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, and Xbox One.
Source: GameIndustry.biz (via TechRaptor)