The leaked 2001 build of Duke Nukem Forever can be downloaded and played today

When footage of the 2001 build of Duke Nukem Forever was leaked earlier, those who done the deed promised to release the source code this June. Well, turns out they couldn’t wait that long. As shared by Kotaku, you can now download and play Duke Nukem Forever 2001.

There are two builds shared in the pcgaming subreddit. The first is an Unreal Editor, and the second is the Duke Nukem Forever 2001 build source code — dated October 26, 2001. It’s an intriguing piece of video game history, and you can try it today. Except, according the leaker and one of the Duke Nukem creators, George Broussard, “there is no real game to play.” What’s included in the download are shambled bits of a game that was in active development, complete with empty level sections, art, and not much to shoot at.

However, that won’t stop the community. YouTuber Alma Elma has since shared some footage of the Duke Nukem Forever 2001 build complete with a patch, showcasing Level 1: The Lady Killer. Indeed, no matter how busted a game is, modders have proven they will gladly work with anything and make it better.

Not all is well in history

Indeed, you can download and try out the Duke Nukem Forever 2001 build now — something that has brought joy, and the opposite of. But, while I see it as an exciting glimpse into gaming lore, not all share my enthusiasm. Apogee’s founder, Scott Miller, responded to the leak in a blog post, calling DNF the “game that destroyed 3D Realms.” He writes that the game was a “money pit,” and the team was “always understaffed by 50%.” Miller continues, saying much of the development was off the rails due to a lack of a clear roadmap.

Miller’s take on the events seems to have stirred up some bad blood. As spotted by Kotaku in that same report, Broussard later responded to Miller’s post, calling him a “clueless narcissist whose actions are what led to the Gearbox suits/friction that led to us losing 3DR & the Duke IP.”

Yikes. Leave it to Duke Nukem Forever to still stir up controversy 11 years after it shit the bed.

Scott's a clueless narcissist whose actions are what led to the Gearbox suits/friction that led to us losing 3DR & the Duke IP. Mind blowing the nonsense he spews. Not surprising due to his depth of manipulation and narcissism. Least I've had the class to keep thoughts private. https://t.co/7MneAzlDXf

— George Broussard (@georgebsocial) May 10, 2022