Duke Nukem Forever
This is probably one of the most infamous cases of video games being stuck in development hell. Duke Nukem Forever had been in development at 3D Realms since 1997, and before its final release in 2011, the game resurfaced occasionally only to sink back into obscurity soon after.
Downsizing and lawsuits struck 3D Realms when publisher 2K grew frustrated with the team’s inability to produce the game, and development was ultimately picked up by 2K themselves in collaboration with Gearbox Software.
Duke Nukem Forever was delayed a handful of times after that, but sadly, no amount of polishing could save this game from its impending doom.
Its troubled development resulted in Duke Nukem Forever feeling like a dated mess that far too rarely tried something new or impressive, and while it’s a solid shooter at its core, the game ended up disappointing players and critics alike.
