3D Realms

3D Realms is a developer and publisher.

3D Realms Webpage, Facebook

A video game publisher and developer headquartered in Aalborg, Denmark (formerly Garland, Texas). The company, which replaced Apogee Software in 1996, which had been operating since 1987, made a name for itself in the history of video games with Duke Nukem 3D. Since 2021, 3D Realms has belonged to the Swedish Embracer Group, or more precisely, to the Saber Interactive operating group. The studio in question remained in the hands of Saber Interactive when its parent company changed ownership from Embracer Group to Beacon Interactive in March 2024.

History of 3D Realms

Independent activity

The company's roots date back to 1987, when Scott Miller founded his own development studio called Apogee Software Productions. In 1994, a second, alternative brand was created – 3D Realms, for releasing the studio's three-dimensional games. Ultimately, however, at the end of 1996, it was decided to change the entire company's name to 3D Realms.

The first game developed and published by 3D Realms was Duke Nukem 3D, the third installment of the series started in 1991. Unlike the previous games in the series, which were action platformers, this time we got a first-person shooter. The title achieved great commercial and artistic success, joining the pantheon of iconic FPS games from the 1990s.

A year later, the decision was made to abandon the shareware model in favor of traditional distribution. Furthermore, from 1997, 3D Realms decided to fully focus on the development of its next two games, Prey and Duke Nukem Forever. Meanwhile, the company joined the Gathering of Developers group and began operating as a publisher, licensing the Duke Nukem brand to external entities, who could create their own spin-offs.

In 2001, 3D Realms abandoned the development of the Prey project and handed it over to Human Head Studios, who managed to complete it. In 2008, Terry Nagy received a license from 3D Realms to use the Apogee Software name, portfolio, and logo and founded Apogee Software LLC; the name Apogee Software, Ltd. remained in the hands of 3D Realms.

The turbulent history of Duke Nukem Forever

As for Duke Nukem Forever – it was developed by 3D Realms until 2009 , when its production process was suspended and the studio suffered a wave of layoffs. In May 2009, Take 2 Interactive filed a lawsuit against 3D Realms, and in September 2010, it was announced that the project (and the entire franchise) had been assigned to Gearbox Software. In 2013, there was another legal battle, this time initiated by 3D Realms, which sued Gearbox Software for not paying for royalties and the Duke Nukem franchise. However, the lawsuit was withdrawn by 3D Realms just three months later. In February 2014, Gearbox Software sued 3D Realms, as well as Interceptor Entertainment and Apogee Software LLC, for their work on Duke Nukem: Mass Destruction. The case was settled in August 2015, after 3D Realms admitted infringement.

Transfer to SDN Invest

In March 2014, 3D Realms transferred to SDN Invest, which also owned the aforementioned Interceptor Entertainment studio. Mike Nielsen, CEO of the parent company, became 3D Realms' new CEO. Simultaneously, 3D Realms headquarters moved from Garland, Texas, to Aalborg, Denmark. Scott Miller was appointed creative consultant.

In 2016, after an eleven-year absence from the publishing market, 3D Realms released a new title. Bombshell, developed by Interceptor Entertainment, was neither a commercial nor an artistic success. In August 2019, however, a prequel was released in the form of the much more warmly received boomer shooter Ion Fury. Interestingly, the title was originally intended to be called Ion Maiden, but after the band Iron Maiden accused the developers of trademark infringement, the name was changed.

In April 2021, Scott Miller and Terry Nagy acquired the rights to the Apogee brand from 3D Realms and reactivated Apogee Software LLC as Apogee Entertainment. In 2022, Nagy confirmed that he had parted ways with 3D Realms.

Acquisition by Saber Interactive

In August 2021, news broke that 3D Realms was being acquired by the Swedish holding company Embracer Group, specifically the Saber Interactive operating group. In March 2023, Justin Burnham, who previously worked at Devolver Digital and Good Shepherd Entertainment, was appointed creative director of 3D Realms. In December 2023, unofficial reports surfaced that, as part of a wide-ranging restructuring at Embracer Group, the company was to lay off nearly half of its employees (as well as its collaborating studio, Slipgate Ironworks, which came from Interceptor Entertainment).

When Saber Interactive changed ownership to Beacon Interactive in March 2024, it retained a number of entities, including 3D Realms. A year later, we learned that the company would release Painkiller, a reboot of the Polish series, developed by Polish studio Anshar Studios.