The reason behind 3D Realms' closure isn't entirely clear, but it ultimately came down to funding. With the economy in tatters and investor capital scarce, 3D Realms simply ran out of cash to pay its employees. But why did 3D Realms really close down? Why did the studio and its quixotic co-founders George Broussard and Scott Miller spend 12 years creating endless revisions of a game that now may never be released?

One look at the 3D Realms offers some compelling arguments. Certain passages -- most written some ten years ago -- take on a darkly ironic context in light of Duke Nukem Forever's epic dev cycle and 3D Realms' recent closure.

From a on the 3D Realms site (I bolded phrases that I found ironic or morbidly humorous):

Apogee and 3D Realms are die hard game players who make games without marketing pressure, corporate management, . We make games we want to play, and we work on them until they are perfected and done. We are hard working, hard playing, . We hire only the industry's cream-of-the-crop talent--and if you've got the talent, you can join us.

...(omitted for length)...