ABSTRACT
Video games have produced many iconic characters. Perhaps you recall the cartoon blundering of Dirk the Daring from the 1980s arcade game Dragon's Lair or the euphemistically named and scythe waving Horned Reaper from the 1990s console game Dungeon Keeper. Uniquely, the character Vault Boy from the Fallout series is neither playable nor a character in the series, and yet his golden hair, beaming smile and thumbs-up stance is instantly recognisable to anyone who has played the post-apocalyptic franchise. Even those who don't play games will be aware of Halo’s Master Chief or Tomb Raider’s Lara Croft. To video game fans, one such icon is Duke Nukem. He's a swaggering, testosterone-fuelled hero inspired by 1980s action heroes. Duke Nukem 3D sold over 3 million copies, became one of the top-selling video titles ever, and it left fans delirious for a sequel. Fast-forward to 2011, and the sequel Duke Nukem Forever was released. Its development had been troubled, with previews and release dates rescheduled many times. As a result of poor sales, publisher Take-Two was forced to reduce its profit estimates, and gamer sites named Duke Nukem Forever the most disappointing game of the year.
