Duke Nukem's Gay Sidekick Was Nixed

In Duke Nuke: Forever, a wide variety of heterosexual tropes get probed. "Sexuality is part of Duke's personality," game designer Randy Pitchford recently said at the BAFTAs in London. It's part of the games, too.

Pitchford and his studio Gearbox Software considered adding a "gay robot" sidekick (not pictured) to the upcoming shooter. The reason for this, said Pitchford, was "to explore how Duke would relate to a peer that might have a different sexual orientation".

The sidekick was ultimately cut from the game, but might make a future appearance in a Duke Nukem title.

"I don't want to spoil it because we might go there," said Pitchford. "Ultimately the robot was in a situation where for an order for victory against the aliens to be accomplished, the robot's inner workings—a nuclear generator—had to be sacrificed."

"The exploration was all very sincere and real and maybe we'll come back to that at some point."

Duke Nukem's Gay Sidekick Was Nixed

Duke Nukem had "gay robot" sidekick [Eurogamer via GayGamer]

(Top photo | Esty via botropolis)