Apogee Software

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

In the late 1980s and early 1990s, Apogee published Commander Keen and distributed the shareware version of Wolfenstein 3D (which was developed and published by id Software) using the same shareware model. In 1994, Apogee began using the brand name 3D Realms for its 3D games; the company legally changed its name to 3D Realms in 1996, but Apogee Software Productions continued to exist as a separate entity for some time. Duke Nukem 3D (1996) was released under the 3D Realms name to great success. The Apogee name, library, and logo were licensed to Terry Nagy in 2008, who established Apogee Software LLC. In 2021, Miller and Nagy relaunched the brand as Apogee Entertainment via a joint venture, not an acquisition—they already controlled it through the 2008 licensing deal.

In Their Own Story

In 1991, Apogee Software released Duke Nukem, a 2D platformer for the IBM PC with 320×200, 16-color EGA graphics. The game had three episodes, the first distributed as shareware. When Apogee learned the name 'Duke Nukem' might be trademarked for a character from Captain Planet and the Planeteers, they changed it to Duke Nukum for the 2.0 revision. After determining the name was not trademarked, they restored Duke Nukem for Duke Nukem II and all later games. Duke Nukem II used 256-color VGA graphics, MIDI music, and digitized sound. In 1996, Apogee rebranded as 3D Realms and released Duke Nukem 3D, a first-person shooter with 2D sprites in 3D environments. The franchise generated over $1 billion in revenue by 2001.

Reader's Guide

The source article does not provide specific gameplay guidance for Duke Nukem II. It notes that Apogee's games used a three-episode shareware model, with the first episode free. The article does not specify the color capabilities of Duke Nukem II.

Did You Know?

• Kingdom of Kroz was the first game to bear the name Apogee Software Productions.
• Scott Miller founded Apogee in his parents' home in Garland, Texas.
• The Apogee model involved releasing the first episode of a game for free as shareware.
• Duke Nukem 3D was released under the 3D Realms brand in 1996.