Duke Nukem Forever

• Windows 11✓ with 3 fixes
• Steam Deck✓ Verified
• Mac✓ Mac version sold
• Linux✓ Proton Silver

Watch the trailer

Does Duke Nukem Forever run on Windows 11, Apple Silicon Macs, Linux and Steam Deck?

Windows 11	✓Runs with a fix. See the steps below. SourceWorks for meDoesn’t work
Mac (Apple Silicon)	?A Mac version is sold. Not yet confirmed on Apple Silicon. SourceWorks for meDoesn’t work
Linux	✓Through Proton. ProtonDB: Silver, runs with minor issues. SourceWorks for meDoesn’t work
Steam Deck	✓Verified by Valve. SourceWorks for meDoesn’t work

Played it lately? Press Works for me or Doesn’t work on your platform, so the next player knows. One click, no account. How we check where it runs

How to get Duke Nukem Forever running today

What you need

• Required Notepad++Edits the game's .ini files without changing their character encoding. Windows Notepad changes it, which stops the game from launching.
• Optional RivaTuner Statistics ServerCaps the frame rate at 60 if the graphics driver's own limiter is not used.

Steps

Open a step for the full walkthrough.

1. If mouse aim feels very slow even at maximum, open user.ini in the game's Steam userdata folder (57900\remote) and raise MouseSensitivity above 10, as described on PCGamingWiki.

   1. Set your key bindings and other options in the game first, because changing settings in the game later resets this edit. Then quit the game.
   2. Open the Steam install folder, then userdata\<your user ID>\57900\remote.
   3. Open user.ini with Notepad++. Do not use Windows Notepad, because it changes the file's encoding and breaks the game.
   4. Set MouseSensitivity to a value above 10.000000.
   5. Optionally lower MouseAccelDampening, since mouse smoothing makes aiming feel slower.
   6. Save the file. Do not make it read-only, because that breaks the game.
2. Cap the frame rate at 60 FPS, or turn on vsync at 60 Hz, because some vehicle jumps cannot be made at higher frame rates. See frame rate capping on PCGamingWiki#Frame_rate_capping).

   1. On Nvidia, open the Nvidia Control Panel > Manage 3D settings > Program Settings, pick the game and set Max Frame Rate to 60.
   2. On AMD, press Alt+R while the game is not running and enable Radeon Chill or FRTC with a 60 FPS target.
   3. Otherwise install RivaTuner Statistics Server, add the game and set Framerate limit to 60.
   4. As an alternative, enable Vsync in the game's options and set the monitor refresh rate to 60 Hz.
   5. Retry the vehicle jump.
3. If the game crashes at launch with an EXCEPTION_ACCESS_VIOLATION, turn off Steam Cloud for it, delete system.ini and user.ini, start the game, then turn Steam Cloud back on, as described on PCGamingWiki.

   1. In Steam, right-click Duke Nukem Forever > Properties and turn off Steam Cloud for the game.
   2. Open the Steam install folder, then userdata\<your user ID>\57900\remote.
   3. Delete system.ini and user.ini. Leave last.sav and progress.ini, which hold your progress.
   4. Start the game so it creates fresh .ini files.
   5. If the game now starts, turn Steam Cloud back on for it.
   6. In future, edit these .ini files only with Notepad++ to keep their encoding.

Synopsis

After twelve years of public delays, the crude action hero Duke Nukem returns to fight a new alien invasion of Earth across Las Vegas and the Nevada desert. It is a linear first-person shooter that mixes gunfights with simple physics puzzles, driving sections, platforming and stretches where Duke is shrunk to toy size.

What people say

Critics in 2011 were largely disappointed, describing a dated, uneven shooter that felt rushed out after its long development, with poor visuals, dull levels and humor that often missed. A few reviewers enjoyed the retro jokes and the shrunken-Duke stages. Players today remain mostly negative: they point to the two-weapon limit, long and frequent loading screens, weak shooting and tedious early sequences, while a smaller group defends it as a dumb but fun relic. On OpenCritic it is now mostly mentioned as a yardstick for disappointment rather than reviewed.

Playability today

The average of two parts, each from 1 to 5. Tap a check to see why. How it works

Sources

1. Steam store page (requirements, platforms)
2. SteamSpy (Steam review counts)
3. Steam Deck compatibility, Valve
4. ProtonDB reports
5. Metacritic: Duke Nukem Forever
6. PCGamingWiki: Duke Nukem Forever
7. Vaporlens: Duke Nukem Forever review summary
8. DSOGaming: Duke Nukem Forever PC Review

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