2K Games and Gearbox Software have announced that Duke Nukem Forever has "gone gold." This means that the code is final and now all that is left is getting the game into gamers' hands.

If you preorder the title from select outlets, you will get the demo, which launches on June 3, 2011 for all platforms, exclusively for Duke Nukem First Access Club Members. Fans can also join the exclusive First Access Club by purchasing the Borderlands Game of the Year Edition on the Xbox 360, the PS3, and Windows.

"Duke Nukem Forever is the game that was once thought to be unshipppable, and yet here we are, on the precipice of history," Christoph Hartmann, president of 2K, said in a statement. "Today marks an amazing day in the annals of gaming lore, the day where the legend of Duke Nukem Forever is finally complete and it takes that final step towards becoming a reality."

"Always bet on Duke, I did," Randy Pitchford, president of Gearbox Software, said in a statement. "I bet on all of the developers who have ever been a part of this legendary project and I bet that none of us want to live in a world without the Duke. I've played the final game and it is an incredible experience - a once-in-a-lifetime opus of interactive entertainment that reminds me once again why Duke Nukem is our King. The developers of Duke Nukem Forever at 3D Realms, Triptych, Piranha and finally at Gearbox deserve our thanks and respect for never giving up and have truly shown us that they have balls of steel!"

Gamers have waited over a decade to play the official sequel to Duke Nukem. The title was originally announced by 3D Realms in 1997. The project experienced all types of problems, however, and it was passed over to Triptych Games and Gearbox Software in 2009, with multiplayer components provided by Piranha Games.

Half a year ago, Gearbox confirmed that development on the title was being completed. Given how long the game had been in such a state (some 14 years), there were still many skeptics. Then the game was demoed live, but many would still not believe.

Four months ago, the game was given a set of release dates: May 3, 2011 in North America and May 6, 2011 in the rest of the world. Two months ago, this was pushed back to June 14 in North America, and on June 10 in the rest of the world.

Earlier this month, the official PC requirements were released. This was followed by an announcement that the game is coming to OnLive, meaning you can skip the requirements if you want.