...I think the question is, who can be held responsible? Was the game basically as it is now when 3D Realms closed? Or did Gearbox try too hard to "Duke it up", and end up making it terrible? I suppose we will never know what state it was in when Gearbox got it, or what Gearbox even really did, but we can speculate. Full disclosure, I haven't played the game, but I really want to know what people who have think about this.

Gearbox are very specific in saying that they just "finished the game". I would imagine that most if not all major design decisions had been made by the time 3D Realms went under and Gearbox just picked up what was left and carried it to the finish line.

3d Realms

From what  I've heard about borderlands gearbox knows how to make an immature game, this is 3d realms fault

Not that I've even played the game, but the title should really be "Now that we know that Jeff doesn't think the game is great". Just saying. 
 
But yes, 3D Realms is most directly responsible for the final product. I will admit I'm curious what Gearbox does with the licence once they make a whole game from the ground up.

LULZsec. I blame them. But im sure Gearbox had to produce DNF as part of the purchase of the franchise. Done, dusted, time to make a GREAT Duke game now. DNF will forever remain in my collection tho, the same way the Phantom Menace will, I'll never watch it again but its worth having just for sentimental reasons.

I think you have to blame Gearbox on some level. They bought the game, saw what it was, and decided to help release it for full price. 3D Realms is obviously to blame for the wasted 14 years that resulted in a messy unfunny game, but Gearbox put their name on it and pushed it out the door.

If you wanted to release a discount version as a way of putting DNF to bed before starting a new Duke game, that'd be far preferable than trying to pretend this is a modern shooter worth full price.

I blame Anonymous.
 
It's what all the cool moms are doing!

I'm just happy Gearbox can work on Aliens: Colonial Marines now or Borderlands 2, honestly. (They are the ones doing it still, right?)

I would pay money for a documentary of this game's development.

I think the fact that the game is full of outdated references proves that Gearbox didn't have much to do with it. Those jokes were probably put in back when they were relevant, at the turn of the century perhaps.