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Full playthrough of cancelled Goldeneye 64 Xbox 360 remake surfaces, uploader says the game will be released online sometime in 2021

Last posted Jan 31, 2021 at 08:29PM EST. Added Jan 30, 2021 at 05:51PM EST
6 posts from 5 users

Back in 2007 Rare was working on a remake of the N64 classic "Goldeneye" for the Xbox 360 as part of "Xbox Live Arcade," and supposedly a direct port of the N64 original might have seen release on the Wii as part of the Virtual Console. However despite being almost completed, the remake was cancelled. While rumors circulated supposedly this was because of disagreements between Nintendo (who published the N64 original), Microsoft (who own Rare now), and Activision (who held the rights to James Bond video games at the time), it was actually more because of issues with MGM and EON Productions, the companies who hold the rights to the Bond movies and James Bond character respectively (in particular use of the likenesses of the actors from the 1995 film were a cause for concern, one reason why the remake's updated models use new face textures, meaning it's likely that the leaked footage showing off the ability to switch between 1997 graphics and 2007 graphics might have been something the devs could have planned on scrapping because of this). It's actually because of these issues with the two aforementioned companies why Activision decided it was easier to just completely re-imagine Goldeneye in 2010 with the Eurocom developed game that ran on a modified Call of Duty engine (since then they could just use Craig's likeness and voice but redo everyone and everything else).

But now in 2021 someone has gotten a hold of the cancelled XBLA remake and recorded an entire playthrough of it. The uploader, "Graslu00," says that the person who is holding onto the game does plan on releasing it publicly sometimes in 2021, but can't say when. Might be safe to say we won't know who this person is or when they'll do it so as to prevent possible legal troubles with MGM and EON, so it looks like anyone interested in the eventual public release will just have to keep tabs on certain sites.

Geez laweez, I'm impressed of how good it looks. How unfortunate that this can't be an "official" release because of those ungodly copyright issues. Anyway, shadowdropping it seems like the best case scenario.

SicklyVivian wrote:

Nearly complete only to be cancelled. Just why? This honestly would of gotten the Xbox 360 a good number of downloads and purchases from that were willing to play.

Welcome to Copyright Law.

As stated by the video uploader, it was due to MGM and EON having a lot of control more over what they wanted done with the Bond license in 2007 compared to the mid 90s (it seems the one negative with Goldeneye 64's success is it made the two companies want a lot more money to license out the IP from now on, which is why Nintendo decided to no longer hold the Bond IP past Goldeneye, and why it would be EA and Activision who took on the IP next, though I wonder if MGM and EON are asking for less money now as next up IO Interactive are handling the IP, and while IO's definitely a successful company they're no where near EA and Activision levels of income).

SicklyVivian wrote:

Nearly complete only to be cancelled. Just why? This honestly would of gotten the Xbox 360 a good number of downloads and purchases from that were willing to play.

IP owners can be some vindictive bastards. Doesn't matter if it makes a ton of money if whoever owns the IP or the rights doesn't like what's in it or what others think. It's incredibly annoying but it's what it is. At least we're actually getting something compared to so many other works.

Skeletor-sm

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