MS flattered by GoldenEye rumours

By Ellie Gibson Published 14 January, 2008

But nothing to announce as yet.

Microsoft has declined to comment on rumours of GoldenEye for Xbox Live Arcade - but said it's flattered by how much the Internet's been fwapping over the idea.

As reported by 1UP, a story in this month's EGM magazine claims Rare had been developing an XBLA port of the classic N64 shooter "for several months". It featured the same graphics, maps and weapons as the N64 classic, plus an online multiplayer mode.

Apparently the game was canned just two months from completion after Microsoft and Nintendo failed to agree on whether ongoing royalties or a one-off fee should be paid for the rights to the game.

"We don't comment on rumours and speculation," a Microsoft spokesperson shockingly declared this morning.

"While the games community's response to this rumour is extremely flattering, we don't have anything to announce at this time."

That's not an outright no, is it? Or a yes of any kind, but still - here's hoping...

Picture of Ellie.

About Ellie Gibson

Since joining Eurogamer in the mid 2000s, Ellie has written about subjects as diverse as the fall of Gizmondo, the rise of Hollyoaks actresses in Red Alert games and the noise a bear makes under NSFW circumstances.

Read more articles from Ellie by visiting the Ellie Gibson archive page.

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Comments (38) Latest comment 4 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • peterfll #1 4 years ago

    Complicated royalty and copyright issue management.

  • Baronen #2 4 years ago

    Yep, no outright no means there's still hope. I don't really care anymore tbh, but whatever.

  • Raziel #3 4 years ago

    Good!

    Why make a Goldeneye port of you can make a Perfect Dark one?

    Perfect Dark with online multiplayer > Halo 3

  • GamesProgrammer Verified Games Team Programmer, Eutechnyx Ltd. #4 4 years ago

    why would it be flattering for a company that you own a massive stake in to re release an old game for you.

  • woodnotes #5 4 years ago

    This is another one of those games that everyone wants until it finally comes out. People play the demo, realise it's dated and surpassed, and delete.

  • skillian #6 4 years ago

    I also fail to understand why it's flattering :/

    Flattering for Rare maybe, because they know people still love their game 10+ years on, but I'm sure they knew that already.

  • seasidebaz #7 4 years ago

    same graphics as n64

    should be easy enough, just call the blur "anti-aliasing"... everybody else gets away with it :)

  • gingerlink #8 4 years ago

    "Apparently the game was canned just two months from completion after Microsoft and Nintendo failed to agree on whether ongoing royalties or a one-off fee should be paid for the rights to the game"

    There we go, that's what I was on about before, Nintendo DO still hold rights to it.

    This will be the case with any of Rare's old games though, one of the companies may get it eventually, it's just a case of the other one willing to give it up.

    Scratch that, we're never gonna see them...

  • Moz #9 4 years ago

    "We don't comment on rumours and speculation," a Microsoft spokesperson shockingly declared this morning.

    "And we don't do deals with terrorist!"

  • monkie_king #10 4 years ago

    I reckon they should settle the royalty dispute by doing a VC version too ...

  • The-Bodybuilder #11 4 years ago

    @ woodnotes

    I played it cometime in august last year, and absolutely loved. Don't know what you're talking about.

    But like other said, why not just release PD? No royalties needed I'm guessing.

  • Killerbee #12 4 years ago

    I reckon they should settle the royalty dispute by doing a VC version too ...

    +1

    It seems blindingly obvious - Nintendo could just waive any royalties if Rare / Microsoft hand over the rights for Nintendo to stick this on the Virtual Console too. I'm sure it'd be a big seller on both platforms. Not sure if the VC works with Nintendo's online strategy though...?

  • CreepinJesus #13 4 years ago

    "Perfect Dark with online multiplayer > Halo 3"

    Pac-Man with online multiplayer > Halo 3.

  • Moz #14 4 years ago

    @lavalant that's not really the best analogy as when Lucus release Star wars on DVD he's still getting the royalties for it and maintains full control of his IP.

    If Nintendo let MS release GE on XBLA then I think they are entitled to on going royalties and should still be able to release it themselfs on VC. Where as MS are probably trying to get Nintendo to sell them the rights to GE.

  • Uncle_Fishboy #15 4 years ago

    Personally I think it's a shit game so I couldn't give a toss

  • skillian #16 4 years ago

    @lavalant that's not really the best analogy as when Lucus release Star wars on DVD he's still getting the royalties for it and maintains full control of his IP.

    It's also not a good analogy because Lucas didn't allow DVD releases of Star Wars for aaagges, and he still hasn't allowed them to be released on any HD formats like HD DVD or Blu-Ray.

  • JohnnyWashnGo #17 4 years ago

    Yup - GoldenEye was a horrendous game. I hated every minute of the short time I spent with it.

    My N64 is used for Jet Force Gemini only these days as that is a classic game worthy of repeated play.

  • muscleblade #18 4 years ago

    Golden Eye is the best console fps ever made. The 007 difficulty was perfect in singleplayer and i would love to complete it again. The multiplayer is pure joy in every way.

  • jamie_fear #19 4 years ago

    I'd rather have Perfect Dark, it was better in every way. Super Dragon for the win :-)

    P.S. Star Wars would be immense in HD, hurry the hell up George Lucas!!!

  • crozon #20 4 years ago

    goldeneye one of the best fps made on any platform.

    if you have hl2 on the PC check out the goldeneye multiplayer mod

  • Monkey_Puncher #21 4 years ago

    "This will be the case with any of Rare's old games though, one of the companies may get it eventually, it's just a case of the other one willing to give it up."

    They shouldn't have same problems with stuff like Banjo and JFG as Rare own the franchises now, they wouldn't have taken away Goldeneye in the deal though.

  • Muddtallica #22 4 years ago

    JohnnyWashnGo - Funny you should say that, because I thought that Jet Force Gemini was a horrendous game, and I hated every minute of the short time I spent with that. Couldn't understand for a minute how it was considered playable, let alone good...different strokes, eh?

    And it's been said before, but why the hell are MS "flattered" by this? Flattered by people wanting them to release a game they didn't make? What?

  • DAN.E.B #23 4 years ago

    If its not getting a graphic overhaul then dont bother!

  • AllMetal #24 4 years ago

    Goldeneye: Rogue Agent for 360, and original for Wii - everybodies happy...Oh wait....

  • Jodo #25 4 years ago

    ROMS are baad Mmm'kay?

  • xNickNackx #26 4 years ago

    I don't know why people think they would release it without updated graphics, FPS games suffer the most from bad graphics, they have to re do them if they want the game to be playable in this day and age. I fear the hype will get so great that when people do finally get the game they will be bitterly disappointed. It was a great game back then, now not so much. I would also like to see Blast corps, PD, Conkers put on market place.

    To go back and play a lot of retro games can be painful. It's like seeing your childhood sweetheart all grown up and looking like crap. Some things are better left in the past.
    Edited by 1 at 14/01/08 @ 12:39

  • lambtron #27 4 years ago

    "Golden Eye is the best console fps ever made. The 007 difficulty was perfect in singleplayer and i would love to complete it again. The multiplayer is pure joy in every way."

    +1

  • BobsUncle #28 4 years ago

    Why bother? Life goes on and I'd rather play CoD4, GRAW2 or Vegas.

    All this retro shit gets on my tits, I loved (for example) Syphon Filter, but there's no way I'd dig out my PS1 to play it now. The control system is different to what has now evolved into a better one and the graphics are shit. I never play retro games from XBLA, especially ones I loved as it could ruin all the great memories.

    It's in the past, remember it fondly and move on.

  • GrandpaUlrira #29 4 years ago

    Why not just remake N64 Perfect Dark? It was much better than GoldenEye in multiplayer.

  • BobsUncle #30 4 years ago

    "Pac-Man with online multiplayer > Halo 3."

    Pac-Man can't jump. :-)


    @skillian
    "It's also not a good analogy because Lucas didn't allow DVD releases of Star Wars for aaagges, and he still hasn't allowed them to be released on any HD formats like HD DVD or Blu-Ray."

    Because he's not finished milking it for all it's worth. I remember him saying he wouldn't release on DVD because it's not a good enough format for his films! So he released (on shitty fucking VHS) another few box sets of uncut versions, digitally re-mastered versions, uncut digitally re-mastered versions, uncut digitally re-mastered collectors editions... and when he'd run out of ideas he moved onto DVD to do the same again. Which he will now milk until all the Star Wars fan bois have paid him another billion dollars then he'll release on Blu-Ray.

    He may be a money grabbing cunt, but he's not stupid.

  • GrandpaUlrira #31 4 years ago

    I'm another JFG fan. At the time it felt like the AI was much better than most games of that ilk, and the ants would constantly try to outflank you. The scale of the game was tremendous. The only real problems with the game were the slightly 'slidey' main characters and having to go back to all the levels you'd done before to collect some ship pieces or whatever it was, whilst ensuring that none of the little furry critters died.

  • Razorus #32 4 years ago

    I want it on Wii VC! Fucking Microsoft, honestly.

  • Muddtallica #33 4 years ago

    Another thing I've never understood is this whole "MOVE ON RETRO NERDS" brigade. So you don't like re-playing old games? Bully for you, don't buy the old games, go off and live your lives. What's the need for all these condescending, patronising cracks that the rest of us are deluded and gullible, and living our lives in the past, or whatever else? If a game's good, I like re-playing it, no matter how old it is, just like I didn't chuck my Casablanca DVD in the bin after watching it once.

    BobsUncle: "Pac-Man Can't Jump?" You mean that Wesley Snipes film? :p

  • BobsUncle #34 4 years ago

    "Pac-Man Can't Jump."

    Nothing racial.

  • alkeygs01 #35 4 years ago

    I'm sorry some pi**ant doesn't share my love of a classic and awesome game...no wait.

    GE was the tits, multiplayer pistols and mines = awesome

    if they gave it a slight graphical overhaul (use the PD0 engine its got to be good for something)(Without the stupid armour loss thing) then add in the multiplayer 8v8 with bots and auto drop in.

    then pay as much attention to detail as the old rare guys did, from the watch with all the settings (dual analogue control ftmfw) to the cheats system.

    I would cry then immediately go out and buy MS points for my first ever MS purchase online

  • canuter #36 4 years ago

    I'd rather they didn't change graphics. More resolution is always welcome, but nothing else.

  • DFawkes #37 4 years ago

    That statement isn't a denial. I like when it isn't a denial.

    I still play Goldeneye frequently, more so than most of the so-so FPS games in my collection.

  • J.C #38 4 years ago

    Nintendo come across as greedy cunts imo. they made there money with the game years ago. it was developed by Rare, and the bond licence has fuck all to do with them now. the fact that microsoft offered them a huge one of payment (probably millions) and they refused it, just smacks of nintendo's well known arrogance and greed.

    Cunts.

  • Muddtallica #39 4 years ago

    J.C - ...as opposed to Microsoft who, despite being cash-strapped charity cases themselves, will distribute the game on Live Arcade for free, or else donate all of the proceeds to a kitten orphanage.