XBLA Goldeneye confirmed, also canceled
by Griffin McElroy 
{ Jan 13th 2008 at 4:00PM }
We've got good news and bad news for fans of Rare's groundbreaking first-person shooter, Goldeneye. The good news? Those rumors you've heard about a port of the game for the Xbox Live Arcade are true! The bad news? The release of the title has been delayed indefinitely, due to a licensing disagreement between Microsoft and Nintendo. Sorry to get your hopes up -- we probably should have led with that last part.
To further rub salt in your wounds, 1UP has some sweet details about the game-that-wasn't, which was only two short months from completion. Apparently, the game was a faithful recreation of the N64 classic, including all the maps and weapons from the original, with the addition of multiplayer support over Xbox Live.
Instead of giving up on what would have been one of the greatest XBLA titles to date, we highly encourage everyone to exercise their civil trolling rights in an attempt to convince Nintendo and Microsoft that there's more than enough of our money to go around. Already, thousands of rabid wannabe 00 Agents have signed petitions to bring the game back to the development table -- have you?
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
Moofree @ Jan 13th 2008 4:06PM
How about Goldeneye DS?
I like the sound of that :)
chris @ Jan 13th 2008 4:46PM
One of the first games released in the US was Goldeneye: Rogue Agent for the DS, and I'm pretty sure you had to use all of the buttons and a stylus at the same time to play. I never got the hang of it.
Mr Khan @ Jan 13th 2008 5:10PM
You're right though, DS is probably the one place where it could go, free of any major disagreements
At least a DS version would be online
RomeoDude @ Jan 13th 2008 6:21PM
I wouldn't be so sure that Goldeneye DS wouldn't have any disagreements. Remember, Microsoft does own Rare.
Fernando Rocker @ Jan 13th 2008 6:26PM
Romeo
Microsft and Rare have titles on the DS.
Age of Empires, Diddy Kong Racing, and soon Viva Pinata DS.
gaddes @ Jan 13th 2008 4:06PM
I guess it really IS "only for Nintendo 64"! ba-zing!
tmacairjordan87 @ Jan 13th 2008 4:16PM
looking back, it is a bit ironic that one of the best shooters ever was on a nintendo console.
Roto13 @ Jan 13th 2008 9:19PM
Two of the best shooters. Perfect Dark ftw.
Fernando Rocker @ Jan 13th 2008 4:09PM
Or they can release a WiiWare version, with online multiplayer.
bto @ Jan 13th 2008 4:15PM
Hmmmm do I remember this discussion....
I say XBLA and WiiWare should have it.... However, highly unlikely at this point, unless some crazy petition actually worked.
mr nimblewick @ Jan 13th 2008 4:16PM
That sounds like it would be a good solution. Perhaps Nintendo is just putting it off until Wiiware is ready?
Spiza @ Jan 13th 2008 4:54PM
Ya, make a deal to let Nintendo also put the game on the VC.
Fernando Rocker @ Jan 13th 2008 4:57PM
No... not in the VC, but in the WiiWare service. So they can add online multiplayer and IR pointer capabilities.
E.J. @ Jan 13th 2008 7:15PM
In order to do that, Rare (MS) would have to agree to put it on WiiWare. So unless Nintendo AND Rare/MS allows for Goldeneye to be multiplatform, don't count on seeing Goldeneye in current-gen consoles.
The only REAL solution is to let it be on both Wii (VC or WiiWare) AND XBLA. It all comes down to the $$$.
mr nimblewick @ Jan 13th 2008 10:26PM
"The only REAL solution is to let it be on both Wii (VC or WiiWare) AND XBLA. "
I think that's what we were referring to.
samfish @ Jan 13th 2008 10:31PM
"not in the VC, but in the WiiWare service. So they can add online multiplayer and IR pointer capabilities."
I can't imagine that would work very well. Goldeneye was very specifically made for the N64 controller. I really can't imagine using any other controller, be it Wiimote + Nunchuck or a 360 controller with it's second analog without giving it a major overhaul, which would destroy the spirit of the game.
Even though it had a bunch of control schemes, you still basically need a controller with 6 face buttons.
bm @ Jan 13th 2008 11:36PM
Samfish: I can't agree, to me it seems like Goldeneye was -made- for the IR pointer. In the original game, the aiming reticule moves across the screen like it does in Wii FPS's instead of staying in the middle of the screen like all other FPS's of the time. And the game has a trigger-activated "target mode" similar to Metroid Prime 3.
And I don't know why it would need six face buttons. The four C buttons were used for walking (if you used the "real" controls :p) which you have the nunchuck's analogue stick for, and then you're left with the "use" and "switch weapon" buttons, which IMO would go nicely on the A Wiimote and C nunchuck buttons, respectively. Z on the nunchuck for the target mode (like it was in MP3) and B for firing... sounds like a perfect fit to me.
(Off-topic: my spellchecker doesn't like the word "nunchuck" and suggests "nun chuck" instead. I laughed way too hard at this.)
Vidikron (FU) @ Jan 14th 2008 2:06AM
It would work perfectly with a dual analog controller. The analog stick + c-buttons were just being used to do the same things that dual analog controllers do today.
Crono (NDF - Knight of the Old School) @ Jan 14th 2008 11:54AM
I agree with IR pointing.
When I first played Red Steel, the controls most reminded me of Golden Eye on N64.
Geist @ Jan 13th 2008 4:10PM
I never understood the allure of this game. It was fun way back when, but I tried to play it recently and it feels incredibly dated.
jynxycat @ Jan 13th 2008 4:59PM
It's surprisingly horrid when played today.
But nostalgia has a strong effect.
Vegeta (aka Ska Oreo) @ Jan 13th 2008 6:54PM
Truth. Goldeneye was good during it's time, but it hasn't aged well at all.
People need to accept that.
colin @ Jan 13th 2008 10:53PM
i though i was the only one that felt this way ...
ill trooper @ Jan 14th 2008 3:20AM
But you see, it was going to get updated graphics and likely a better frame-rate, which would have helped a lot. It would have still been an old game, but it would have been a nice, playable update that could justify the nostalgia we older gamers feel for this game.
Fun game. The single-player campaign was great. I might bust that N64 out of the basement and play it again if I hadn't finished it on '007' difficulty and driven myself mad...
Trickob @ Jan 13th 2008 4:13PM
Good! I wasn't looking forward to this unholy marriage between Nintendo and MS. Armagedon has been delayed once more. for now....
Intentless @ Jan 13th 2008 4:20PM
I'm going to go and crawl into a corner and cry... As a Nintendo/Xbox fan this is terrible news...
This could have been incredible...
DWells55 @ Jan 13th 2008 4:50PM
I hear you man, this was a huge letdown for me. Oh well, I can keep hoping for XBLA Perfect Dark.
ExMcloud @ Jan 13th 2008 5:31PM
Yeah Perfect Dark is more likely than Golden Eye But hey the petition might work if it gets more than 10K signatures
Shmil @ Jan 13th 2008 4:21PM
you raised my hopes and dashed them expertly
bravo
fyreblazer @ Jan 14th 2008 1:28PM
+1 for the Futurama reference.
Crazylink @ Jan 13th 2008 4:21PM
I remember that Reggie said he really wanted to get it on the VC.
Slaziman (B-B-BRUSHED WITH FAAAAME) @ Jan 13th 2008 4:23PM
plz joystiq use your powers to contact reggie about this
Fernando Rocker @ Jan 13th 2008 4:28PM
How much XP level does have Joystiq?
hvnlysoldr @ Jan 13th 2008 4:37PM
Well MissingNo. has over 4000 comments. I have over 4100 comments. With you guys we have over 9000 comments... Dang that's still only lv8
Fernando Rocker @ Jan 13th 2008 4:38PM
Over nine thousaaaanddd!!??
Godmil @ Jan 13th 2008 4:43PM
Over Nine Thousand?!?
Fernando Rocker @ Jan 13th 2008 4:45PM
Jinx?
michas_pi @ Jan 14th 2008 2:12AM
What, nine thousand!? There's no way that can be right!
Blue_Falcon @ Jan 13th 2008 4:24PM
"The release of the title has been delayed indefinitely, due to a licensing disagreement between Microsoft and Nintendo."
What about Activision? Since they're have the 007 license and all.
Intentless @ Jan 13th 2008 4:28PM
I believe their licensing deals with new current titles. Titles already created would still be "owned" by the companies that created and produced them originally. To Nintedo has Goldeneye through producing it but RARE holds rights as well because they were the company that made it..
Or something to that effect..
MasterInsan0 @ Jan 13th 2008 4:32PM
There was probably a really simple patch or something that Rare had to add in to comply with the 007 license, but Activision blocked it. They've been doing a lot of that lately.
DWells55 @ Jan 13th 2008 4:49PM
Okay, this really sucks. Like, crushing. I was really pumped for this even though I knew it was just a rumor. Man, this is a huge disappointment.
Any chance of Perfect Dark, or is the issue that the code is still somehow tied to Nintendo? If so, couldn't they start from scratch? But I suppose that's be too much.
Jay @ Jan 13th 2008 4:26PM
Nintendo would probably let them do it if it also got on VC....it might be Microsoft who is being the bad sport
phinix08 @ Jan 13th 2008 4:27PM
i dont think nintendo should have barely anything to do with this game
they didnt buy rare (they could have)
microsoft did, im sure microsoft would have no problem releasing it for the n64 if it comes to that.
nintendo needs to pull there heads out of there dark place.
and think about the gaming community and not there pocket book
Fernando Rocker @ Jan 13th 2008 4:30PM
So, every company release their games just to do a favor to gamers and not to win money?
Interesting.
tmacairjordan87 @ Jan 13th 2008 4:37PM
as if nintendo needs any money from this game, because as we all know they're clinging on the edge of bankruptcy.
Brello @ Jan 13th 2008 4:42PM
@phinix08
As if the companies have some sort of obligation to hand over their old exclusives. Give me a break, this isn't a chartity.
CJC @ Jan 13th 2008 4:34PM
I always liked Perfect Dark a bit more, the multiplayer game was so damn versatile and the challenges were entertaining.
The weapons were pretty cool too.
Robobagins @ Jan 13th 2008 4:35PM
Is Joystiq always behind on the news?
hvnlysoldr @ Jan 13th 2008 4:40PM
Joystiq did report about the rumor about the Goldeneye XBLA being cancelled. This post has definitive confirmation it is cancelled because Nintendo and Microsoft couldn't negotiate licensing. Also without Griffin this would have been reported on Monday or later so there's an improvement.