The realm of video game storage is often a surprising and delightful space. This was recently re-proven when a GoldenEye 007 remaster originally intended for release on the Xbox 360 in 2007 was leaked online in a playable state after a full playthrough. uploaded to YouTube.
If you are familiar with the original N64 release of GoldenEye 007, watching the video you will notice how faithful this is as a remaster. Gameplay, music and sound effects will all remain intact, while the game’s textures have undergone significant upgrades.
It’s not entirely different from the 2010 remaster of 4J Studios Perfectly dark, which was also released on the Xbox Live Arcade ecosystem. A big difference here is that the GoldenEye 007 remaster has not been outsourced. It was previously developed in-house by Rare itself.
A lot of old Boris
Unfortunately, the GoldenEye 007 remaster was pulled off hold due to copyright issues, but it appears to be in near-complete condition. In fact, the full remaster is now available for download and can be played on an emulator.
It has been confirmed that the game is indeed playable, and in nice condition too, with Digital Foundry’s John Linneman citing so much in a tweet posted earlier today.
I’m thinking about having a DF live stream this afternoon to discuss and play the leaked version of Goldeneye 360. It’s really good. Any interest? pic.twitter.com/h9J84JymMPFebruary 3, 2021
Thanks to several efforts, the GoldenEye 007 remaster has been preserved for fans of the original to watch at their leisure. In a typically witty way, Rare didn’t let the project die with a whimper, either, acknowledging its likely demise with this cheeky splash screen:
While an officially released GoldenEye 007 remaster would have been extremely welcome on the XBLA platform, the rights to 007 video games are notoriously difficult to navigate. The IP is jointly owned by Danjaq LLC and Metro Goldwyn Mayer. Several video game companies have had access to the franchise over the years, including EA, Activision, Nintendo and most recently Hitman developer IO Interactive.
Xbox Head Phil Spencer has always been keenly aware of the interest in an official GoldenEye 007 remaster. In 2015 Spencer tweeted that the rights are “so challenging, have looked at this often. A lot of [sic] from different parties to work with, we have always given up. “So there is still hope one day for an official revival of this iconic game.