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Goldeneye 007 is arguably the biggest example of a late-'90s gaming sensation that has remained trapped in its era. Unlike other hits from the same period, which have received remasters and digital-download options ad nauseum, this 1997 Rare game has laid dormant on the N64, likely due to a tangled web of licenses and company-ownership issues.
Three years ago, however, we finally saw hard proof of what many had suspected: that original developers at Rare worked on, and nearly re-released, an Xbox 360 remaster of the 1997 original. (Don't get that confused with the ho-hum Goldeneye 'reimagining' on the Wii in 2010.) We took a hard look at a 2016 leak, which confirmed the Xbox 360 project's existence. At the time, we had ourselves a hard cry and moved on.
But this week, a massive video leak has reopened the wound of wondering what could have been—and it comes during arguably the most amicable period that license holders Microsoft and Nintendo have ever shared.
The most exciting footage is a pair of documentary videos, which add up to 30 minutes of polished, professionally edited interviews with members of the original Goldeneye 007 development team. One of the video files is titled 'Rare Replay: The Making of Goldeneye 007,' and it has been put together in a nearly identical format as the documentaries in that Microsoft-published Rare gaming anthology from 2015. While the video footage isn't dated, one interview includes a mention of fans thanking the development team '17 years later,' which would pin at least one of its interviews to 2014—arguably a reasonable window to have prepared a video for that disc's launch the following year.
Some of these development stories have made the rounds over the years, including information about its SNES side-scrolling origins and how its four-player mode came near the end of development as a lark. But many of the stories will likely still be new to series fans, including stories about Rare's photography of the film's original sets and the allegation that a slew of skins for the series' original actors as multiplayer characters nearly made it in... until Sean Connery's licensing hold-up meant all other classic actors had to be removed. Original producer Ken Lobb also offers some interesting business minutiae: that he convinced Nintendo to send extra rental copies of the game to Blockbuster Video stores in order to boost the game's visibility (a crazy move, considering how anti-rental Nintendo had been for years) and that the game's Christmas 1999 sales outsold the game's sales during Christmas 1997 and Christmas 1998... combined.
Advertisement That ended up being GoldenEye 007 by developer Rare and, much to surprise of those involved with the project, it was a massive success, becoming the third highest selling Nintendo 64 game of all time, beating out the likes of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. Much of its success was attributed to the fast free roam movement and the split screen multiplayer, both relatively unheard of at the time. Screencheat caries forward the legac y of the latter in a very specific way. All of the players are invisible, so the only way to locate someone to shoot them is to sneak a peek at their screen.
“We’ve always given up”
This week's leak paired these documentary clips with a 30-minute explosion of B-roll taken from the Xbox 360 port of Goldeneye 007, which is even clearer and more demonstrative than the 2016 leak. After running through the entirety of the game's opening level, the gameplay footage revolves around the port's 'graphics toggle' button, which would have allowed players to swap between the original N64 version's textures and an updated slew of higher-res textures. Most impressively, this toggle showed a serious reworking of every major character's face so that each film character now actually looks like his or her real-life actor.
But why would Rare and Microsoft have produced a substantive documentary about a game that didn't see inclusion in Rare Replay? The collection included documentary snippets about unreleased games, and the company uploaded one mini-doc onto YouTube about a single game not on Rare Replay (the Game Boy Advance curio It's Mr. Pants). But by and large, Rare Replay's documentary content centered on games on the disc as opposed to missing games like Wizards & Warriors, Donkey Kong 64, or Taboo. Did Microsoft expect the stars to align for Goldeneye in time for Rare Replay's mid-2015 launch?
Neither Microsoft nor Rare have publicly commented on the classic game being close to retail launch on Xbox consoles, beyond Xbox chief Phil Spencer saying in late 2015 that 'Goldeneye rights are so challenging' and 'we've always given up.' After Goldeneye's 1997 launch, EA picked up the film series' gaming rights, which Activision consequently grabbed in a deal meant to expire in 2014 (which possibly expired a bit earlier). There's really no telling exactly why the licensing powers that be haven't joined forces to print money with a Goldeneye re-release, other than the likely answer that everybody wants a piece of the pie.
If it's just a matter of Nintendo and Microsoft butting heads, that conversation takes on a different tone in 2019, a year in which former Xbox-exclusive releases like Ori and the Blind Forest, Cuphead, and Goldeneye Source 5.0 Split Screen
- Online strategies and tactics evolve differently-it's hunt or be hunted-keeping the gameplay interesting and the challenge fresh even if you're the neighborhood pro in split-screen matches.
- But I found that having the screen split set to vertical instead of horizontal, this will remedy the problem. Even if you are playing in four player mode, the setting still makes a difference. People playing GE are out of luck, but I imagine the same thing will work in Perfect Dark.
007 Source
Super Lucky's Tale have found their way onto Nintendo Switch. But this week's leak doesn't include substantive information about why things didn't quite work out, nor does it include any speculation on whether there's an increased likelihood of a future Goldeneye remaster coming out.Listing image by Rare
Sadly, the modern gamer may be unaware of split-screen, and its definition. Before online gaming became the immovable juggernaut, it is today, video-games typically had two redeeming features. The first was a solo campaign which acted as the primary source of interaction — supplemented by some form of offline multiplayer. That may seem like an abstract and archaic concept in the modern day. That said, back then, it brought players together. Thus, acting as a social stimulant.
Nowadays, things are somewhat different, and times have changed. In truth, gaming, in general, has evolved to incorporate online multiplayer. Now, in little or no time at all, online is part of the staple fabric, entrenched in the DNA of the industry. Whether that’s downloading DLC content or hopping on a server to play Apex Legends, there’s no escaping the influence online capability has had.
With that in mind, online multiplayer does have its benefits. Besides, the ability to team up with players across the globe is an enticing proposition especially since players can interact over the headset. In my opinion, gaming is all about bringing players together.
But that doesn’t mean we must lose sight of single-player experiences either or neglect their importance. Whichever takes precedence in your life, it’s nice to have the option to fall back on both, depending on your current mood.
Call me old-fashioned, but I reminisce fondly of quality time spent with friends bundled on the sofa, playing split-screen multiplayer, catching up on events in person. Much of that I’m sure, is mostly based on a rose-tinted perspective. Regardless, I value those times, and I miss the format.
Since online play cemented its position in the industry, split-screen or couch-coop has been sidelined to the scrapheap. Now, just an ancient relic gathering dust at the back of some old museum. Just the other day, I was playing Borderlands 2 split-screen with my Brother. We had such a blast, and it made me wonder. Why has split-screen been marginalized in the manner that it has?
Well, there is a host of possible causes for this gradual transition. Perhaps the accessibility and the ease at which players can hop straight into the action is preferable to making plans and organizing events in person? Though that may be true for many, I still dedicate time to host events. And often have major Crash Team Racing and Goldeneye sessions that last long into the early hours. For many years, split-screen gaming was a way of life for me, and I’ll cherish those days now and until the end of time.
I believe, there’s a more sinister reason for the ousting of split-screen from the scene. For years now, a handful of game companies have been hell-bent on emulating the battle royale formula. To such a degree, that some have even taken great lengths to reduce the quality of story content in a bid to complement online play.
With loot acting as the focal point for many of these games, insidious corporate agendas have led to mass-monetization. Thus, taking advantage of the overall player base. Aware that allure for loot is strong, games often have payment walls, deliberately placed to block progress. Not only that, but this fixation on booty and the format itself detracts from the properties I love most about games.
On occasion, games release unfinished. Often, with locked modes and content unavailable until the next paid expansion. In truth, this pay now, play later mentality bugs me to the core. Mostly though, it’s the perceived motive behind it all that disturbs me. In my view, I feel that gamers should be the ultimate priority. After all, we are the consumer. And, should have a say in the product to some degree.
However, I am of the stance that this disparity between the honorable demands of the gamer, and the monetary concerns of companies has led to split-screen fading into obscurity. Or at the very least, it’s a relatable factor.
So, in light of what has been said here today, I regrettably think the split-screen format is resigned to the history books. There may be the odd game that slips through the woodwork, but the concept appears to have vanished into oblivion. It’s a sorry state of affairs for me, an avid split-screen enthusiast.
On that note, I’d love to hear from you, the gamer. Do you have any great memories playing couch coop with friends? If so, get in touch, we’d love to hear of your classic moments. As always, we value your views on the topic.