Back in 2016, footage of a canceled remaster/remake of GoldenEye 007 was leaked onto YouTube, giving us a glimpse of what we could have had. Fast forward almost five years and now the entire game has been leaked, courtesy of YouTuber Graslu00. The video shows us updated environments and character models, although the original sound effects have remained. When asked where Graslu00 managed to find the game, all they would say is that “patience is key” and that they expect the game’s files to be released sometime this year.
For those unaware, the footage in this video is of a GoldenEye 007 remaster that had been developed in 2007. Development was promising, but the project was eventually canceled due to problems with licensing.
In an interview with VideoGamer.com back in 2008, one Rare employee claimed that the licensing issues surrounding the game were a confusing mess and that the GoldenEye 007 remaster was “locked in this legal limbo.” This is confirmed by Phil Spencer back when the initial footage leaked back in 2016 that “GoldenEye has always been a rights issue.”
What this means for the GoldenEye 007 remaster is that it will likely never see the light of day. With so many licensing issues, it would be almost impossible to have the game release in a traditional sense. As YouTuber Graslu00 alludes to in the comments section of his video, the game’s files could possibly be released to the public at some point in the future.
Even though we may not be getting a GoldenEye remaster, if you’re craving some James Bond in your life then Hitman developer IO Interactive has you covered. After the successful launch of Hitman 3, the developer has now moved onto its next title which is a new James Bond game currently titled Project 007. The game is still early in development and doesn’t have a confirmed release date yet, but IO Interactive has started ramping up development by doubling its staff and opening a new studio. Fingers crossed we’ll get some more information about Project 007 soon.
Source: MI6-HQ