Widely considered to be one of the most influential first-person shooters of all time,GoldenEye 007absolutely changed the game for console FPS titles when it first released all the way back in 1997.GoldenEyewas far from the first FPS game on a console, but it was one of the first to popularize a more modern control scheme, which future titles likeHalo: Combat Evolvedwould refine even further. While its campaign was solid, it wasGoldenEye 007’s split-screen multiplayer modethat made it a game of legend, and now that legend can be enjoyed by modern fans on both the Xbox and Nintendo Switch.
For the longest time, rumors aboutaGoldenEye 007remakehave made their way to the internet, only to be met with silence. And while fans still don’t have that long-awaited remaster or remake, they can at least now play the game on modern consoles. And in a surprisingly generous move, Microsoft has letGoldenEye 007come to Nintendo Switch as well.
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It’s Great to See GoldenEye 007 on Both Xbox and Switch
GoldenEye 007will always be associated with the Nintendo 64, and it’s always included in lists of the best N64 games ever made, being one of the rare inclusions that isn’t from a first-party Nintendo studio. Despite once developing solely for Nintendo’s consoles,GoldenEye’s developer Rarebegan to grow apart from Nintendo during the late 1990s, and in 2002, Microsoft acquired Rare for $375 million. Since then, Rare has worked almost exclusively with Microsoft to produce first-party titles for the Xbox, includingViva Piñata,Kinect Sports, andSea of Thieves.
With aGoldenEye 007remake or remaster on the cards for quite a while, fans were wondering just how Microsoft would handle the exclusivity situation. On one hand, releasing a remaster ofGoldenEye 007on all platforms would undoubtedly yield more money for the company, but on the other, the Xbox is extremely lacking when it comes to first-party exclusives, andGoldenEyeremaster could be just the title to draw in fans who have been previously loyal to other platforms. This situation only became more complicated when Nintendo announced itsNintendo Switch Online Expansion Packwhich was set to add some beloved Nintendo 64 games to the service. Of course, one of the N64’s most beloved titles isGoldenEye, and not having it on the service would be a pretty major blow to Switch Online’s Expansion Pack.
Right now, Microsoft is trying to get as many publishers and developers on its good side, with its monumentalActivision-Blizzard acquisitionheavily relying on the support of other voices in the gaming industry to be passed through. While the cynical may look at this sharing of IP as simply a tactical move to try and get the Activision acquisition through, there’s no denying that this is a win for both Switch and Xbox owners.
GoldenEye 007was first released for the Nintendo 64 in 1997. It is available now for Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
