With Phil Spencer and the Microsoft gang taking key Xbox games away onto PS5 and Nintendo Switch, I’m left longing for one game in particular: Goldeneye 007. The genre-defining FPS consumed hours of my childhood with my older brother, and even more when Eurocom’s decent Daniel Craig-led remake arrived in 2011. Yet, last year’s Xbox port of the N64 classic, felt incomplete thanks to Nintendo exclusively retaining its multiplayer functionality. But things are changing behind the scenes for Xbox, and Goldeneye is deserving of some love on PlayStation 5.
Goldeneye’s history is complicated, to say the least. Beginning life on the N64, efforts to give it some polish on current-day hardware have taken various forms over the years. Notably, developer Rare was working on an Xbox Live Arcade remaster in 2008, which would overhaul its visuals and bring its control scheme up to the standard of FPS games of the time.
However, licensing disputes between Microsoft and Nintendo would ultimately sunset the project, despite reportedly nearing the end of development. It seemed like all hope was lost with this version – until it leaked in a playable state in 2021.
The thirst for a brand-new James Bond was considerable, and fans who saw the build in action wished it had seen the light of day officially. I was one of those fans. I’ve been desperately awaiting a new PS5 game or new Xbox game in the James Bond universe for years, hoping that 007 Legends wouldn’t be the last impression Ian Fleming’s spy would leave on players.
As we now know, Hitman 3 studio IO Interactive is leading the charge forward to restore Bond’s videogame reputation. But that is still seemingly years away, and though Goldeneye is one of the best Xbox Game Pass games available right now, it just isn’t enough. I love the campaign of Goldeneye dearly, but we both know that the game’s legendary status is anchored by one crucial element: multiplayer modes. Now, the age of ‘couch multiplayer’ isn’t quite as prevalent these days, but online multiplayer is the bread and butter of the best multiplayer games on current-gen consoles. Keeping that aspect tied only to Nintendo Switch players is a massive error.
From a legacy perspective, I get it. Nintendo is the original home of Goldeneye, but it isn’t 1997 anymore, and there are legions of players missing out on the fun (and betrayal) of slicing your mates up with Oddjob’s hat. Or having a good old match of Golden Gun mode.
Sony doesn’t have the licensing benefits that Microsoft has been afforded by Nintendo, but it doesn’t have to be this way. Nintendo’s emulation magic makes it easier to enact multiplayer carnage, too. But there could be a path where that changes. Giving players functioning crossplay between Switch, Xbox, and PS5 for Goldeneye’s multiplayer is a mouthwatering prospect.
The changing of the guard for four Xbox exclusives is important to factor in here. We’ve all seen the wider discussion and rumors taking place, purporting that talks are underway to bring Halo, Indiana Jones, and Gears of War to non-Xbox platforms.
Despite denial from Phil Spencer during the recent Xbox business update, many insiders are still adamant Starfield is headed over to Sony’s shores. Either way, Microsoft is shaking up its attitude, and it feels like a positive step toward unifying players irrespective of their preferred platform. Goldeneye deserves to be part of that vision.