GoldenEye 007’s elusive HD port finally looks set for release, after Achievements were discovered on Xbox [5,159 articles]” href=”https://www.videogameschronicle.com/platforms/xbox/”>Xbox servers on Sunday.
As shared by internet sleuth Wario64, Achievements for an Xbox version of the classic Nintendo 64 [236 articles]” href=”https://www.videogameschronicle.com/platforms/nintendo/nintendo-64/”>N64 shooter have appeared on Microsoft’s servers, suggesting that a release is imminent.
It was first spotted earlier this year that Rare [167 articles]” href=”https://www.videogameschronicle.com/companies/microsoft/rare/”>Rare developers were seemingly playing an Xbox version of the FPS, as their progress was being logged on tracker sites such as TrueAchivements.
Last year it was confirmed that Xbox Game Studios (Microsoft) [2,027 articles]” href=”https://www.videogameschronicle.com/companies/microsoft/”>Microsoft had to shelve an already completed remaster of the classic N64 game for the Xbox 360 [531 articles]” href=”https://www.videogameschronicle.com/platforms/xbox/x360/”>Xbox 360 back in 2007, following licensing issues and miscommunication between license holders and a young team who rushed ahead to create it.
A working build of GoldenEye 007’s cancelled Xbox 360 remaster was leaked onto file-sharing sites, allowing those with access to the files to play it via a modded console or PC [5,505 articles]” href=”https://www.videogameschronicle.com/platforms/pc/”>PC emulator. At the time, VGC reviewed the leaked GoldenEye Xbox build and called it “the greatest remaster you’ll likely never play”.
Speaking for the first time to VGC in a GoldenEye Xbox interview last year, the canned remaster’s co-directors said they didn’t think it would ever be officially released.
“It’s kind of bittersweet,” co-director Chris Tilston [9 articles]” href=”https://www.videogameschronicle.com/people/chris-tilston/”>Chris Tilston said of seeing the GoldenEye remaster leak into the public domain. “It means people get to see the work that was done, but it also masks some of the cockups that went on behind the scenes.”
Co-director Mark Edmonds [9 articles]” href=”https://www.videogameschronicle.com/people/mark-edmonds/”>Mark Edmonds added: “The thing that I find strangest is, why now? Why leak it after all this time? Someone must have had this for all those years. It just seems strange to me.
“When I first heard about it, it almost made me think, are Microsoft leaking it on purpose for some reason? (Laughs) I don’t think that would make sense, but it does make you wonder.”