Nintendo Blocks Nightdive Studios from Remastering GoldenEye 007 for Modern Platforms

In gaming history, few titles command as much nostalgia and reverence as GoldenEye 007.

Released for the Nintendo 64 in 1997, this landmark first-person shooter not only revolutionized multiplayer gaming but has also endured as one of the most critically acclaimed titles in Nintendo's library.

Developed by Rare and published by Nintendo, GoldenEye 007's legacy has only grown, prompting modernization efforts by developers eager to reintroduce it to new audiences on platforms such as the Nintendo Switch. One such developer, Nightdive Studios—a name known for expertly reviving classic games—revealed in a recent interview with Video Games Chronicle (VGC) that their attempt to remaster GoldenEye 007 was ultimately thwarted by Nintendo.

Nightdive, whose catalog includes respected revivals like System Shock and Quake II, had assembled a skilled team and spent considerable time navigating the intricate web of rights surrounding GoldenEye 007.

Approval from the rights holders at MGM and Eon was eventually secured after an arduous year-long process. Nightdive Studios’ CEO, Stephen Kick, explained the situation to VGC: “We put immense effort into pitching this project.

Our team was in place, rights with the film holders were sorted, and we believed we were ready to proceed.

However, when it came time to approach Nintendo, we discovered that the company was not open to allowing a third-party remaster of their licensed titles.” According to Kick, Nintendo made it clear that its intellectual property would remain exclusively in its own hands, effectively shuttering Nightdive’s plans for a GoldenEye 007 remaster. Despite this setback, GoldenEye 007 did make a triumphant—if limited—return, launching for Nintendo Switch Online members in 2023 as part of the Nintendo 64 classics expansion.

While this was not a remastered edition, fans celebrated the opportunity to revisit the game officially on current hardware via the Nintendo eShop.

Many in the community had doubted such a return was feasible due to the complicated tangle of rights and licensing, marking the Switch release as a notable achievement for Nintendo’s retro catalog. Meanwhile, James Bond's gaming future is once again in the spotlight as IO Interactive, famed for their Hitman series, develops the upcoming Project 007.

The new game is slated for release on next-generation platforms, including the anticipated Nintendo Switch 2.

While the saga behind GoldenEye 007’s remaster highlights the challenges of navigating intellectual property and licensing in the modern gaming industry, Nintendo's stance underscores its commitment to tightly managing beloved franchises. For now, GoldenEye 007 lives on through Nintendo Switch Online, preserving its legacy for both longtime fans and a new generation of players.

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