Original GoldenEye 007 developers weigh in on new remasters

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Why does GoldenEye 007's iconic watch music sound different on Nintendo Switch than on N64?




Members of the original development team behind the legendary GoldenEye 007 for N64 have shared their thoughts on the recent re-releases of the game for Nintendo Switch and Xbox.


Responding to a tweet by Rare, the game’s original developer, game designer David Doak questioned where the love was for “the team who actually made it”.


“Obviously marvellous to see GoldenEye 007 re-released and I hope people have a lot of fun with it!” Doak continued. “But yeh, bit shabby all round that we weren’t invited.”

GoldenEye 007 for Nintendo Switch, developed internally at Nintendo Europe.


Doak mentioned a list of veteran ex-Rare team members who helped craft GoldenEye and who have now, more than 25 years later, gone on to other jobs in the industry.


“Can you imagine a similar scenario in any other creative media? (books, music, film…)” Doak continued. “[A] highly anticipated re-issue after a quarter of a century and the the original creators aren’t involved.”


The discussion comes after mixed feedback to the new versions of GoldenEye – and continued questions over why the Nintendo Switch and Xbox versions differ, most prominently in their inclusion (or lack of) online multiplayer.


“Sad to think GoldenEye for Switch and Xbox was outsourced to two different devs,” former Rare composer Graeme Norgate added. “You could have got the old team back together for one more gig guys. We wouldn’t have let you down. Labour of loves are always better value than cash for mates.”

GoldenEye 007 for Xbox consoles, developed by Code Mystics.


The Nintendo Switch version of GoldenEye 007 was handled internally within Nintendo, while the Xbox version was worked on by Vancouver-based studio Code Mystics.


“Just a general FYI for all those inquiring: we were the devs that worked on GoldenEye for Xbox, but we don’t make the plans,” Code Mystics wrote on Twitter. “Unfortunately, there will be questions we can’t answer.”


Fans of GoldenEye 007 have asked for the long-lost Xbox Live Arcade version of the game to be released instead.


“That decision was made before we were brought on board,” Code Mystics replied to someone asking why the XBLA port was not used.


“That was a really disappointing discovery,” Norgate concluded.


How have you found the new versions of GoldenEye 007 so far?





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