Switch users will likely rejoice over the news that the upcoming port of the classic GoldenEye 007 will exclusively feature online multiplayer. As one of the most influential FPS games ever made, the original 1997 release on Nintendo 64 may have aged in terms of its visuals and controls, but it has left quite an impact on the genre and on gaming in general. Given its status, fans have been hoping for a return, either in the form of a remake or through being made available on modern systems, and now that time has come.
GoldeneEye 007 was announced for the Switch Online very recently, along with some other games coming to the hybrid console, such as Pokémon Stadium and Mario Party. While there are plans to re-release these retro games both in 2022 and 2023, there's no release date for the James Bond title as of yet. Alongside this, GoldeneEye is also coming to Xbox Game Pass, which is being described as a "faithful recreation" of this iconic title. However, it appears as though Xbox users won't get access to online multiplayer.
That's according to a recent report from VGC. A statement sent from Microsoft says there are currently "no plans" to bring online multiplayer to the Game Pass version of GoldenEye 007, which will likely disappoint many. However, the Xbox port of the game will still have old-school couch multiplayer mode, which will allow up to four people to play against each other using split-screen. To some older gamers, this may be ideal as it allows them to relive how the original was played back in the day. However, for those who are more used to playing online, a split-screen mode may not be enough.
At this stage, it looks as though only those with a Switch will get exclusive access to the online multiplayer portion of the FPS. In any case, it's nice to see the return of this influential title. There have been rumors about a remake of GoldenEye 007, but so far there has been no official confirmation on whether that will happen. In the meantime, at least fans can jump back into this quarter-of-a-century-old classic.
Given the influence the game had on the industry, a GoldenEye documentary was released not long ago that gives insight into developer Rare's experience developing the game 25 years ago. For many, both the modern ports of the game and the documentary are a blast from the past, and while it's a shame Xbox users won't have online multiplayer, it's still an opportunity to relive the game or experience it for the first time.
GoldenEye 007 is available now for Nintendo 64 and is coming to Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
Source: VGC