James Bond Fans, Rejoice! GoldenEye Is Finally Coming To Modern Consoles With Online Play

'90s gamers have reason to celebrate today as "GoldenEye," one of the greatest Nintendo 64 games ever made (if not one of the greatest games of any kind) is finally making its way to modern consoles. And in 4K no less! Yes, after years of rumors, speculation, and hope, it was confirmed that the 1997 video game based on Pierce Brosnan's first "James Bond" film will be coming to the Nintendo Switch and Xbox later this year. What's more, for the first time ever, people will be able to play it online! Switch owners at least, anyway.

Ready up for your objective, secret agents. Nintendo 64’s GoldenEye 007 is coming soon to Nintendo Switch for #NintendoSwitchOnline + Expansion Pack members, now with online play! pic.twitter.com/pXNzpDW7Ud

— Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) September 13, 2022

The announcement was made as part of today's Nintendo Direct with the above teaser. It was later revealed that the game will be coming to Xbox Game Pass as well, meaning that Xbox owners can play it with a subscription and won't necessarily have to shell out for it separately. Similarly, the remastered version of "GoldenEye" will be available through Nintendo Switch Online, specifically those who have the Expansion Pack subscription.

In a post on 007.com recapping the announcement, the big bombshell was revealed. "Exclusive to the new Switch version of the 1997 title will be online play, allowing 007 fans across the world to take part in the popular four person multiplayer mode together." So yeah, the multiplayer mode will only be on the Switch and not for the Xbox. That is pretty brutal but, given that this was an exclusive Nintendo release back in the day, the move does sort of make sense. As disappointing as that detail may be, there is an awful lot to be excited about in general with this news.

Remastering classic video games for modern consoles happens often enough now that such a thing, in itself, is honestly not a huge deal. It can certainly be exciting for those who enjoyed those games, but broadly speaking, it's a common occurrence. That said, "GoldenEye" is so much more than just a video game and bringing it back 25 years later is going to feel downright special.

When the "GoldenEye"film opened in 1995, the James Bond movies had been away for six years following "License to Kill." Luckily, that film worked out quite well and reintroduced 007 for the '90s. But for an entire generation of young people, this video game was a proper introduction to one of the most enduring franchises in history. This was the gateway drug that got people into Bond and, quite honestly, has probably done a lot of heavy lifting to keep the franchise alive over the last 25 years.

Beyond that, first-person shooters have come to truly dominate the gaming industry. Does that happen without "GoldenEye'?" Maybe. But maybe not. After all, the game's multiplayer mode was revolutionary in that respect and paved the way for "Halo" and many, many others that would follow. Not only did it help bring 007 to a very lucrative form of media that casts a wide net, but it helped to define gaming for the 2000s. Not just a great game, but a radically important one as well. It's about time we all get the chance to play it in glorious 4K on a modern console.

The "GoldenEye" remaster does not yet have a release date.