Topic: GoldenEye --OT--

The N64 classic is coming to Gamepass!! I am excited for this as I have fond memories with this game. Staying up countless nights with friends for that one more match. This is going to be a day one purchase for me.

Hello there!

I am excited too! It was the game that sold me on the N64. I remember how I save to buy it, which I did three years later, after release.

I played it until I finished it in 007 difficulty. So, this is going to be a blast from the past!

I don't care if it has aged badly. It is still my Goldeneye, one of the few games that I will unconditionally love forever.

I didn't get too far in the single player, evertime I would try to play single player my brother would usually want to play me in MP then the kids from the neighborhood would join in and that was it for me playing single player lol.

Playing MP with big heads and golden pistols only was such a blast lol. Also never forget that looking to the other side of the TV was cheating! As I did not own a N64 I only played parts of the single player but remember that I could never pass the jungle because of the mines and the terrible frame rate

Available as part of Rare Replay and on Game Pass!

I sure was surprised by the Game Pass announcement!

But I guess I forgot that Rare, Nintendo and Microsoft are involved, so it was fair to expect Goldeneye to be included both on GP and NSO.

@BAMozzy I finally watched the video. Interesting.

So...is it very likely that the game won't be available to purchase it separately?

@HarmanSmith I wouldn't pay much attention to that video because the guy is a bit misinformed about the case in spite of being a lawyer. I'm not talking about availability specifically. In any case, it will be available as part of Rare Replay 😊.

@Banjo- Thank you for the info!

Anyway, since it was announced, I bought Rare Replay (I played it via Game Pass but it was on sale) just to get Goldeneye .

@HarmanSmith That's a very smart thing to do. I already have it in physical and digital form 😊.

@HarmanSmith To be honest, I don't think anyone really knows yet and that video was based purely on the 'official' information provided by both Parties (Nintendo & Microsoft) - which looks at the Language used from a 'Legal' perspective and speculating on what that means - as much by what hasn't been stated as by what has...

The point is that MS hasn't actually stated that this game will be available as a separate, stand alone Purchase to Xbox gamers - stating that its 'available' through Game Pass and to owners of the Digital version of Rare Replay. From a 'legal' perspective, that would indicate that this is 'Only' available via those two routes BUT the 'omission' of mentioning 'selling' the game separately is not necessarily indicative of the game never being 'sold'.

You have to remember that this guy was reacting to the 'initial' reveal and info that both 'presented' in regards to availability, build and features. More info may of come out since to answer some of the questions that people had, but at the time, the fact that MS hadn't stated the game would have Online or be available to Purchase, then it would appear that its only part of Rare Replay. It seems that 'neither' are willing to let the other 'sell' these games as they both own some rights and that this was the compromise - its been a LONG time coming and 'years' of negotiation to come to some arrangement that both Nintendo and Microsoft both agreed on to enable them to bring a 25yr old game to a modern day audience.

Its the Licensing rights that kept Goldeneye (as well as some other Rare games) off of Rare Replay originally (and had made a 360 Arcade version but couldn't release), but by adding it to 'Rare Replay', you are effectively not using a 'Goldeneye' licence to play Goldeneye, not selling a Goldeneye Licence either and under Game Pass or whatever Nintendo's streaming service is called, you are accessing it via your 'subscription' licence and 'if/when' it leaves GP, can be 'sold' as part of Rare Replay for example so not selling 'Goldeneye' Licences which would anger/upset Nintendo who owns the rights to that and Nintendo can't sell Goldeneye either as they don't own the rights to the game design, maps assets etc and James Bond Licence itself is somewhat in Limbo too (although IO Interactive are making a new James Bond game). This way, neither 'really' profits from the other if neither can 'sell' the game but both can 'bolster' their line-up and Subscription services as you are not 'selling' Goldeneye, but a service that just so happens to offer Goldeneye. MS can turn round to Nintendo (or Vice Versa) and say that they don't owe 'either' any money for selling something they own a part of because they sold a 'service', not a game and in the case of Rare Replay, its part of that package and wholly owned by MS - like I said, Nintendo own the Publishing rights to Goldeneye, which stops MS publishing it, but Rare own the Game design/assets etc so can now include it in Rare Replay by letting Nintendo use their Game Code/assets on their Sub service - neither is 'profiting' from the others 'Licences' they hold or owe each other 'money' based on sales.

I would never say never, but it does seem that 'initially' at least, if you have an Xbox, then you'll need either a Digital copy of Rare Replay OR Game Pass to play. Unless there has been new info to the contrary, not some others speculating and opining what they think will happen which can mislead people who mistake opinion/speculation as 'fact', which is why I only react to 'Official' statements. The reason I linked this video is because the Guy looks at the actual wording used from the perspective of a Lawyer and what would hold up in a court of law. As MS didn't state it would be available to purchase or include an online MP, then 'legally', they are not obliged to do so - especially not at 'launch'. Whether things change later or not is irrelevant but you couldn't sue for being 'misled' that the Xbox version would be available to purchase or would have online support on the day it becomes 'available' on GP/Rare Replay.

That's why he is an interesting person to look at things like this as he looks at it from the Legalities side at not from some expectant/hopeful fanboy. Things change 5-10yrs ago, the 'original' Goldeneye seemed lost in the past, you needed an N64 (or emulation on PC) to play it, now its coming to both Switch and Xbox in 'some' form - whether its the 'original' game code now with online MP on Switch, or an ALL new remake of that Original game with Achievements, modern control schemes, higher resolution and frame rates but 'true' to the Original experience - part of what made the MP great was being able to see each others screen and that played into the experience, the banter, the laughter etc - seeing your friends screen as you kill them or they do something silly (blow themselves up by mistake) adds to the 'fun, laughter and enjoyment'. Its not like CoD where you have '6' in a team and 12 players+ which works because of 'online', this is upto 4 players and designed to be played in Split Screen - a 'party' game more than a full blown Multi-player experience...

@HarmanSmith From my understanding you can get the game for free if you have Rare Replay as it will be added to that or it will be included in Gamepass if you have a sub for that as well. But it will also be made available to purchase if you don't have either. Now whether it will be able to be purchased from Rare Replay separate or you would have to buy Rare Replay as well I don't know. However if they have GoldenEye on its own in Gamepass, I don't see why it won't be made available separately from Rare Replay.