Sorry blokes, but even after all these months the story still smells like unadulterated bulls**t to me.

Mystery Sources #1 and 2 say X, but no official source confirms this (in fact, the only source who's openly talking about this says "[e]ven most of the parties involved, probably all the parties involved want to solve it."

Microsoft and Rare decided to rebuild a game despite not having all the liscenses they knew they'd need.

Apparently, no movie or music studio needs to give their okay anymore for this re-release (!?).

Someone steals a game, the company knows who he is, but no one's taken any legal action (says unnamed source #1).

Oh yes, and Nintendo's willing to be a prick with Goldeneye, but the Banjo games are cool (without a Virtual Console release).

Like I said, the story smelled then, and it hasn't gotten any better since.

But it's not MORE Nintendo's than Rare's. The developer gets the primary credit for making the game, and that falls to Rare. Again, it's basically free money, and whilst they may feel slighted or whatever, surely the idea of money for practically no work would overcome that. Nintendo is just like every other company on earth, they all have their skeletons in the closet, their mistakes, their ego moments. But surely bringing a quality title to their console owners and making a tidy profit in the process. And despite the comments above, there is no indication in that article that Nintendo would have recieved a lesser version of the game at all.

Maybe more to it that we don't know, but on the face of it, nothing more than ego prevents Nintendo from earning this free money because they don't want Microsoft to earn money on the game either.

yes the story has always sounded fishy which is why I've always said would love to hear Ninty's side.

But yes absolutely right, Rare actually had no licenses to actually create this game.  When EA bought the rights to the James Bond franchise way back, Rare gave up all licenses and rights to create or "edit" any in the existing franchise.  And then of course now Activision has that.  Meaning only Activision and Nintendo ever had a say in this title anyways because obviously Ninty still has licensing with the publishing of that game in specific.  So I'm surprised what Rare did wasn't brought about on legal action. 

This is why I said probably the main issue was that Rare developed this and Nintendo had no say or oversight.  Even if Rare got permission from Activision to do this, Nintendo was left out of the loop.  Because Nintendo has alreayd agreed to let Banjo Kazooie release on XBLA so simply canning this one for reasons that would have affected that one makes no sense. 

I think the best way to solve this is through compromise.  I mean BK 1 and 2 are probably already going to make their way over to VC considering BK 1 made it to XBLA but possibly through some other means.  Possibly contributions from Activision to put the World is Not Enough on VC and Rare to put Killer Instinct on both XBLA and VC. 

But you are right we are missing Ninty's side which is probably very important in figuring out what is going.  My issue to saying alot of this isn't telling us the whole truth is that Rare did the developing of porting it over when in reality they had no licenses for the game at all.  And even if Activision gave it to them, Ninty deserves some oversight and imput.

 Hmm....I can't find Microsoft telling them they cant release an updated version...according to the article, Nintendo is the reason they are not releasing it.  I doubt Nintendo would put out the effort for an updated version anyway, so I don't see the problem being that.

And the Goldeneye 007 team is at Free Radical, and the head Martin Hollis, is at Zoonami.  This Rare with MS probably has less than 10 members that actually worked on Goldeney on N64. 

Point being Nintendo who actually has licenses to this title got no oversight or input on all of this and all of a suddent they are expected to approve it.  That's not fair to Ninty and you know that.

Have they not more then enough time by now to have reviewed the deal? I don't think Microsoft just shoved it on them and said 'SIGN'.

Well of course they have but look at it from their perspective.  There is nothing that actually says this game even needs to go to XBLA.  Actually they could have gone to Activision and struck a deal to have it developed and put on VC exclusively.  But then over at Rare they have these guys working on the project when they have no licenses for the game and now they have to approve it for both XBLA and VC when before it could have been exclusive.  I mean now the catch of course is they didn't have to pay for the funding and what not.  As some has said its a free game but they could have had it even better from a perspective.  Such as having a co development by them an Activision and then the profits are only split 2 way instead of 3.

I mean this is a tough issue... more than this article wants to give it as they simply display it as Ninty being stubborn.  But I think looking deeper into it some of that stubborness is warranted from a business perspective at Nintendo.  As I said a compromise will probably be worked out consider BK 1 was a go on XBLA but I can understand a little bit of Ninty's stubborness.  Not all of it but some of it.

Actually, that's about the only way this story is even semi-plausible. In the highly unlikely event that these rumors are mostly true (and I REALLY doubt that...) the only way Microsoft would have proceeded is if they'd gotten some go-ahead from all the license holders, which include Nintendo. And if Nintendo agreed, a contract would have almost certainly been formed (Microsoft's lawyers are no fools).

And if this HAD happened, and Nintendo backed out at the last second, Microsoft would have a legal claim of a breach of contract against Nintendo, at the very least for the amount of money spent in preparing the game for the XBLA (and VC) releases. They'd also probably try to claim consequentials.

So why hasn't anyone sued yet? They'd get more money than the lawsuit would cost, and it's not like Microsoft doesn't have the lawyers needed...

I wonder if this is Rare's idea of revenge for Starfox Adventures. Ninty took away our oversight and input on our game, it's time we strike back and do the same. Anyway this is all dissapointing to everyone, at this rate we're never getting this game ><

the saddest part of this? If the game ever were to be released, itd be crapped on by everyone. So many better FPS games have come out since Goldeneye was released.

That's the thing with nostalgia - sometimes it's better to let the past pass.