UPDATE: 09/14/22 VGC has now confirmed that the Nintendo Switch Online version of GoldenEye 007 will have online multiplayer, though the Xbox remaster will not. Original story as follows.
Rare Ltd. has officially confirmed a remaster of the classic 1997 first-person shooter GoldenEye 007, based on the 1995 James Bond movie of the same name. Upon its release, GoldenEye was heralded as an instant classic upon its release as a Nintendo 64 exclusive with a classic campaign mode following the story of the movie, impressive stealth-shooter gameplay, and a split-screen competitive mode featuring several villains from across other 007 movies, including the somewhat infamous Oddjob from Goldfinger.
Fans have been hopeful that GoldenEye 007 would get remastered or remade for modern consoles, and rumors have been perpetually circulating for years that original developer Rare - which was acquired by Xbox in 2002 - was working on a remake. These rumors were further fueled by various leaks or glimpses at canceled projects. Activision had previously attempted to remake GoldenEye 007 in 2010 with GoldenEye: Reloaded, swapping out Pierce Brosnan for the current James Bond actor, Daniel Craig. GoldenEye: Reloaded was warmly received, but many felt it still could not live up to the classic title.
Original developer Rare Ltd. took to Twitter to somewhat quietly announce the remaster of GoldenEye 007. The announcement stated that the remaster would have features many gamers expect from modern titles, with GoldenEye 007 boasting Xbox Achievements, 4K resolution, and smoother framerates. A further article on Xbox's website confirmed that all of the features from the original would return, including the game's many chaos-inducing cheats.
GoldenEye Is Coming To Xbox Game Pass And Nintendo Switch Online
Unsurprisingly, considering Rare is owned by Xbox, the GoldenEye 007 remaster has been recreated specifically for Xbox consoles, and will be coming to Xbox Game Pass when it releases. Despite this, Rare clearly hasn't forgotten that the title was originally a Nintendo exclusive upon its release, and announced that the original GoldenEye 007 would be getting a simultaneous Switch release with online play enabled, joining the Nintendo 64 library available for Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack members.
There is currently no release date for GoldenEye 007's return, with the reveal trailer only stating that it would be "Coming Soon." Considering the high demand for a GoldenEye 007 remaster over the years, many fans are likely overjoyed at Rare's announcement and are looking forward to jumping back into the 25-year-old genre-defining stealth shooter.
Source: Rare Ltd./Twitter, Xbox