MGM kills fan-made Goldeneye updating the classic in Unreal Engine 4 while it was in development

[Madmick]

The project was named "Goldeneye 25".

This thing has been in development for three years, and only now do these assholes squash it. Even the the leading developers of the original game were behind this project.

If you haven't seen it yet, here was an early preview of "The Facility" that went viral a few years ago:

Goldeneye 25 was the work of self-taught 3D artist Ben Colclough due to release alongside the Rare FPS’s 25th anniversary in August 2022. Swiss composer Yannick Zenhausern was due to create the game’s music.

The remake – which was inspired by another canned GoldenEye project for Xbox Live Arcade – had received regular praise from original GoldenEye developers including designer David Doak.

However, in a statement published on Tuesday it was confirmed that the GoldenEye 25 project would cease development at the request of Bond rights holder MGM.

“This was always in the back of our heads as a possibility but we’ve tried our best to keep going,” the GoldenEye 25 team said. “Of course we will comply and want to thank you for your ongoing support.”

As reported by Nintendo Life, The GoldenEye 25 project will now be repurposed into a “90s action shooter” based on the weapons and gadgets created for the remake.

In a video posted on Tuesday, composer Zenhausern claimed that most of the assets created for GoldenEye 25 could be reused in the new project, as long as any references to James Bond were removed.

“We’re going to change the storyline, basically,” he said. “It’s going to be different, but it’s still going to have those elements of that beloved, 90s shooter that we all love so much. So it will still be very much in the spirit of that old game.”

Goldeneye designer David Doak said he was “deeply saddened and disappointed” following the news, but excited to see what the new project becomes. “Thank you for a marvellous glimpse of what might have been,” he wrote.

The original GoldenEye lead Martin Hollis also shared the news, writing: “Oh no, the lovely GoldenEye remake got a cease & desist from Danjaq/Eon”.

I guess they can't tolerate the idea that the game would simply be polished and offered for free on PCs. Can't have that. Which means they almost certainly intend to fire off some shitty, half-hearted remaster packaging the game for some service, probably even on mobile platforms, and they don't want the competition from a proper retooling born of love.

Fuck you, MGM.

 

[jefferz]

I've never followed one of those fan made remakes. Do they get funding from the public?

 

[Madmick]

No idea. I would have assumed it was fan-funded, but they don't have a kickstarter. It may have been a passion project on the side, and that's a big reason why it takes so long to complete.

Here was a clip of actual gameplay in the Silo. I'm so fucking pissed we won't get this:




*Edit*
LMFAO, are these assholes pressuring YouTube to pull these vids? Fuck you, MSM, it sprouts like a weed. Enjoy:



*Edit #2*
Can't kill it. Once a vid is on the internet, it's like piss in a pool.

 

[The Diplomat]

I remember playing GoldenEye Source years ago.



It sucks that MGM pulled the trademark card. Luckily they said they can reuse the assets, and just make a brand new game.

 

[jefferz]

If it was wasn't fan funded, it would make sense for them not to release any info about it and then release it completed. That way if they do get a cease and desist, it would have already hit the internet.

 

[method115]

I've never followed one of those fan made remakes. Do they get funding from the public?

Most of the time these projects in some way shape or form advertise a way to donate to them (deservedly so from the ones I've seen).

 

[vcmmafan]

They did the same with Metroid 2

there was a really good fan remake (completed too) and they stopped it then eventually released their own remake

 

[KaNesDeath]

I've never followed one of those fan made remakes. Do they get funding from the public?

Usually a passion project. Normally self funded for theyre dealing with copyright material.

 

[HereticBD]

Licensing is a bitch. It sucks, but it's not exactly shocking that MGM stepped in. It's their property.

 

[Law Talkin’ Guy]

I’ve never really understood how publishers can take action against free projects. I remember back in 1998/1999 there was cool mod for Quake 2 called Generations that directly took assets from Wolfenstein 3d, Doom and Quake 1 and plopped them into Quake 2 and they got shut down for copyright/trademark infringement.

IP was not my strong point in law school, and I literally got a C+ in the Class and it shows because 10 years later I still don’t understand how this stuff works. If they were selling it that would be one thing, but a free mod like Quake Generations or this free game, I just don’t get the legal basis for being able to shut them down.

@Quipling do you know?

 

[My Spot]

I’ve never really understood how publishers can take action against free projects. I remember back in 1998/1999 there was cool mod for Quake 2 called Generations that directly took assets from Wolfenstein 3d, Doom and Quake 1 and plopped them into Quake 2 and they got shut down for copyright/trademark infringement.

IP was not my strong point in law school, and I literally got a C+ in the Class and it shows because 10 years later I still don’t understand how this stuff works. If they were selling it that would be one thing, but a free mod like Quake Generations or this free game, I just don’t get the legal basis for being able to shut them down.

@Quipling do you know?

Do you remember the DBZ mod for Quake 3 called Bid For Power? It got shut down after 3 years of being worked on.

 

[TKing]

They are going to remove the names and images needed and will release it under a different name from what I last heard, some of these games get full on canceled and all the work lost but at least this one will survive it seems.

 

[Chubz]

Cease-and-desisting this thing after three years is despicable enough, but to also flag every trace of it on YouTube? That's a whole new level of "Go fuck yourself."

 

[rob mafia]

on a kinda related note:



https://www.facebook.com/Timesplitters4PLZ/

the fanmade timesplitters (cryengine) is still being done. and it seems that it might actually have a release someday. haha

it's kind of funny that both goldeneye and this had similar projects, given their lineage (goldeneye -> perfect dark -> timesplitters). although, not that funny, given how beloved goldeneye was.

 

[Blayt7hh]

I don’t really understand how they can kill the project though unless the team was selling it. It seems like trying to say you can’t write fan fiction

 

[Lone Coyote]

That's sad. I still miss the 3d version of Chrono trigger, that looked badass

Chrono resurrection I think it was called

 

[jefferz]

I’ve never really understood how publishers can take action against free projects. I remember back in 1998/1999 there was cool mod for Quake 2 called Generations that directly took assets from Wolfenstein 3d, Doom and Quake 1 and plopped them into Quake 2 and they got shut down for copyright/trademark infringement.

IP was not my strong point in law school, and I literally got a C+ in the Class and it shows because 10 years later I still don’t understand how this stuff works. If they were selling it that would be one thing, but a free mod like Quake Generations or this free game, I just don’t get the legal basis for being able to shut them down.

@Quipling do you know?

Free or not you can't infringe on someones copyright. The way US law is wrote that you have actively defend your copyrighted material or you lose it.

 

[Plissken]

I still have Goldeneye Source on this PC, it's a complete alternative.