James Bond games
Encyclopedia
The James Bond
video game franchise is a series of shooter game
s and other genres (including role-playing and adventure games) developed and published by a variety of companies. The games center around Ian Fleming
's British
secret service agent, James Bond.
game was released in 1983
, 1981
saw the release of Sega
's 005
, which was a clear knockoff of the Bond series. Naturally, the name was altered in order for Sega
to avoid paying the licensing fees for 007.
Since 1983
, there have been numerous video games based on the official films, Ian Fleming
's novels, and even original scripts created by the developer
or publisher
of the game.
The video games were somewhat prosperous in the 1980s and early 1990s, featuring a mixture of styles including side-scrolling action and text adventure.
's GoldenEye 007 by Rare for the Nintendo 64
. GoldenEye 007 was a first-person shooter
that expanded on the film
and added a multiplayer
component to the game. The game received very positive reviews and sold over eight million copies. Subsequently, virtually every Bond video game has attempted to copy GoldenEye 007' s accomplishment and features with varying degrees of success.
The next Bond game, 1999's Tomorrow Never Dies
, based on the film released two years prior
, was the first released by Electronic Arts
. Developed by Black Ops
, unlike GoldenEye 007, it was a third-person shooter
. Despite the game's success, the next title, 2000's The World Is Not Enough
, returned to first-person. However, publisher Electronic Arts, which owned the rights to publish video games based on the Bond franchise, chose different developers for different systems - Eurocom
for the Nintendo 64 and Black Ops for the PlayStation
, with drastically different results, and the N64 version getting better reviews. Both versions were critical and commercial succeses, albeit not in the same level of GoldenEye 007, and EA encouraged developers to create future Bond games unrelated to any of the films.
In 2001
, EA released Agent Under Fire
for Xbox
, PlayStation 2
, and GameCube
, featuring an original storyline and lacking the likeness of then-Bond Pierce Brosnan
. The game took risks by adding the new elements of "rail" shooting and driving segments to a first-person shooter. The game has sold nearly 5 million copies since its release, making it the second most successful game in the franchise and also receiving mostly positive reviews.
In 2002
, James Bond 007: Nightfire
was released. It was developed by Eurocom
for the PlayStation 2, GameCube, and Xbox consoles, with a PC
port by Gearbox Software
and a Mac
one by Aspyr. The computer versions are substantially different from the console versions, featuring different missions, a modified story line, and online play. In 2003
the game also had a Game Boy Advance
version by JV Games
.
with driving missions, and stars the voices and likenesse of Pierce Brosnan
, Judi Dench
, Willem Dafoe
and John Cleese
among others. It was written by GoldenEye and Tomorrow Never Dies screenwriter Bruce Feirstein
, with a plot connected to the Roger Moore
Bond film A View to a Kill
. It was released to mostly positive reviews.
Later that year, GoldenEye: Rogue Agent
was released on the same platforms. A first-person shooter loosely connected to the Bond franchise, it stars a former MI6 spy known as "GoldenEye", who works for Auric Goldfinger
against Dr. Julius No. The game was panned for its misleading title and poor story.
2005 saw the release of From Russia With Love, based on the film of the same name
. It starred Sean Connery
once again as James Bond, and the other characters had the same likeness of the original cast. The game is a third-person shooter in the same style as Everything or Nothing, with expansions in the story and certain details changed (such as trading SPECTRE
for OCTOPUS
, due to legal problems).
Electronic Arts announced in 2006
a game based on then-upcoming Casino Royale
, but ended up being cancelled, because it would not be ready by the film's release in November. This fact, which would lead MGM
to lose millions in licensing fees, along with EA's commitment to move away from movie franchise games and focus more on internal IPs, led the company to abandon the Bond franchise in May 2006.
acquired non-exclusive rights to develop and publish James Bond games, which were to become exclusive in 2007. Activision's first game was a tie-in to Quantum of Solace. The game, which also included elements from Casino Royale, was released on 31 October 2008.
At E3 2010, Nintendo
officially revealed GoldenEye 007
, a Wii
-exclusive remake of the critically acclaimed 1997 game. Developed by Eurocom
, using their Dead Space: Extraction
game engine
, the game updated the story of the movie, with a script by Bruce Feirstein and the current Bond actor Daniel Craig
as 007. A month later, a leaked media release suggested that Activision had hired Bizarre Creations
to work on James Bond 007: Blood Stone
, an original Bond experience written by Bruce Feirstein
. Both games were released on November 2010.
. Like Blood Stone
, this iteration appears to be played from the third-person perspective and could include tactical combat similar to recent releases in the Splinter Cell
series. Not much else is currently known about the status of the game including if it is a straight sequel to Blood Stone or not. But, some resources claimed that it would be titled Risico. Although, the rumour is unconfirmed yet. Also, it has been thought that this is the original version of Blood Stone and possible sources tell that Raven Software
have cancelled two video games back in 2009, and this Bond game was obviously one of them. However it was suggested in December 2010 that fans should not expect to see the Raven game released until at least December 2011 or even possibly sometime in 2012, as the project was put on hold for six months while the MGM finical crisis was happening delaying production of the 23rd film
in the series as wellhttp://www.mi6-hq.com/sections/articles/gaming_activision_raven_first_look.php3. As of August 2011, Activision
denied that Raven's Bond game won't be released this year, but instead they're going to port the new GoldenEye 007 on the PS3 and Xbox360
platforms, retitled as GoldenEye 007: Reloaded, which itself is a remastered version of the Wii title with improved graphicshttp://www.mi6-hq.com/news/index.php?itemid=9615.
It's unknown whether or not, that Activision
will develop a game based on the upcoming James Bond film, Skyfall
. The audience was told that 2012 is the 50th anniversary of The Cinematic James Bond Franchise
, and it would be happy year full with surprises for the fans.
, James Bond 007, Role-Playing in Her Majesty's Secret Service
was released in 1983, by Victory Games, a branch of Avalon Hill
.
is a total conversion mod in development using the Source engine
developed by Valve Corporation
for the computer game, Half-Life 2
. GoldenEye: Source is based on the award winning Nintendo 64
video game, GoldenEye 007. A 5th beta
release is schedule for release on December 25, 2010.
and Maxwell Caulfield
. Jason Carter
also voiced 007 but in a non-Bond game GoldenEye: Rogue Agent
which was a shame on the franchise. The classic games only provided the real actors' footage on the cover for whatever era the franchise was in, such as Roger Moore
and Timothy Dalton
. The first voiceover performance has begun from Tomorrow Never Dies
video game, by Adam Blackwood.
, the 5th official actor to portray Bond in the film series, lent his likeness extensively, appearing in GoldenEye 007, Tomorrow Never Dies
, The World Is Not Enough
, 007 Racing
and NightFire
. However, he did not voice the character until Everything or Nothing
. A canceled video game called Phoenix Rising was going to feature Pierce Brosnan as James Bond 007 with both his voice talent and likeness. However, it was replaced with From Russia With Love video game where Sean Connery starred as Bond. In that time, Brosnan stepped down from the role.
in likeness only for Agent Under Fire
, in which the character was voiced by Adam Blackwood
who voiced Bond in three video games. During that time, Brosnan had not renewed his contract as 007, disallowing the use of his physical appearance and voice. Bicknell's likeness was to be featured again in NightFire
, as early development footage showed, but was replaced when Brosnan's contract was renewed.
stepped in to portray Bond once again in the video game adaption of From Russia with Love. The game featured both Connery's voice talent and likeness, as well as an updated plot penned by acclaimed Bond writer Bruce Feirstein
, who wrote three Bond films and four video games.
in 2008, which combined the events of the films Casino Royale
and Quantum of Solace. He reprised the role in two games released simultaneously in 2010: GoldenEye 007
, the remake of the original blockbuster, and poorly criticized Blood Stone but it ended up with Craig, earning a BAFTA nomination for his best role performance in Blood Stone. However, in 2009, Craig also played in a canceled game based on Ian Fleming's short story Risico with some events from the Fleming's novels unseen in the film franchise has been added to the storyline. It was developing by Raven Software
with Bizzare Creations adding the driving elements. There is a rumour that Daniel Craig would return as Bond in a Splinter Cell
styled 007 video game, developing by Raven Software. It's unknown that it will be the return of Risico or a sequel to Blood Stone. Their has been suggestions that Skyfall in 2012 would be adapted into a video game which would star Daniel Craig as James Bond as he voiced the character in the previous three Bond titles.
James Bond
James Bond, code name 007, is a fictional character created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels and two short story collections. There have been a six other authors who wrote authorised Bond novels or novelizations after Fleming's death in 1964: Kingsley Amis,...
video game franchise is a series of shooter game
Shooter game
Shooter games are a sub-genre of action game, which often test the player's speed and reaction time. It includes many subgenres that have the commonality of focusing "on the actions of the avatar using some sort of weapon. Usually this weapon is a gun, or some other long-range weapon". A common...
s and other genres (including role-playing and adventure games) developed and published by a variety of companies. The games center around Ian Fleming
Ian Fleming
Ian Lancaster Fleming was a British author, journalist and Naval Intelligence Officer.Fleming is best known for creating the fictional British spy James Bond and for a series of twelve novels and nine short stories about the character, one of the biggest-selling series of fictional books of...
's British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
secret service agent, James Bond.
1983–1996
Though the first official BondJames Bond
James Bond, code name 007, is a fictional character created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels and two short story collections. There have been a six other authors who wrote authorised Bond novels or novelizations after Fleming's death in 1964: Kingsley Amis,...
game was released in 1983
1983 in video gaming
-Events:* A major shakeout of the video game industry begins. By 1986, total video games sales will decrease from US$3.2 billion to US$0.1 billion.* MCA Universal files suit against Nintendo, claiming that the latter company's video arcade hit Donkey Kong violated Universal's copyright on King Kong...
, 1981
1981 in video gaming
-Events:* November -** The British video game magazine Computer and Video Games starts.** Game & Watch - released in Sweden.* Arnie Katz and Bill Kunkel found Electronic Games, the first magazine on video games and generally recognized as the beginning of video game journalism.-Notable releases:*...
saw the release of Sega
Sega
, usually styled as SEGA, is a multinational video game software developer and an arcade software and hardware development company headquartered in Ōta, Tokyo, Japan, with various offices around the world...
's 005
005
005 is a 1981 arcade game by Sega, in which the player's mission is to take a briefcase of secret documents to a waiting helicopter. It is one of the first examples of a stealth game...
, which was a clear knockoff of the Bond series. Naturally, the name was altered in order for Sega
Sega
, usually styled as SEGA, is a multinational video game software developer and an arcade software and hardware development company headquartered in Ōta, Tokyo, Japan, with various offices around the world...
to avoid paying the licensing fees for 007.
Since 1983
1983 in video gaming
-Events:* A major shakeout of the video game industry begins. By 1986, total video games sales will decrease from US$3.2 billion to US$0.1 billion.* MCA Universal files suit against Nintendo, claiming that the latter company's video arcade hit Donkey Kong violated Universal's copyright on King Kong...
, there have been numerous video games based on the official films, Ian Fleming
Ian Fleming
Ian Lancaster Fleming was a British author, journalist and Naval Intelligence Officer.Fleming is best known for creating the fictional British spy James Bond and for a series of twelve novels and nine short stories about the character, one of the biggest-selling series of fictional books of...
's novels, and even original scripts created by the developer
Video game developer
A video game developer is a software developer that creates video games. A developer may specialize in a certain video game console, such as Nintendo's Wii, Microsoft's Xbox 360, Sony's PlayStation 3, or may develop for a variety of systems, including personal computers.Most developers also...
or publisher
Video game publisher
A video game publisher is a company that publishes video games that they have either developed internally or have had developed by a video game developer....
of the game.
The video games were somewhat prosperous in the 1980s and early 1990s, featuring a mixture of styles including side-scrolling action and text adventure.
1997–2003
The popularity of the James Bond video game series didn't really take off, however, until 19971997 in video gaming
-Events:*October 4 — Gunpei Yokoi dies after a double car accident.*November – Interactive Entertainment Merchants Association launched.*3rd annual E3...
's GoldenEye 007 by Rare for the Nintendo 64
Nintendo 64
The , often referred to as N64, was Nintendo′s third home video game console for the international market. Named for its 64-bit CPU, it was released in June 1996 in Japan, September 1996 in North America, March 1997 in Europe and Australia, September 1997 in France and December 1997 in Brazil...
. GoldenEye 007 was a first-person shooter
First-person shooter
First-person shooter is a video game genre that centers the gameplay on gun and projectile weapon-based combat through first-person perspective; i.e., the player experiences the action through the eyes of a protagonist. Generally speaking, the first-person shooter shares common traits with other...
that expanded on the film
GoldenEye
GoldenEye is the seventeenth spy film in the James Bond series, and the first to star Pierce Brosnan as the fictional MI6 agent James Bond. The film was directed by Martin Campbell and is the first film in the series not to take story elements from the works of novelist Ian Fleming...
and added a multiplayer
Multiplayer game
A multiplayer video game is one which more than one person can play in the same game environment at the same time. Unlike most other games, computer and video games are often single-player activities that put the player against preprogrammed challenges and/or AI-controlled opponents, which often...
component to the game. The game received very positive reviews and sold over eight million copies. Subsequently, virtually every Bond video game has attempted to copy GoldenEye 007
The next Bond game, 1999's Tomorrow Never Dies
Tomorrow Never Dies (video game)
Tomorrow Never Dies is a third-person shooter based on the James Bond film of the same name. Developed by Black Ops and published by Electronic Arts, it was released on November 16, 1999 exclusively for the Sony PlayStation. It is the first 007 game of many that was published by Electronic Arts...
, based on the film released two years prior
Tomorrow Never Dies
Tomorrow Never Dies is the eighteenth spy film in the James Bond series, and the second to star Pierce Brosnan as the fictional MI6 agent James Bond. Bruce Feirstein wrote the screenplay, and it was directed by Roger Spottiswoode. It follows Bond as he tries to stop a media mogul from engineering...
, was the first released by Electronic Arts
Electronic Arts
Electronic Arts, Inc. is a major American developer, marketer, publisher and distributor of video games. Founded and incorporated on May 28, 1982 by Trip Hawkins, the company was a pioneer of the early home computer games industry and was notable for promoting the designers and programmers...
. Developed by Black Ops
Black Ops Entertainment
Black Ops Entertainment is a video game developer founded in 1994. Since then it has developed eight games for several consoles including the PS1, Nintendo 64, PS2, Gamecube, and Xbox. The company was founded in Santa Monica, California by four MIT graduates...
, unlike GoldenEye 007, it was a third-person shooter
Third-person shooter
Third-person shooter is a genre of 3D action games in which the player character is visible on-screen, and the gameplay consists primarily of shooting.-Definition:...
. Despite the game's success, the next title, 2000's The World Is Not Enough
The World Is Not Enough (video game)
The World Is Not Enough is a 2000 first-person shooter video game based on the James Bond film of the same name. The game was published by Electronic Arts and released for the Nintendo 64 and PlayStation console systems in 2000. The Nintendo 64 version was developed by Eurocom and the PlayStation...
, returned to first-person. However, publisher Electronic Arts, which owned the rights to publish video games based on the Bond franchise, chose different developers for different systems - Eurocom
Eurocom
Eurocom is a British video game developer founded specifically to develop games for the Nintendo Entertainment System. Since then Eurocom has expanded to several other platforms including handheld game systems and most major video game consoles.The company was once famous for its arcade to console...
for the Nintendo 64 and Black Ops for the PlayStation
PlayStation
The is a 32-bit fifth-generation video game console first released by Sony Computer Entertainment in Japan on December 3, .The PlayStation was the first of the PlayStation series of consoles and handheld game devices. The PlayStation 2 was the console's successor in 2000...
, with drastically different results, and the N64 version getting better reviews. Both versions were critical and commercial succeses, albeit not in the same level of GoldenEye 007, and EA encouraged developers to create future Bond games unrelated to any of the films.
In 2001
2001 in video gaming
-Events:* Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences hosts the 4th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards; inducts John Carmack of id Software to the AIAS Hall of Fame...
, EA released Agent Under Fire
James Bond 007: Agent Under Fire
007: Agent Under Fire is a first-person shooter video game based on the James Bond franchise. Developed and published by Electronic Arts, it was released for GameCube, PlayStation 2, and Xbox game consoles....
for Xbox
Xbox
The Xbox is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Microsoft. It was released on November 15, 2001 in North America, February 22, 2002 in Japan, and March 14, 2002 in Australia and Europe and is the predecessor to the Xbox 360. It was Microsoft's first foray into the gaming console...
, PlayStation 2
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
, and GameCube
Nintendo GameCube
The , officially abbreviated to NGC in Japan and GCN in other regions, is a sixth generation video game console released by Nintendo on September 15, 2001 in Japan, November 18, 2001 in North America, May 3, 2002 in Europe, and May 17, 2002 in Australia...
, featuring an original storyline and lacking the likeness of then-Bond Pierce Brosnan
Pierce Brosnan
Pierce Brendan Brosnan, OBE is an Irish actor, film producer and environmentalist. After leaving school at 16, Brosnan began training in commercial illustration, but trained at the Drama Centre in London for three years...
. The game took risks by adding the new elements of "rail" shooting and driving segments to a first-person shooter. The game has sold nearly 5 million copies since its release, making it the second most successful game in the franchise and also receiving mostly positive reviews.
In 2002
2002 in video gaming
The year 2002 in video gaming saw the release of many games to sixth-generation video game consoles, predominately, the Nintendo GameCube, PlayStation 2, and Xbox.-Events:...
, James Bond 007: Nightfire
James Bond 007: Nightfire
007: NightFire is a first-person shooter video game featuring the character of the British secret agent James Bond and a sequel to Agent Under Fire, published by Electronic Arts in ....
was released. It was developed by Eurocom
Eurocom
Eurocom is a British video game developer founded specifically to develop games for the Nintendo Entertainment System. Since then Eurocom has expanded to several other platforms including handheld game systems and most major video game consoles.The company was once famous for its arcade to console...
for the PlayStation 2, GameCube, and Xbox consoles, with a PC
Personal computer game
A PC game, also known as a computer game, is a video game played on a personal computer, rather than on a video game console or arcade machine...
port by Gearbox Software
Gearbox Software
Gearbox Software, LLC is an American video game development company based in Plano, Texas.-History:Gearbox Software was founded in January 1999 by five members of the content team from the defunct developer Rebel Boat Rocker: Randy Pitchford, Brian Martel, Stephen Bahl, Landon Montgomery, and Rob...
and a Mac
Mac OS X
Mac OS X is a series of Unix-based operating systems and graphical user interfaces developed, marketed, and sold by Apple Inc. Since 2002, has been included with all new Macintosh computer systems...
one by Aspyr. The computer versions are substantially different from the console versions, featuring different missions, a modified story line, and online play. In 2003
2003 in video gaming
-Events:*February 27 — Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences hosts 6th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards; inducts Yu Suzuki of Sega to the AIAS Hall of Fame....
the game also had a Game Boy Advance
Game Boy Advance
The is a 32-bit handheld video game console developed, manufactured, and marketed by Nintendo. It is the successor to the Game Boy Color. It was released in Japan on March 21, 2001; in North America on June 11, 2001; in Australia and Europe on June 22, 2001; and in the People's Republic of China...
version by JV Games
JV Games
JV Games is an American video game developer based in Las Vegas, Nevada. They have developed a number of titles including James Bond 007: Nightfire for Game Boy Advance, as well as Pong Toss! Frat Party Games and Incoming! for WiiWare....
.
2004-2007
In 2004, EA released Everything or Nothing, developed by EA Redwood, for the PlayStation 2, GameCube and Xbox. Unlike the two previous installments, Everything or Nothing is a third-person shooterThird-person shooter
Third-person shooter is a genre of 3D action games in which the player character is visible on-screen, and the gameplay consists primarily of shooting.-Definition:...
with driving missions, and stars the voices and likenesse of Pierce Brosnan
Pierce Brosnan
Pierce Brendan Brosnan, OBE is an Irish actor, film producer and environmentalist. After leaving school at 16, Brosnan began training in commercial illustration, but trained at the Drama Centre in London for three years...
, Judi Dench
Judi Dench
Dame Judith Olivia "Judi" Dench, CH, DBE, FRSA is an English film, stage and television actress.Dench made her professional debut in 1957 with the Old Vic Company. Over the following few years she played in several of William Shakespeare's plays in such roles as Ophelia in Hamlet, Juliet in Romeo...
, Willem Dafoe
Willem Dafoe
Willem Dafoe is an American film, stage, and voice actor, and a founding member of the experimental theatre company The Wooster Group...
and John Cleese
John Cleese
John Marwood Cleese is an English actor, comedian, writer, and film producer. He achieved success at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and as a scriptwriter and performer on The Frost Report...
among others. It was written by GoldenEye and Tomorrow Never Dies screenwriter Bruce Feirstein
Bruce Feirstein
Bruce Feirstein is an American screenwriter and humorist, best known for his contributions to the James Bond series and his best-selling humor books, including Real Men Don't Eat Quiche and Nice Guys Sleep Alone. Real Men Don't Eat Quiche was on the New York Times best seller list for 53...
, with a plot connected to the Roger Moore
Roger Moore
Sir Roger George Moore KBE , is an English actor, perhaps best known for portraying British secret agent James Bond in seven films from 1973 to 1985. He also portrayed Simon Templar in the long-running British television series The Saint.-Early life:Moore was born in Stockwell, London...
Bond film A View to a Kill
A View to a Kill
A View to a Kill is the fourteenth spy film of the James Bond series, and the seventh and last to star Roger Moore as the fictional MI6 agent James Bond. Although the title is adapted from Ian Fleming's short story "From a View to a Kill", the film is the fourth Bond film after The Spy Who Loved...
. It was released to mostly positive reviews.
Later that year, GoldenEye: Rogue Agent
GoldenEye: Rogue Agent
GoldenEye: Rogue Agent is a 2004 action-adventure Science-Fiction First-Person Shooter video game, developed and published by Electronic Arts. Despite it is set in an alternate timeline of James Bond universe, the player takes the role of an ex-MI6 agent who is recruited by Auric Goldfinger, a...
was released on the same platforms. A first-person shooter loosely connected to the Bond franchise, it stars a former MI6 spy known as "GoldenEye", who works for Auric Goldfinger
Auric Goldfinger
Auric Goldfinger is a fictional character and the main antagonist in the James Bond film and novel Goldfinger. His first name, Auric, is an adjective meaning of gold...
against Dr. Julius No. The game was panned for its misleading title and poor story.
2005 saw the release of From Russia With Love, based on the film of the same name
From Russia with Love (film)
From Russia with Love is the second in the James Bond spy film series, and the second to star Sean Connery as the fictional MI6 agent James Bond. Released in 1963, the film was produced by Albert R. Broccoli and Harry Saltzman, and directed by Terence Young. It is based on the 1957 novel of the...
. It starred Sean Connery
Sean Connery
Sir Thomas Sean Connery , better known as Sean Connery, is a Scottish actor and producer who has won an Academy Award, two BAFTA Awards and three Golden Globes Sir Thomas Sean Connery (born 25 August 1930), better known as Sean Connery, is a Scottish actor and producer who has won an Academy...
once again as James Bond, and the other characters had the same likeness of the original cast. The game is a third-person shooter in the same style as Everything or Nothing, with expansions in the story and certain details changed (such as trading SPECTRE
SPECTRE
SPECTRE is a fictional global terrorist organisation featured in the James Bond novels by Ian Fleming, the films based on those novels, and James Bond video games...
for OCTOPUS
Octopus
The octopus is a cephalopod mollusc of the order Octopoda. Octopuses have two eyes and four pairs of arms, and like other cephalopods they are bilaterally symmetric. An octopus has a hard beak, with its mouth at the center point of the arms...
, due to legal problems).
Electronic Arts announced in 2006
2006 in video gaming
-Events:* January 26, 2006 -- Nintendo announces its newly redesigned handheld, the Nintendo DS Lite. The new model is lighter, smaller, has configurable brightness and features an improved user interface.* January 26, 2006 -- Konami Corp...
a game based on then-upcoming Casino Royale
Casino Royale (2006 film)
Casino Royale is the twenty-first film in the James Bond film series and the first to star Daniel Craig as fictional MI6 agent James Bond...
, but ended up being cancelled, because it would not be ready by the film's release in November. This fact, which would lead MGM
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc. is an American media company, involved primarily in the production and distribution of films and television programs. MGM was founded in 1924 when the entertainment entrepreneur Marcus Loew gained control of Metro Pictures, Goldwyn Pictures Corporation and Louis B. Mayer...
to lose millions in licensing fees, along with EA's commitment to move away from movie franchise games and focus more on internal IPs, led the company to abandon the Bond franchise in May 2006.
2008–present
Shortly after Electronic Arts abandoned the license, in May 2006, ActivisionActivision
Activision is an American publisher, majority owned by French conglomerate Vivendi SA. Its current CEO is Robert Kotick. It was founded on October 1, 1979 and was the world's first independent developer and distributor of video games for gaming consoles...
acquired non-exclusive rights to develop and publish James Bond games, which were to become exclusive in 2007. Activision's first game was a tie-in to Quantum of Solace. The game, which also included elements from Casino Royale, was released on 31 October 2008.
At E3 2010, Nintendo
Nintendo
is a multinational corporation located in Kyoto, Japan. Founded on September 23, 1889 by Fusajiro Yamauchi, it produced handmade hanafuda cards. By 1963, the company had tried several small niche businesses, such as a cab company and a love hotel....
officially revealed GoldenEye 007
GoldenEye 007 (2010 video game)
GoldenEye 007 is a 2010 first-person shooter video game developed by Eurocom and published by Activision for the Wii video game console, and the Nintendo DS handheld game console. It is a reimagining of the 1995 James Bond film GoldenEye, and the 1997 Nintendo 64 video game GoldenEye 007...
, a Wii
Wii
The Wii is a home video game console released by Nintendo on November 19, 2006. As a seventh-generation console, the Wii primarily competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3. Nintendo states that its console targets a broader demographic than that of the two others...
-exclusive remake of the critically acclaimed 1997 game. Developed by Eurocom
Eurocom
Eurocom is a British video game developer founded specifically to develop games for the Nintendo Entertainment System. Since then Eurocom has expanded to several other platforms including handheld game systems and most major video game consoles.The company was once famous for its arcade to console...
, using their Dead Space: Extraction
Dead Space: Extraction
Dead Space: Extraction has received favorable reviews, with an average rating of 82/100 on review aggregator Metacritic. Official Nintendo Magazine awarded the game 84 percent and called it "A first rate introduction to one of the finest survival horror franchises of recent years." The website...
game engine
Game engine
A game engine is a system designed for the creation and development of video games. There are many game engines that are designed to work on video game consoles and personal computers...
, the game updated the story of the movie, with a script by Bruce Feirstein and the current Bond actor Daniel Craig
Daniel Craig
Daniel Wroughton Craig is an English actor. His early film roles include Elizabeth, The Power of One, A Kid in King Arthur's Court and the television episodes Sharpe's Eagle, Zorro and The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles: Daredevils of the Desert...
as 007. A month later, a leaked media release suggested that Activision had hired Bizarre Creations
Bizarre Creations
Bizarre Creations was a video game development studio, best known for their racing titles: Metropolis Street Racer and the followup Project Gotham Racing series . The company has also developed games in other genres, including the Geometry Wars arcade series, plus third-person shooters Fur...
to work on James Bond 007: Blood Stone
James Bond 007: Blood Stone
James Bond 007: Blood Stone is an action-adventure video game, developed by Bizarre Creations and published by Activision for the Microsoft Windows, Nintendo DS, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 platforms. It is the 24th game in the James Bond series although it is not a direct sequel to any game; it is...
, an original Bond experience written by Bruce Feirstein
Bruce Feirstein
Bruce Feirstein is an American screenwriter and humorist, best known for his contributions to the James Bond series and his best-selling humor books, including Real Men Don't Eat Quiche and Nice Guys Sleep Alone. Real Men Don't Eat Quiche was on the New York Times best seller list for 53...
. Both games were released on November 2010.
Upcoming Projects
In December 2010 several leaked photos were found online depicting a possible new game in the James Bond series currently being developed by Activision's studio, Raven SoftwareRaven Software
Raven Software is an American video game developer. The company was founded in 1990 by brothers Brian and Steve Raffel. In 1997, Raven made an exclusive publishing deal with Activision and was subsequently acquired by them...
. Like Blood Stone
James Bond 007: Blood Stone
James Bond 007: Blood Stone is an action-adventure video game, developed by Bizarre Creations and published by Activision for the Microsoft Windows, Nintendo DS, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 platforms. It is the 24th game in the James Bond series although it is not a direct sequel to any game; it is...
, this iteration appears to be played from the third-person perspective and could include tactical combat similar to recent releases in the Splinter Cell
Splinter Cell
Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell is a series of stealth video games, the first of which was released in 2002, and their tie-in novels. The protagonist, Sam Fisher, is presented as a highly-trained agent of a fictional black-ops sub-division within the NSA, dubbed "Third Echelon"...
series. Not much else is currently known about the status of the game including if it is a straight sequel to Blood Stone or not. But, some resources claimed that it would be titled Risico. Although, the rumour is unconfirmed yet. Also, it has been thought that this is the original version of Blood Stone and possible sources tell that Raven Software
Raven Software
Raven Software is an American video game developer. The company was founded in 1990 by brothers Brian and Steve Raffel. In 1997, Raven made an exclusive publishing deal with Activision and was subsequently acquired by them...
have cancelled two video games back in 2009, and this Bond game was obviously one of them. However it was suggested in December 2010 that fans should not expect to see the Raven game released until at least December 2011 or even possibly sometime in 2012, as the project was put on hold for six months while the MGM finical crisis was happening delaying production of the 23rd film
Skyfall
Skyfall is a 2012 James Bond film starring Daniel CraigSkyfall may also refer to:*Skyfall , a 2004 novel by Catherine Asaro in the Saga of the Skolian Empire series*Skyfall, a 2007 novel by Anthony Eaton in the Darklands Trilogy...
in the series as wellhttp://www.mi6-hq.com/sections/articles/gaming_activision_raven_first_look.php3. As of August 2011, Activision
Activision
Activision is an American publisher, majority owned by French conglomerate Vivendi SA. Its current CEO is Robert Kotick. It was founded on October 1, 1979 and was the world's first independent developer and distributor of video games for gaming consoles...
denied that Raven's Bond game won't be released this year, but instead they're going to port the new GoldenEye 007 on the PS3 and Xbox360
Xbox 360
The Xbox 360 is the second video game console produced by Microsoft and the successor to the Xbox. The Xbox 360 competes with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
platforms, retitled as GoldenEye 007: Reloaded, which itself is a remastered version of the Wii title with improved graphicshttp://www.mi6-hq.com/news/index.php?itemid=9615.
It's unknown whether or not, that Activision
Activision
Activision is an American publisher, majority owned by French conglomerate Vivendi SA. Its current CEO is Robert Kotick. It was founded on October 1, 1979 and was the world's first independent developer and distributor of video games for gaming consoles...
will develop a game based on the upcoming James Bond film, Skyfall
Skyfall
Skyfall is a 2012 James Bond film starring Daniel CraigSkyfall may also refer to:*Skyfall , a 2004 novel by Catherine Asaro in the Saga of the Skolian Empire series*Skyfall, a 2007 novel by Anthony Eaton in the Darklands Trilogy...
. The audience was told that 2012 is the 50th anniversary of The Cinematic James Bond Franchise
James Bond (film series)
The James Bond film series is a British series of motion pictures based on the fictional character of MI6 agent James Bond , who originally appeared in a series of books by Ian Fleming. Earlier films were based on Fleming's novels and short stories, followed later by films with original storylines...
, and it would be happy year full with surprises for the fans.
Role-playing games
A role-playing gameRole-playing game
A role-playing game is a game in which players assume the roles of characters in a fictional setting. Players take responsibility for acting out these roles within a narrative, either through literal acting, or through a process of structured decision-making or character development...
, James Bond 007, Role-Playing in Her Majesty's Secret Service
James Bond 007 (role-playing game)
James Bond 007: Role-Playing In Her Majesty's Secret Service was a spy fiction role-playing game, designed by Gerard Christopher Klug, and published by Victory Games , based on the James Bond books and films. The game, and many supplements, were published from 1983 until 1987, when the license lapsed...
was released in 1983, by Victory Games, a branch of Avalon Hill
Avalon Hill
Avalon Hill was a game company that specialized in wargames and strategic board games. Its logo contained its initials "AH", and it was often referred to by this abbreviation. It also published the occasional miniature wargaming rules, role-playing game, and had a popular line of sports simulations...
.
Fanmade remakes
GoldenEye: SourceGoldenEye: Source
GoldenEye: Source is a total conversion mod in development using Valve's Source engine. GoldenEye: Source is an online multi-player-only remake of the award winning 1997 Nintendo 64 video game, GoldenEye 007, itself based on the James Bond film of the same name.The first Alpha release was...
is a total conversion mod in development using the Source engine
Source engine
Source is a 3D game engine developed by Valve Corporation. It debuted in June 2004 with Counter-Strike: Source and shortly thereafter Half-Life 2, and has been in active development ever since...
developed by Valve Corporation
Valve Corporation
Valve Corporation is an American video game development and digital distribution company based in Bellevue, Washington, United States...
for the computer game, Half-Life 2
Half-Life 2
Half-Life 2 , the sequel to Half-Life, is a first-person shooter video game and a signature title in the Half-Life series. It is singleplayer, story-driven, science fiction, and linear...
. GoldenEye: Source is based on the award winning Nintendo 64
Nintendo 64
The , often referred to as N64, was Nintendo′s third home video game console for the international market. Named for its 64-bit CPU, it was released in June 1996 in Japan, September 1996 in North America, March 1997 in Europe and Australia, September 1997 in France and December 1997 in Brazil...
video game, GoldenEye 007. A 5th beta
Development stage
A software release life cycle refers to the phases of development and maturity for a piece of computer software—ranging from its initial development, to its eventual release, and updated versions of the released version to help improve software or fix bugs still present in the software.- Pre-alpha...
release is schedule for release on December 25, 2010.
Actors portraying James Bond in the video games
The actors listed below have provided the likeness of Bond in the 007 video game series. However, they have not all provided voice work. The people who have voice the character filling the vocals of the official actors were Adam BlackwoodAdam Blackwood (actor)
Adam Blackwood is an actor who has appeared in several films and television programs, mostly in the United Kingdom.Born in Chichester in 1959, Blackwood is the only son of Rona and John Blackwood. Blackwood has an older sister Nicola, and a younger sister Catriona...
and Maxwell Caulfield
Maxwell Caulfield
Maxwell Caulfield is a British film, stage, and television actor who is based in the United States, known for his roles as Michael Carrington in Grease 2 and as Miles Colby in The Colbys and its parent show Dynasty . He has more than 70 film, stage and television credits. He starred in Ronald F...
. Jason Carter
Jason Carter (actor)
Jason Brian Carter is an English actor, best known for his role as Ranger Marcus Cole on the science fiction television series Babylon 5....
also voiced 007 but in a non-Bond game GoldenEye: Rogue Agent
GoldenEye: Rogue Agent
GoldenEye: Rogue Agent is a 2004 action-adventure Science-Fiction First-Person Shooter video game, developed and published by Electronic Arts. Despite it is set in an alternate timeline of James Bond universe, the player takes the role of an ex-MI6 agent who is recruited by Auric Goldfinger, a...
which was a shame on the franchise. The classic games only provided the real actors' footage on the cover for whatever era the franchise was in, such as Roger Moore
Roger Moore
Sir Roger George Moore KBE , is an English actor, perhaps best known for portraying British secret agent James Bond in seven films from 1973 to 1985. He also portrayed Simon Templar in the long-running British television series The Saint.-Early life:Moore was born in Stockwell, London...
and Timothy Dalton
Timothy Dalton
Timothy Peter Dalton ) is a Welsh actor of film and television. He is known for portraying James Bond in The Living Daylights and Licence to Kill , as well as Rhett Butler in the television miniseries Scarlett , an original sequel to Gone with the Wind...
. The first voiceover performance has begun from Tomorrow Never Dies
Tomorrow Never Dies (video game)
Tomorrow Never Dies is a third-person shooter based on the James Bond film of the same name. Developed by Black Ops and published by Electronic Arts, it was released on November 16, 1999 exclusively for the Sony PlayStation. It is the first 007 game of many that was published by Electronic Arts...
video game, by Adam Blackwood.
Pierce Brosnan
Pierce BrosnanPierce Brosnan
Pierce Brendan Brosnan, OBE is an Irish actor, film producer and environmentalist. After leaving school at 16, Brosnan began training in commercial illustration, but trained at the Drama Centre in London for three years...
, the 5th official actor to portray Bond in the film series, lent his likeness extensively, appearing in GoldenEye 007, Tomorrow Never Dies
Tomorrow Never Dies (video game)
Tomorrow Never Dies is a third-person shooter based on the James Bond film of the same name. Developed by Black Ops and published by Electronic Arts, it was released on November 16, 1999 exclusively for the Sony PlayStation. It is the first 007 game of many that was published by Electronic Arts...
, The World Is Not Enough
The World Is Not Enough (video game)
The World Is Not Enough is a 2000 first-person shooter video game based on the James Bond film of the same name. The game was published by Electronic Arts and released for the Nintendo 64 and PlayStation console systems in 2000. The Nintendo 64 version was developed by Eurocom and the PlayStation...
, 007 Racing
007 Racing
007 Racing is a racing game based on the James Bond license. It was developed by Eutechnyx, published by Electronic Arts, and released in 2000 exclusively for the PlayStation console system...
and NightFire
James Bond 007: Nightfire
007: NightFire is a first-person shooter video game featuring the character of the British secret agent James Bond and a sequel to Agent Under Fire, published by Electronic Arts in ....
. However, he did not voice the character until Everything or Nothing
James Bond 007: Everything or Nothing
007: Everything or Nothing is a third-person shooter video game, where the player controls James Bond. Bond is modeled after and voiced by the former James Bond actor Pierce Brosnan, making it his final performance for the character in game and film...
. A canceled video game called Phoenix Rising was going to feature Pierce Brosnan as James Bond 007 with both his voice talent and likeness. However, it was replaced with From Russia With Love video game where Sean Connery starred as Bond. In that time, Brosnan stepped down from the role.
Andrew Bicknell
Andrew Bicknell portrayed James BondJames Bond
James Bond, code name 007, is a fictional character created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels and two short story collections. There have been a six other authors who wrote authorised Bond novels or novelizations after Fleming's death in 1964: Kingsley Amis,...
in likeness only for Agent Under Fire
James Bond 007: Agent Under Fire
007: Agent Under Fire is a first-person shooter video game based on the James Bond franchise. Developed and published by Electronic Arts, it was released for GameCube, PlayStation 2, and Xbox game consoles....
, in which the character was voiced by Adam Blackwood
Adam Blackwood (actor)
Adam Blackwood is an actor who has appeared in several films and television programs, mostly in the United Kingdom.Born in Chichester in 1959, Blackwood is the only son of Rona and John Blackwood. Blackwood has an older sister Nicola, and a younger sister Catriona...
who voiced Bond in three video games. During that time, Brosnan had not renewed his contract as 007, disallowing the use of his physical appearance and voice. Bicknell's likeness was to be featured again in NightFire
James Bond 007: Nightfire
007: NightFire is a first-person shooter video game featuring the character of the British secret agent James Bond and a sequel to Agent Under Fire, published by Electronic Arts in ....
, as early development footage showed, but was replaced when Brosnan's contract was renewed.
Sean Connery
The first official actor in the film series, Sean ConnerySean Connery
Sir Thomas Sean Connery , better known as Sean Connery, is a Scottish actor and producer who has won an Academy Award, two BAFTA Awards and three Golden Globes Sir Thomas Sean Connery (born 25 August 1930), better known as Sean Connery, is a Scottish actor and producer who has won an Academy...
stepped in to portray Bond once again in the video game adaption of From Russia with Love. The game featured both Connery's voice talent and likeness, as well as an updated plot penned by acclaimed Bond writer Bruce Feirstein
Bruce Feirstein
Bruce Feirstein is an American screenwriter and humorist, best known for his contributions to the James Bond series and his best-selling humor books, including Real Men Don't Eat Quiche and Nice Guys Sleep Alone. Real Men Don't Eat Quiche was on the New York Times best seller list for 53...
, who wrote three Bond films and four video games.
Daniel Craig
Since assuming the role of 007 in 2005, Daniel Craig has portrayed the character in voice and likeness in three video games, beginning with Quantum of Solace: The GameQuantum of Solace (video game)
007: Quantum of Solace is a first-person shooter video game based on the films Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace. The game was released for Microsoft Windows, Nintendo DS, PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, Wii and Xbox 360...
in 2008, which combined the events of the films Casino Royale
Casino Royale (2006 film)
Casino Royale is the twenty-first film in the James Bond film series and the first to star Daniel Craig as fictional MI6 agent James Bond...
and Quantum of Solace. He reprised the role in two games released simultaneously in 2010: GoldenEye 007
GoldenEye 007 (2010 video game)
GoldenEye 007 is a 2010 first-person shooter video game developed by Eurocom and published by Activision for the Wii video game console, and the Nintendo DS handheld game console. It is a reimagining of the 1995 James Bond film GoldenEye, and the 1997 Nintendo 64 video game GoldenEye 007...
, the remake of the original blockbuster, and poorly criticized Blood Stone but it ended up with Craig, earning a BAFTA nomination for his best role performance in Blood Stone. However, in 2009, Craig also played in a canceled game based on Ian Fleming's short story Risico with some events from the Fleming's novels unseen in the film franchise has been added to the storyline. It was developing by Raven Software
Raven Software
Raven Software is an American video game developer. The company was founded in 1990 by brothers Brian and Steve Raffel. In 1997, Raven made an exclusive publishing deal with Activision and was subsequently acquired by them...
with Bizzare Creations adding the driving elements. There is a rumour that Daniel Craig would return as Bond in a Splinter Cell
Splinter Cell
Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell is a series of stealth video games, the first of which was released in 2002, and their tie-in novels. The protagonist, Sam Fisher, is presented as a highly-trained agent of a fictional black-ops sub-division within the NSA, dubbed "Third Echelon"...
styled 007 video game, developing by Raven Software. It's unknown that it will be the return of Risico or a sequel to Blood Stone. Their has been suggestions that Skyfall in 2012 would be adapted into a video game which would star Daniel Craig as James Bond as he voiced the character in the previous three Bond titles.
External links
- Bondpedia; The Bond Encyclopedia
- James Bond universe (GameSpotGameSpotGameSpot is a video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information. The site was launched in May 1, 1996 by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady and Jon Epstein. It was purchased by ZDNet, a brand which was later purchased by CNET Networks. CBS Interactive, which...
) - MI6-HQ.com - Gaming Section
- Treyarch to Develop Next James Bond Game
- MobyGames - James Bond