List of cancelled James Bond video games

Ad for the cancelled Octopussy game

The following James Bond video games were cancelled during pre-production or development and were never made or released.

1980-1990

Octopussy

Octopussy

Shortly after the James Bond 007 video game was released in 1983 by Parker Brothers, another video game was announced that was based on Octopussy, scheduled for 1983 Summer release, it was cancelled for unknown reasons. ^[1]

1990-2000

GoldenEye 007 (Virtual Boy)

GoldenEye for Virtual Boy

In 1995, Nintendo released the ill-fated Virtual Boy; a 32-bit table-top video game console capable of displaying stereoscopic 3D graphics. A racing game based on the 1995 James Bond film GoldenEye was intended to be released as the Virtual Boy companion to Rare's critically-acclaimed GoldenEye 007. Only a screenshot was released and the game was subsequently cancelled, most likely due to the Virtual Boy's lacklustre reception and poor sales.

The Spy Who Loved Me (Playstation)

After the release of Kremlin’s The Spy Who Loved Me (game) on all consoles, the MGM developers are planning to make The Spy Who Loved Me game but was cancelled due to Tomorrow Never Dies release on the Playstation.

Tomorrow Never Dies: The Mission Continues

The Mission Continues

The original VHS release of Tomorrow Never Dies featured a one-minute trailer with Desmond Llewelyn, highlighting a game that would "start where the film ends." Titled "Tomorrow Never Dies: The Mission Continues" on the in-game menu, game footage shows bond skiing, scuba diving and driving a BMW Z3 (E36/7) (featured in Goldeneye) in third person and shooting in first person.^[2] The game was to come out on PlayStation and PC in the fall of 1998.^[3] Subsequent interviews with MGM's Executive Producer Robb Alvey confirmed that the game was originally intended as a continuation of the film with a story that would have picked up where the film left off. David Bishop, president of MGM Home Entertainment, said in June 1998, "We didn't see any benefit to following the script verbatim. We just felt we had more freedom in what we could bring the gaming world if we went outside the set script."

However, focus groups were more interested in seeing familiar scenes from the film; resulting in a change of direction for the game's developers. The project would eventually evolve into Tomorrow Never Dies, which released on November 16, 1999, distributed by EA, but with notable differences from the 1998 attempt. The game was a third person shooter with the scuba diving level nowhere to be found. But perhaps the most glaring difference was the fact that the story now followed the plot of the film, not the continuation that had been promised. A level in the game would have seen Bond skiing down a mountain and killing a Japanese terrorist named Sotoshi Isagura (a very minor character only seen briefly in the film); another stage featured a driving mission in Switzerland.

2000-2010

The World Is Not Enough (PlayStation 2 & PC)

Along with the Nintendo 64, PlayStation, and Game Boy Color editions of The World Is Not Enough, versions for the PC and PlayStation 2 were originally planned for an April 2001 release. Several ads and screenshots were released of the game, showcasing the games' next-gen graphics. A special edition PlayStation 2 console with custom decals was also released exclusively in Switzerland to promote the upcoming release of the game. [4] Despite relatively enthusiastic feedback from fans, the game was ultimately canceled mid-way through development. Though little is known about EA's decision to abort the game, the primary reason for the game's demise is believed to be major changes which took place at EA in early 2001, resulting in many job layoffs for EA employees. It has also been rumored that a select few members of the games development team which had been laid-off, stole information from the unfinished game for personal gain, subsequently causing EA to pursue legal action. The unfinished game was eventually salvaged and gutted, with the retrieved elements ultimately being incorporated into EA's new project, Agent Under Fire. [5]

007 Racing sequel

A PlayStation 2 sequel to 007 Racing was rumoured to be in development.^[6]

Phoenix Rising

The game was originally meant to be released in 2005, set to star Pierce Brosnan as James Bond. Nothing was ever revealed about the plot but the rumours said that it was a follow up to Nightfire with the gameplay elements of Everything or Nothing. All plans were scrapped and replaced with From Russia with Love when Brosnan retired as Bond.^[7]

GoldenEye 007 XBLA

Screenshot from one of the initial levels in the cancelled Xbox Live Arcade version.

A remake of Rare's 1997 Nintendo 64 first-person shooter GoldenEye 007 (codenamed “Project Bean”) was in development for Xbox Live Arcade during 2007 and 2008. Although Microsoft, Activision (then-current owners of the game rights to the James Bond franchise) and Nintendo (publisher of the original GoldenEye 007) were said to have agreed upon a licensing deal for the title initially, Nintendo Japan allegedly refused to grant their permission at last minute; resulting in the cancellation of the project months before completion. Among the planned features for the remake were the ability to select between high-definition converted graphics and N64 graphics, an online multiplayer mode, split screen multiplayer mode, three new multiplayer levels (Dam, Frigate and Depot) and an option to set all character heights to be equal. In addition, Goldeneye XBLA would had over 200 points of achievements and time trial leader boards.

Casino Royale

Unfinished Casino Royale Venice level

Based on the film of the same name where Daniel Craig starred as Bond and was going to give his voice and likeness in the video game. It was set to release on PS3 and Xbox 360 platforms. The game was 15% developed when the project was decidedly cancelled by Electronic Arts as they believed they would not finish it by the film's release. Quantum of Solace eventually included a segment where key plot points of Casino Royale were recapped as playable missions.^[8]

GoldenEye: Rogue Agent sequel

With the game's ending heavily suggesting a sequel, one for GoldenEye: Rogue Agent was originally planned but scrapped due to poor sales and reviews. According to various sources, the sequel would have included vehicles and a longer story mode.

Risico

Risico was the early replacement of Blood Stone but nothing officially was announced. It was based on Ian Fleming's short story Risico with the plotline expanded and involved with other unseen elements from James Bond novels written by Fleming. It was set to star Daniel Craig as Bond in an original storyline developed by both Bizarre Creations and Raven Software studios. However, it was canceled in late 2009. Only some screenshots were hit on the internet and many canceled main-title sequences are shown, rumours say that the plot was involved with diamond smugglers, or with oil-problem.^[9]