The Walther P99 is a German pistol which replaced the Walther PPK as James Bond's main sidearm from 1997 (Tomorrow Never Dies) to 2008 (Quantum of Solace), where it was phased out again in favor of the PPK. The weapon was developed for law enforcement, security forces and the civilian shooting market as a replacement for the Walther P5 and the P88.
The "Wolfram P2K", a semi-fictional firearm modelled on the P99, renamed and lacking identifying trademarks, appeared in the James Bond video games The World Is Not Enough (2000), Agent Under Fire (2001) and Nightfire (2002).
Specifications
- Production: 1997-present
- Type: Pistol
- Caliber(s): 9x19mm, .40 S&W
- Weight: 9x19mm: 1.38 lbs (0.63 kg), .40 S&W: 1.44 lbs (0.655 kg)
- Length: 9x19mm: 7.1 in (18 cm), .40 S&W: 7.2 in (18.4 cm)
- Barrel length(s): 9x19mm: 4 in (10.2 cm), .40 S&W: 4.2 in (10.6 cm)
- Capacity: 16 (9x19mm), 12 (.40 S&W)
- Fire Modes: Semi-Auto
Background
"The new Walther? I asked Q to get me one of these."
Tomorrow Never Dies is well-known as the film in which the Walther P99 replaces the older PPK as Bond's sidearm. In Saigon, Bond picks out the P99 from Wai Lin's hidden armory. Bond states that he has been trying to convince Q to replace his Walther PPK with it. He then uses the gun, with a suppressor attached, through a great deal of the movie's climax aboard the Stealth Ship, losing it only when he runs dry during an intense period of gunfire. This is also the gun featured on many posters for the film.
The P99 remained 007's main sidearm in The World Is Not Enough (1999), Die Another Day (2002) and Casino Royale (2006). For Quantum of Solace (2008), however, the Walther PPK made a return as 007's main sidearm during the film. In Skyfall (2012), although primarily armed with a modified PPK/S with a custom grip, Bond appears to be firing a Walther P99 in a production still. This is probably used as an alternative weapon for the Walther PPK.
Although the Walther P99 doesn't feature heavily in the James Bond novel series, Raymond Benson briefly replaced the PPK with the P99 in his novelisation of Tomorrow Never Dies. In the following novels Bond uses both guns: the PPK for undercover work as it is smaller and easier to conceal while he used the P99 for jobs that did not require concealment.
Video-game appearances
The World Is Not Enough
The earliest appearance of the P99 as Bond's main weapon is in the video game The World Is Not Enough as the "Wolfram P2K" and remains Bond's standard sidearm throughout the whole game.
Agent Under Fire
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The Wolfram P2K sidearm, as seen in Agent Under Fire (2001).
Continuing to be called the "Wolfram P2K" in the 2001 game Agent Under Fire, 007's primary firearm is likely modelled on the Smith and Wesson SW99, a second generation variant of the P99 produced jointly by Smith & Wesson and Walther. Notably, the gun model in-game has the same slide, textured grip, and rounded trigger guard as the Smith & Wesson SW99, though it lacks the identifying trademarks.
The game instruction manual notes that the "Wolfram P2K" was designed to be the next generation of sidearm for the German police. The P2K sports a compact design and a smooth single-action firing mechanism which fires special lightweight 9mm bullets - while not the most powerful rounds in Bond's world, they allow for rapid and precise firing.[1] Unlike the real-world SW99 on which it was based, the P2K comes as standard with a 6-round magazine and holds 16 rounds in multiplayer (the correct amount). It can also be fitted with a silencer. A special gold plated version (which holds 12 rounds) called the "Golden Gun" replaces it if the player earns a Gold Medal in the 1st Level, and further upgrades improve the rate of fire, power, and magazine capacity of the gun when unlocked.
Nightfire
It appears once again in Agent Under Fire and 007: Nightfire, as the "Wolfram P2K". However, it is featured as a more powerful handgun that Bond can pick up on missions, Bond still starts levels with the PPK, or as it is called in the game, the "Wolfram PP7".
GoldenEye: Rogue Agent
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The "Spec-9" modified P99 sidearm, as seen in GoldenEye: Rogue Agent (2004).
The Spec-9 is the personal sidearm of Auric Goldfinger's unnamed golden-eyed enforcer in the 2004 first-person shooter GoldenEye: Rogue Agent. The Spec-9 is described as a modified version of MI6's standard issue 9mm pistol, the Walther P99.[2] It has two-tone finish and a laser, which is unusable by the player. Although the pistol inflicts light damage, it is fast and highly accurate. The weapon has a clip size of 12 rounds and with an unlimited number of rounds in addition to the active clip.[3] The SPEC 9 is holstered when other weapons are equipped, always providing the player with a backup sidearm, even if they run out of other weapons.
Everything or Nothing
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The "P99" sidearm, as seen in Everything or Nothing (2004).
Everything or Nothing (2004) marked the first appearance of the firearm using the name "P99". However, as with earlier depictions, the primary model for the sidearm was not strictly-speaking a Walther P99. Initial promotional images depict the firearm as a standard Walther P99. However, during game production, the weapon's design subtly changed from a P99 to a hybrid in the final release version; with the frame and trigger assembly of a first-generation Walther P99 and the slide and barrel of a Smith & Wesson SW99. To further complicate matters, the game's pre-rendered cutscenes and 'Bond Sense' menu feature a SW99 as the "P99".[4] The P99 comes as standard with a 10-round magazine and can be fitted with a silencer.
Quantum of Solace (game)
The P99 didn't appear in the following game, From Russia with Love (video game), where the PPK appears instead. This is presumably because Bond wields the PPK in the movie From Russia With Love (film), which the video game is based on. It appears as Bond's trusty side arm in every game after From Russia with Love, including Quantum of Solace (video game).
GoldenEye (2010 video game)
Blood Stone
In Blood Stone, James Bond uses a 1st generation Walther P99, typically with a suppressor, as his main sidearm. For some reason it only holds 8 rounds, half the real-world capacity of the 9x19mm version.
007 Legends
Images
_2.png "Wolfram P2K (Agent Under Fire) 2.png (487 KB)")
_2.png "P99 (Everything or Nothing) 2.png (630 KB)")
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.jpg "Walther P99 (Blood Stone).jpg (101 KB)")
_1.png "Walther P99 (007 Legends) 1.png (1.5 MB)")
References
- ↑ (2001) Agent Under Fire: Instruction Booklet. Electronic Arts, p.15.
- ↑ (2004) GoldenEye: Rogue Agent Instruction Booklet. Electronic Arts, p.9.
- ↑ Goldeneye: Rogue Agent: Official Strategy Guide (Prima's Official Strategy Guides), Prima Games, 26 November 2004, p.157
- ↑ Talk:007: Everything or Nothing. Internet Movie Firearms Database.