10 Video Games That Broke The Rules

8. Creating Multiplayer Without Telling Anybody - GoldenEye 007

alien resurrection ps1
Rare

It's hard to believe there was any cynicism towards Rare's GoldenEye 007, considering it revolutionised the genre (and proved movie tie-ins didn't have to be crap).

However, Nintendo had no faith in the James Bond shooter whatsoever, believing it was too violent and glitchy. They were so unhappy with the project, they cut funding for three months, placing GoldenEye 007's future in jeopardy.

Since Rare knew they were on thin ice at this point, it would've been unwise for them to make drastic changes or additions to the game without keeping their bosses in the loop.

But as GoldenEye 007's development was drawing to a close, one programmer called Steve Ellis decided to implement a multiplayer option. Although Rare's management was against the idea, Ellis didn't listen and put it together in six weeks. Certain Nintendo would reject this notion, GoldenEye 007 director, Martin Hollis, didn't mention the multiplayer mode to the higher-ups until it was fully functional.

If Nintendo caught wind of Ellis' plan earlier, they could've canned the beloved multiplayer, causing millions of N64 owners to miss out on one of the 90s' greatest gaming experiences.

Contributor

James Egan has been with Whatculture for five years and prominently works on Horror, Film, and Video Games. He's written over 80 books including 1000 Facts about Horror Movies Vol. 1-3 1000 Facts about The Greatest Films Ever Made Vol. 1-3 1000 Facts about Video Games Vol. 1-3 1000 Facts About James Bond 1000 Facts About TV Shows