Fans who recall the first-person shooter GoldenEye 007 often look back on the game with a deep fondness. Not only was the hit Nintendo 64 game a highly enjoyable multiplayer experience, it paved the way for the genre as a desirable game for consoles.

Many attempts have been made since GoldenEye 007 to recreate the success with further franchise titles. Both Activision and EA made attempts that ultimately fell short of the original. Often, these games wound up stopped by a myriad of legalities that prevented anything from becoming a GoldenEye revival.

With the rights to GoldenEye 007 having been owned by Nintendo for the last 20 years, a bit of a loophole has emerged that may make it possible for the game to come to life once more. A RestERA forum user named Cranster discovered on the US IP Rights database that the start date for the rights to the game began on December 10th, 1997. With a typical shelf life of 20 years, the claim is now expired.

Legal issues being the largest hurdle in launching a remaster or new title in the franchise has, as far as anyone can tell, been removed from the table. The James Bond rights belong in many laps, including MGM and Activision, however, rights to GoldenEye 007 and the Agent don’t. With the copyright now out in the open, it is quite possible that fans could see at least a remastered version down the line.

What new features, graphically or otherwise, would a remake GoldenEye 007 an even better game the second time around? Join in on the conversation in the comment section below! Don’t forget to follow DFTG on Twitter for live gaming and entertainment news 24/7!