"We've already started development on the next Bond game," said an EA official, who added that the PlayStation will get another Bond game before they go to PlayStation2. While Electronic Arts has not officially announced which next-gen systems it looks to develop for, several sources inside EA have stated that the company is looking forward to creating many titles on the PlayStation2.
The first Bond game to be produced from this new partnership is based on the film, The World is Not Enough, which hits movie theatres on Friday, November 19. The videogame is presently under development for a year 2000 release on multiple platforms, including PlayStation, a source close to the developer told IGNPSX.
While Electronic Arts would not confirm who the developer of the next Bond game for PlayStation is, Black Ops is the most likely candidate, after its work on Tomorrow Never Dies. The EA official would not deny that Black Ops is the developer. Eurocom will develop the Nintendo 64 version of the game.
"The same attributes that have contributed to making James Bond a movie legend will translate naturally into making him a valuable long-term videogame franchise," said Frank Gibeau, vice president of marketing for EA. "We believe that the Bond character lends itself well to an array of gameplay elements, from intense storylines and characters to action-packed sequences and innovative gadgets. We are very excited about what the future holds in terms of building a successful series of games based on Secret Agent 007, one of the entertainment industry's most enduring heroes."
The James Bond movie series started in 1962, when it released Dr. No, and has spawned 18 films since. The most recent film, The World is Not Enough, stars Pierce Brosnan as Bond, Sophie Marceau as Electra King, Robert Carlyle as the evil Renard, and the Starship Trooper teethy vixen Denise Richards as "Christmas Jones." The first Bond game to garner critical praise was Nintendo and Rare's Goldeneye 007, which has since been one of the most successful videogames on Nintendo 64 since its release in summer of 1997.
"Danjaq is excited to be collaborating with MGM Interactive and EA in bringing James Bond video and PC games into the new millennium," said David Pope, COO of Danjaq.