Goldeneye 007 revolutionized the gaming world in more ways than any other game during its time. With the help of the newly introduced Nintendo 64, multiplayer gaming became a social network of up to four players rather than the conventional two-player gaming of that time. It was also a breakthrough first-person shooter (FPS) video game for the video game console world in several aspects such as realistic game play, graphics, and violence.
In order to get a good grasp on the revolutionizing properties of Goldeneye 007, it is important to understand the quality and capabilities of typical videogames of the time. In 1994, Sega Saturn and Sony Playstion were introduced as the first 32-bit systems to offer CD-based games. Due to the high cost of Sega Saturn, Sony Play station became the number one selling game console with over two million systems sold. A year later, Nintendo began its launch of the Nintendo 64. Although the system lacked CD technology, the Nintendo 64 was “marketed as the first true 64-bit video game console”[1], double that of Playstation 1 and Sega Saturn. In addition to the improved graphic visuals, the Nintendo 64 was the first console to offer four controller inputs making 4-person multiplayer parties an easy reality.
When Goldeneye 007 was introduced to the gaming world, it was the first FPS to utilize this 4-person multiplayer gaming offered by the Nintendo 64[2]. While several PC games were already utilizing on-line multiplayer modes, Goldeneye offered gamers a way to get together with several friends to slaughter each other while being in the same room. This new breed of multiplayer gaming changed impacted the face of video games in a way in which we still see today.
This new 4-person multiplayer gaming made helped make Goldeneye the most dominant video of its time and as a result sparked a new culture of gaming. There are now countless 4-player video game tournaments all over the world from friendly get-togethers to nationally organized gaming tournaments such as World Cyber Games USA. Modern-day video games such as Super Smash Brothers, Halo, and Call of Duty have all utilized this multiplayer and have become such dominant video games due in part to their use in local and national gaming tournaments.
Through these organized tournaments, video games became a new formal form of competition. This has given people of all ages and backgrounds some way of competing with one another even when there is a lack of interest in other forms of competition such as sports and board games. Goldeneye in particular opened up an entire realm of competition in the video game genre of FPS’s, one of the most dominating video game genres today.
As a result of Goldeneye’s near-perfect multiplayer mode, multiplayer gaming has become as or even more important than the design of single-player career modes. Many designers agree that a well-designed multiplayer mode will significantly prolong the life-span of a video game. Because of lengthened video game life spans, the average person begins to log more and more hours of game play, therefore impacting society in many different ways.
In addition to the multiplayer mode’s effect on modern-day gaming and society, Goldeneye’s revolutionary realistic qualities increased concerns regarding violence in video games. As the first 64-bit first person shooter, Goldeneye displayed graphics and game play more realistic than any FPS of that time. While typical video games typically displayed enemies vanishing in a puff of smoke once eliminated, those killed in Goldeneye would fall to the ground and while lying in a puddle of their own blood for several moments. Since violence in video games had only recently begun to be debated among political representatives, Goldeneye amplified the situation with its overwhelmingly realistic, violent game play.
It was only after the release of Mortal Kombat in 1992 that violence in video games had become a serious societal and psychological concern. In 1993, Senator Joe Lieberman and Senator Herb Kohl began the debate over regulating the sales of video games to minors. One year later, the Entertainment Software Rating Board was established by the Entertainment Software Association to provide information and ratings to consumers interested in purchasing videogames.
Due to Goldeneye’s breakthrough characteristics, the ESRB system had to be modified to include several more content descriptors for consumers. Eventually, the ESRB system included 6 rating symbols and 31 content descriptors such as blood and intense violence[3].
While most politicians and consumers were content with the ESRB rating system, there was still much concern regarding the psychological effects of violent, more realistic games such as Goldeneye. As a FPS, Goldeneye also surfaced the possible connection between videogames and acts of violence such as school shootings. Although the debate still rages on, most psychologists agree that experimental evidence showing that children become more aggressive after playing or observing violent video games supports the social learning theory[4]. The specific effects of violent videogames on older users are still very unclear. However, results of experiments on young adults have attempted to draw a link between video game play and academic performance.
With the help of Nintendo 64’s breakthrough technology, Goldeneye 007 set the standard modern-day realistic technology development for videogames. As the first FPS to be presented in true 64-bit technology, twice that of Playstation and Sega Saturn, players and designers saw the horizons of video gaming technology broaden more than ever before. This not only caught the eyes of consumers, but also sparked intense competition between video game designers seeking to gain control of the new FPS genre niche in the video game industry.
Goldeneye 007 drastically changed the video game world in several different ways and clearly had short term and long term social effects. A new culture was born involving 4-person multiplayer tournaments, issues regarding violence in video games continued to surface, realistic graphics and game play became a new priority for consumers and designers, and the new genre of FPS became one of the most popular genres of video games. The most popular titles today such as Halo 3, Call of Duty 4, and Metal Gear Solid 4, have all taken some piece of Goldeneye’s groundbreaking game play. Modern day gaming culture has been changed forever and it is due largely in part to Rareware’s revolutionary game design and the technology made possible by Nintendo the Nintendo 64.
[1] Interactive Timeline of Game History. PBS. http://www.pbs.org/kcts/videogamerevolution/history/timeline_flash.html
[2] “Goldeneye 007: Ten Years Later.” http://www.racketboy.com/retro/nintendo/n64/2007/11/goldeneye-007-ten-years-later.html
[3] “What’s it Rated? Understanding the Media Ratings System.” Googobits.com. http://www.googobits.com/articles/p9-1386-whats-it-rated-understanding-the-media-rating-systems.html
[4] “Video Games and Violence.” http://socserv.mcmaster.ca/soc/courses/stpp4C03/ClassEssay/videogames.htm
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