Next James Bond videogame gets resumed after smoke clears around MGM fiasco

04-Dec-2010 • Gaming

MI6 understands that due to the MGM bankruptcy plan being approved by the courts this week, the next James Bond videogame from Activision was taken off hiatus and is now green-lit again.

It was not just the MGM situation that put early work on the untitled game on hold, though. There are at least two main development teams at the Activision-owned Raven Software. Earlier this year, one team was finishing work on Activision's new property "Singularity", whilst another was in the early development and design phases of a stealth-centric James Bond game. Development on 007 was put on ice as the resources were re-allocated to work on a series of map packs for the financially lucrative "Call of Duty" franchise.

Raven's other future game, one based on the X-Men franchise and a follow-up to its work on X-Men: Origins Wolverine, was said to have been put on the backburner as well. Based in Madison, Wisconsin (USA), Raven Software last produced the "Wolfenstein" reboot last summer.

Of Activision's recent Bond-licence releases, FPS shooter "GoldenEye 007" was well received and is proving a strong title on the Nintendo Wii, although the third-person movie-style game "Blood Stone" has suffered poor sales and mediocre reviews.

There is no indication that Eurocom, who developed "GoldenEye 007", are working on another Bond title. Bizarre Creations, the studio behind "Blood Stone", were shuttered by Activision a week after the game's release.

It is not clear yet when Activision plan to release the 'stealthy' 007 title by Raven Software, but as development was put on ice for six months, fans shouldn't really expect to see anything until this time next year.