With Pierce Brosnan exiting the role of James Bond after DIE ANOTHER DAY (2002), on February 2004 Electronic Arts, the company who had the 007 gaming rights since 1999, used the popular title GOLDENEYE for a spin-off in the James Bond universe. GOLDENEYE: ROGUE AGENT would locate the player in the role of an unnamed MI6 agent kicked out of the British Secret Service for reckless brutality, after losing an eye in a combat with Dr. No.

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Developed over a modified version of the MEDAL OF HONOR engine, the game counted with the collaboration of veteran James Bond production designer Ken Adam, who recreated many of his sets seen in the classic 007 films. Paul Oakenfold, who made a version of the James Bond Theme for the DIE ANOTHER DAY soundtrack, composed the video game soundtrack and Natasha Bedingfield performed the end title song, "If You're Gonna Jump". Judi Dench and Christopher Lee were the only actors to provide the voice for their respective characters in the 007 franchise, M and Francisco Scaramanga, and Danny Bilson wrote the script of the game.

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The story takes place in an alternate universe with classic villains like Auric Goldfinger, Dr. No, Xenia Onatopp, Francisco Scaramanga and the "Number One" (obviously inspired by Blofeld) in the middle of an internal criminal war that divided Goldfinger and Dr. No. Knowing the protagonist's hate for Dr. No, Goldfinger hires the man after M dismisses him when he fails a VR simulation of the Fort Knox assault seen in the 1964 James Bond film named as the villain, provoking the death of 007 as well. After hiring him, Goldfinger instructs Francisco Scaramanga to add him a gold-coloured prosthetic digital eye in replacement of the one he lost, with a few extra features, earning the nickname "GoldenEye".

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Auric Goldfinger has developed a weapon known as the OMEN (Organic Mass Energy Neutralizer), which releases energy capable of breaking down organic matter on a nearly atomic level, resulting in disintegration. With the aid of Pussy Galore and Oddjob, the tight lipped GoldenEye is first sent to Hong Kong and then to Goldfinger's Midas Casino in Las Vegas to protect the OMEN from Dr. No’s hands and terminate him. Through his mission, he’ll also face-off Xenia Onatopp, working for Dr. No, at Hoover Dam. Oddjob then betrays him, but GoldenEye quickly beats him.

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Goldfinger contacts GoldenEye and sends him to Crab Key for a final confrontation with Dr. No, which ends with the scientific electrocuted after a confrontation with GoldenEye, who is later betrayed by Goldfinger because “he knows too much” and leaves him to die. However, GoldenEye escapes and learns that Pussy Galore and Scaramanga, as well as the guards of the lair, have also been betrayed. The latter provides GoldenEye a function with which he can override the OMEN, which he does so to escape a death-trap and kill Auric Goldfinger with his own weapon. GoldenEye escapes with Pussy Galore and both share a romantic moment as she activates the auto pilot of her helicopter, while Number One and Scaramanga decide to “keep an eye” on GoldenEye’s activities.

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The game, released for Playstation 2, Nintendo GameCube and Nintendo DS, wasn't well received in general. Reviewers felt that the gameplay was mediocre and the deceitful use of the GOLDENEYE name in reference to the original Nintendo 64 game, plus the idea of leaving the James Bond cannon wasn't exactly welcomed. On the positive side, the multiplayer mode was appreciated since it gave the players the chance to have a deathmatch confrontation in classic Bond scenarios such as the space shuttle base from MOONRAKER, Carver's press from TOMORROW NEVER DIES, the Golden Gate from A VIEW TO A KILL and Scaramanga's island from THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN GUN.

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