* CreatorBacklash: The TroubledProduction and failure of this game drove Danny Bilson, the writer of EA's ''James Bond'' games, to quit Electronic Arts for good.
* RoleReprise: [[Creator/ChristopherLee Sir Christopher Lee]], who starred in the films a few decades prior to the game's release, reprises his role of Scaramanga.
* StillbornFranchise: EA wanted a sequel, but since the game bombed it vanished.
* TroubledProduction: According to screenwriter Danny Bilson in a [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f0xA0oLoeYA video]] and [[https://soundcloud.com/raycevick/sets/test?utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing interview]] with Lucas Raycevick, the game was "our dream that became kind of a nightmare" thanks to this trope.
** The concept started when Bilson and writing partner Paul [=DeMeo=], having written prior ''Franchise/JamesBond'' games [[VideoGame/AgentUnderFire under]] [[VideoGame/{{Nightfire}} the]] [[VideoGame/EverythingOrNothing flag]] of Creator/ElectronicArts, pitched a ''Bond'' game where the player would be [[VillainProtagonist a rogue MI6 agent]] playing both sides in a "gang war" between ''Bond'' villains [[Film/DrNo Dr. No]] and [[Film/{{Goldfinger}} Auric Goldfinger]]. Despite certain restrictions coming down from EON and MGM regarding the pitch, it quickly entered pre-production at EA Los Angeles.
** Just as quickly, troubles descended down on the project. [[ExecutiveMeddling EA mandated]] that it needed a quick turnaround, as EA was intent on keeping its ''Bond'' games to a yearly release cycle and had ''VideoGame/DoubleOhSevenFromRussiaWithLove'' lined up for 2005. EA LA manager John Batter named the game ''Goldeneye: Rogue Agent'' for marketing reasons, despite the game [[InNameOnly having no relation]] to [[Film/{{Goldeneye}} the film]] or [[VideoGame/GoldenEye1997 the game]] of the same name. Bilson took particular exception to this, noting that the name would bring unfair comparisons.
** EA Los Angeles attempted to overhaul its technology during development. The modified Unreal Engine 2 version they used had come under fire for its dated graphics in ''VideoGame/MedalOfHonorRisingSun'', pressuring the studio to take action. With EA demanding that ''Rogue Agent'' be released within nine months, EA LA found themselves gutting the concept in order to make it work within the confines of their in-progress engine upgrade and the strict deadline imposed by EA. Bilson was dismayed as communication between the creatives and the development team grew "out of sync", and virtually all the storylines and ambitious setpieces he had drawn up was cut in the mad dash to present a shippable product.
** The game also had knock-on effects with ''VideoGame/TimesplittersFuturePerfect'', developed by former Rare veterans at Free Radical, as EA slashed the marketing budget for ''Future Perfect'' in favour of ''Rogue Agent''.
* WhatCouldHaveBeen:
** The developers of the game intended it to be much more ambitious than it ended up being. Unfortunately, its TroubledProduction and lack of time led to it being the disaster it became.
** EA's original plan was to recast every classical character derived from the series with newer actors, leading them to consider casting Creator/JessicaBiel in the role of Pussy Galore, but it eventually fell apart.
** [=GoldenEye=] himself was [[http://thespyarenaweblog.blogspot.com/2014/06/goldeneye-rogue-agent-interview-with.html originally]] modeled after Creator/GaryOldman.
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