M249

Lore & Background

In the GoldenEye 007 universe, the M249 sits in the hands of military and paramilitary forces encountered throughout the campaign. It is the weapon of choice for mid-level soldiers and security teams who need reliable suppressive fire in open corridors and outdoor kill-zones without the bulk of a full machine gun. Its presence in a level signals a threat that can pin the player behind cover with a continuous stream of 5.56 mm rounds. In the 1997 N64 original, the M249 occupies a specific niche in the weapon progression: it is more powerful than the MP5 and P99 sidearms but carries a finite magazine, distinguishing it from the M60, which the game grants unlimited ammunition to. This design choice lets players feel the difference between a 'heavy' gun they must manage and a true automatic weapon they can hold down indefinitely. The M249's high cyclic rate makes it effective at close-to-mid range, though its spread and limited rounds demand disciplined bursts. The 2010 Wii remake retains the M249 in its expanded weapon roster, updating its visual model and sound design while preserving its role as the go-to light machine gun for sustained engagements. Across both entries, the weapon reinforces the franchise's design philosophy of offering a clear power curve where each step up in the arsenal trades a different resource—accuracy, ammo, or mobility—for raw firepower.

In Their Own Story

The corridor beyond the blast door was a mess of shattered concrete and sparking wiring. James crouched behind a overturned crate, the M249's stock pressed hard against his shoulder. Through the smoke he could see two figures in olive drab moving in a tight sweep, their own M249s chewing the air with a flat, relentless rattle. He counted the rounds in his magazine—enough for one good burst, maybe two. He exhaled, lined up the front sight on the first figure's chest, and let the trigger go. The gun bucked, the belt of 5.56 rounds walking left, and the first man went down in a spray of dust. The second one was already bringing his own SAW around. James dropped the spent magazine, racked a fresh one, and held the trigger down until the magazine was empty and the corridor was quiet.

Reader's Guide

The M249 is a light machine gun available in select levels of both GoldenEye 007 (1997) and GoldenEye 007 (2010). It fires in full-auto with a high cyclic rate, making it ideal for mowing down groups of enemies in open areas or tight corridors where the MP5's magazine runs dry too quickly. Pick it up when you face a wave of mid-level soldiers or when you need to suppress a doorway. Its limited magazine means you should fire in controlled bursts of three to five rounds rather than holding the trigger, especially at mid-range where spread accumulates quickly. Against heavily armored opponents or bosses, the M249's per-round damage is lower than the M60 or the M79, so save it for volume-of-fire situations. In the N64 original, note the distinction from the M60: the M60 has unlimited ammunition, while the M249 does not. If you find an M249 in a level, use it before you find an M60, or reserve it for the moments where you need sustained fire without the commitment of switching to the heavier weapon. In the 2010 version, the M249 slots into a larger weapon wheel and benefits from updated recoil patterns, but the core principle remains: high rate, finite ammo, best used in short aggressive bursts.

Did You Know?

• In the 1997 N64 original, the M60 machine gun has unlimited ammunition while the M249 does not, creating a clear design distinction between the two heavy weapons in the arsenal.
• The real-world M249 SAW is a 5.56 mm NATO light machine gun that has served in U.S. and allied military forces since the early 1980s, making it a period-appropriate choice for the game's military settings.
• The M249's high rate of fire in the N64 game makes it one of the fastest-firing weapons in the arsenal, though its limited magazine means a single magazine can be exhausted in under two seconds of continuous fire.
• The weapon reappears in the 2010 Wii remake with an updated 3D model and revised sound design, preserving its role as the primary light machine gun in the expanded weapon roster.