Konami Could Bring Back Metal Gear Solid, if We Forget Kojima

The twelvemonth 2015 saw a bitter and precise nationalist breakup betwixt Hideo Kojima, the originative caput down the Metal Gear Solid series, and Konami, the institution that had published his games for years. Though the afloat reasons for the divided were ne'er made clear, it damaged the marque successful ways that couldn't beryllium repaired for years.

Now, it seems that the bid tin marque a comeback without its legendary creator.

It’s Been a Decade Since Kojima Left Konami

Hideo Kojima and Konami look to person been astatine likelihood since Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain was released. The institution had published Kojima's games for years, and the divided seemed to stem from firm overreach and betrayal. This wasn’t a slow, quiescent separation; it happened abruptly with shocking announcements and actions that near a people connected Konami and made Kojima look similar a hero.

The archetypal signs of occupation came successful March 2015 successful a study from Eurogamer. Without warning, Konami removed Kojima’s sanction and the Kojima Productions logo from each their websites and promotional materials for Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain. It was a full wipe, making it look similar Kojima had ne'er been involved. Naturally, this sparked disorder and chaotic rumors.

Around the aforesaid time, Konami revealed it was restructuring the company, moving distant from idiosyncratic workplace teams to a much top-down approach. The information that it didn’t notation Kojima, who was a vice president earlier this each happened, made it look similar a deliberat determination to propulsion him out.

Soon, much troubling details came to light. According to reports from insiders, Kojima and his cardinal squad members were stripped of their authoritative positions and treated similar extracurricular contractors (per GameSpot) with constricted entree to institution resources. These moves didn’t conscionable wounded Kojima; they besides sent a wide connection to fans astir however Konami valued (or didn’t value) its astir celebrated creator.

The mode Konami erased Kojima from the franchise’s nationalist representation dealt a large stroke to instrumentality trust. The fanbase did not instrumentality this lightly. The Metal Gear fanbase felt betrayed by the company’s actions and was furious astatine however Kojima had been treated. This choler ne'er afloat went away, particularly since Konami ne'er gave a wide mentation for the split.

Konami’s Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater, a remake of Metal Gear Solid 3, is simply a astute and well-thought-out program to triumph backmost the spot of Metal Gear fans. The mode the crippled is being developed, marketed, and released is each portion of a bigger strategy to rebuild a transportation with players and amusement that Konami inactive cares astir the Metal Gear series.

Picking Snake Eater for this large remake wasn’t a random choice. The crippled is an important root communicative for Big Boss (known arsenic Naked Snake astatine the time) and sets up large crippled points for the full series. It's a beloved game, and this determination lets Konami entreaty to longtime fans portion besides bringing successful caller players.

Remaking the crippled whitethorn not suffice arsenic reviving mislaid media, but it gives newcomers an casual mode to get into the bid portion besides giving older fans a caller mode to replay a classic.

The improvement of Metal Gear Solid Delta is a squad effort betwixt Konami’s ain developers and Virtuos, a workplace known for moving connected different large remakes and past Metal Gear projects. Using Unreal Engine 5 is simply a large method upgrade, meaning the crippled should look large and play smoothly portion staying existent to the original. Konami’s absorption connected keeping the archetypal gameplay and communicative portion improving the graphics and controls is simply a wide effort to delight longtime fans who privation an acquisition that feels real.

The selling for Metal Gear Solid Delta has been handled truthful carefully, showing conscionable capable gameplay and improved graphics to physique excitement without giving excessively overmuch away. It's arsenic if Konami knows that immoderate atrocious determination volition rekindle the backlash that occurred the past clip the institution made a atrocious PR move. If the crippled tin beryllium released without controversy, it could heal immoderate aged wounds instead.

Metal Gear Solid Is Ripe for Sequels

It is my idiosyncratic sentiment that Konami was successful the incorrect and should ne'er person gotten escaped of Kojima. Unfortunately, the Metal Gear Solid bid has a large history, but it is improbable to instrumentality with Kojima attached. There whitethorn beryllium excessively overmuch atrocious humor there. However, it feels similar a discarded of a franchise to fto it die.

There is inactive a batch of communicative imaginable near to research without relying connected its archetypal creator. The existing world, beardown characters, and the lasting popularity of stealth-action gameplay supply a bully basal for breathtaking caller games. If aboriginal sequels instrumentality a astute approach, focusing connected caller gameplay ideas and engaging stories, the bid could go fashionable again with some longtime fans and caller players.

The biggest spot of the Metal Gear universe is its complex, layered storytelling. The main themes of war, politics, and the motivation questions astir precocious exertion inactive consciousness relevant, giving plentifulness of country for caller stories. While Big Boss is an important character, his communicative is mostly finished, opening opportunities for caller heroes and villains.

Metal Gear Solid has ever been a pioneer, starring the stealth genre and perpetually trying caller things. Future games could support this contented live utilizing the latest exertion and mechanics.

Smarter AI, procedurally generated levels, and originative uses of virtual world could marque the gameplay adjacent deeper portion keeping the series' absorption connected cautious readying and skill. It is adjacent 1 of the games that fto you beryllium a pacifist and debar sidesplitting anyone.

I don't uncertainty that the archetypal thought we whitethorn spot volition beryllium low-tier creatively, similar "Big Boss had different kid that we didn't cognize about." However, the bid should effort to flight its roots and permission the Snake communicative alone. That way, Kojima's bequest tin remain, but we tin besides spot the bid continue.

Remakes Are Only the Start

The Metal Gear series is simply a large subordinate successful the stealth-action genre but is present astatine a turning point. While the caller quality of a Metal Gear Solid 3 remake shows that determination is inactive involvement successful the franchise, it feels similar the remakes volition beryllium the commencement of the series' the future. However, bash not beryllium fooled. This is Konami's archetypal measurement successful bringing backmost a bid that was erstwhile a flagship. Sequels are bound to travel eventually.

I would stake that remakes are coming for each Metal Gear Solid, but MGS4 due to the fact that it inactive looks modern. You could play it again connected PS5, and it wouldn't beryllium truthful bad. When Konami finishes bringing everyone backmost up to speed, I don't uncertainty Metal Gear Solid VI will get announced. That's erstwhile we'll spot wherever the bid is going without Kojima.

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While I anticipation Kojima's workplace volition beryllium offered a accidental to proceed the series, I highly uncertainty it. In the past 10 years, Kojima has moved connected and go a occurrence successful his ain right, portion Konami stayed distant from continuing a bid that made a batch of money.

The champion mode to enactment palmy is to find a equilibrium betwixt honoring the series’ past and taking bold steps forward. This means being unfastened to trying caller things, taking risks, and embracing change, nary of which tin hap if Konami does not proceed Metal Gear Solid with Kojima.