While there's been no confirmation of a Metal Gear Solid 6 on the horizon, it seems unlikely that Japanese entertainment giant Konami would abandon one of its most beloved properties so easily.
While Konami released the Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Vol. 1 last year and is still working away on the Metal Gear Solid 3 remake, the prospect of a Metal Gear Solid 6 is made more distant by the absence of franchise creator Hideo Kojima. The renowned auteur was very much the driving force behind the series but parted ways with Konami after the successful release of Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain in 2015. Since then, Kojima has formed his own studio, Kojima Productions, which is responsible for Death Stranding and the upcoming Death Stranding 2: On The Beach.
Those looking for a direct spiritual successor to the Metal Gear Solid series may be in luck, however, as Kojima has announced that he's working on a new action-espionage game called Physint which he promises will be "the culmination of my work." While Physint certainly sounds exciting, Kojima doesn't own the rights to Metal Gear Solid, meaning that any official follow-up would need to come with Konami's blessing. We've scoured the internet to find indications of what (if anything) Konami might be up to on this front. Read on to find out more.
Metal Gear Solid 6: cut to the chase
- What is it? The unconfirmed sixth game in the Metal Gear Solid series
- When’s it out? TBC
- What can I play it on? TBC
Metal Gear Solid 6 - what we know
Metal Gear is in a strange sort of limbo right now, at least in terms of new games in the mainline series. Hideo Kojima, now working at his own studio, has long since severed ties with Konami. However, Konami still owns the rights to the series. So far, Konami has only released one Kojima-free Metal Gear title: Metal Gear Survive.
Currently, we are awaiting the release of the Metal Gear Solid 3 remake, which was announced at a PlayStation Showcase event last year. This could be a testing bed of sorts for the series, and might potentially be used to justify a new addition to the Metal Gear Solid saga.
We imagine if Metal Gear Solid 6, or some new series entry, is on the way, then it will arrive on PS5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, and PC at the very least.
Metal Gear Solid 6 - what we want to see
Metal Gear Solid 6 may not have been confirmed by Konami, but here's what we would want to see in a new Metal Gear Solid game.
Return to the sandbox
Ground Zeroes and The Phantom Pain saw a marked shift in the Metal Gear Solid format. In a similar way to The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, the games took the essential elements of the Metal Gear formula and spun them anew within an open-world sandbox environment.
It was a big deal for a series known for enclosed areas to instead offer an open space over which you could gradually exert control. The change in philosophy rejuvenated the series and any sequel should continue that trend by iterating on the wealth of changes Metal Gear Solid 5 introduced.
More sci-fi
As much as I enjoyed Metal Gear Solid 5, I did find the trappings of the 1980s somewhat limiting, especially compared with the over-the-top sci-fi bombast of Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance. As much as I love the more understated and historical side of Metal Gear, I know I'm not alone in missing the awesome giant mech fights of Metal Gear Solid 4. Metal Gear has always been eerily prescient when it's looked toward the future, and I'd love to see more.
Story
Metal Gear Solid 5 ended with the revelation that you hadn’t been playing as Big Boss, but as a man who had been brainwashed and surgically altered to think and look like he was Big Boss. It was a leftfield twist but also explains how Snake was able to kill Big Boss twice in the original Metal Gear games.
In the first Metal Gear, Snake kills the doppelganger (aka 'Venom' Snake) and in Metal Gear 2 he kills the real Big Boss.
There are many places where Metal Gear Solid 6 could pick up the story, but a likely candidate would be right after the events of Metal Gear Solid 5, potentially as Big Boss establishes Outer Heaven, his renegade state. This would give fans a chance to re-meet characters like Grey Fox and Dr Pettrovich, though from a new perspective. Alternatively, Konami could take a leaf out of Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance's book and focus on the future of Metal Gear and the long-term consequences of its characters' actions.
Unanswered questions
While Konami disputes it, many people feel Metal Gear Solid 5 is unfinished. The game’s final mission, Episode 51, was literally cut from the game, so there is little resolution when it comes to Eli, Big Boss’ clone. At one point he steals a mech from your base and disappears, but, thanks to the cut mission, you never end up giving chase. While The Phantom Pain’s collector’s edition revealed what would have happened in the cut mission, it would be great to play that final part and to see Eli, the boy soldier, become Liquid Snake, your nemesis throughout Metal Gear Solid 1, 2, and 4.
Hideo Kojima’s departure from Konami doesn’t have to spell the end for Metal Gear Solid. However, if the publisher wants to continue its most famous series for itself, then it better be ready to fill some rather large boots.
Metal Gear Solid 6 news
David Hayter teases new performance as Snake
In a Tweet, Snake voice actor David Hayter teased a return to the character. While nothing has been confirmed yet, Hayter did reply to the tweet with a GIF from Metal Gear Solid 3 Delta, so who knows.
Another Metal Gear Solid Master Collection is coming
Speaking in the latest Metal Gear Production Hotline episode posted to YouTube, producer Noriaki Okamura responded to a fan question regarding a potential follow-up to the existing Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Vol. 1.
"We should've picked easier questions," he joked. He explained that the question is a difficult one to answer as while they already had HD ports of Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty and Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater, there are no pre-existing ports "of the titles released after those".
Metal Gear Solid movie gets a promising update
Producer Ari Arad spoke in an interview with Brian Crecente about the upcoming Metal Gear movie. On whether it’ll be the pinnacle of video game adaptations, he added, "I think everyone's going to be really excited and surprised. I think getting Metal Gear right will obviously be amazing because I think it's a lot more meditative than some of the other adaptations. Personally, I want it to be terrific."
Metal Gear Solid 3 Remake announced
A new Metal Gear Solid project was announced at a PlayStation Showcase event last year. This is a remake of Metal Gear Solid 3, and so far, we've seen a cinematic teaser trailer and an in-engine preview video. Hopefully, more details will follow, as for now, there's little information about just how extensive a remake it will be at launch. That said, it's clear that Konami is aiming for a high production-value reimagining, perhaps in the vein of Final Fantasy 7 Remake or the Resident Evil 4 remake.
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