What’s happening with Metal Gear?

For those who don’t know, Konami is in the midst of the biggest campaign of self-sabotage in the history of the video game industry. Without exaggerating, not only did they cancel the release of Silent Hills as an extreme response to piracy of the guerilla marketed playable teaser, which received raving positive reception by the way, they fired Hideo Kojima from the staff.

Not only was Kojima working on Silent Hills but he is the creator of the legendary Metal Gear franchise. Of course, Konami retained ownership of the property so Kojima essentially had his baby taken from him. What do the new owners of Metal Gear do now that papa Hideo isn’t around?

Jump the shark, like you’ve never seen before!

Kojima returns fire

As a rule, I dislike the phrase “I don’t believe it.” In this case, had I not seen that trailer before hearing about it, I really wouldn’t believe it. That a major publisher could be so phenomenally bone headed as to make a series that’s always been about high risk infiltration, the nature of the modern military machine, and preventing nuclear Armageddon and turning it into a zombie survival horror game. Kojima himself said during the Tokyo game show, “The Metal Gear games are about political fiction and espionage. Where do zombies fit in with that?”

He further specified that he was not in any way related to the project. Although you wouldn’t have to be an avid fan to tell that. The Metal Gear games have always been rather silly underneath the surface of tactical camouflage and ripped from the headlines crises. With psychics, cyborgs, mutants, and of course the eponymous metal gear mechs. Even with all of that though, zombies represent a violent and radical departure not just from common enemy types but the status quo of the world overall. While the game isn’t out yet, it’s doubtful that it will even feature a metal gear in any meaningful capacity, whereas Kojima said if he was involved, it would have mechs.

Kojima reminding Konami why it’s his logo that made people drop their jaws at the end of P.T.

Rallying behind the real Big Boss

In a touching display of loyalty, fans and game news pundits have backed Kojima overwhelmingly. One of my close friends, upon seeing Kojima’s comments, said that because of the creator’s statements Metal Gear Survive will never grace his console. If followed through, and I know my friend well enough to say it will be, that statement is a nail in the game’s coffin. And he’s far from the only one to share that stance. In the current market, triple A games either make back their money in the game’s quality or raw hype. There’s no such thing as bad publicity, just ask Tracer of Overwatch, but Konami are gambling on good will they themselves are publicly setting on fire. All Kojima is doing is pointing out that the Emperor has no clothes.

I can personally say, as someone who never followed Kojima that closely, I am thoroughly impressed by him. My research into this article has revealed a true auteur of the video game medium. A man who takes pride in his work is to be respected and death of the author aside, I think he’s right to disavow his former employer’s decision of what to do with the property he made.

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