Konami's Playing 4D Chess (or Just Asking Nicely): Which Metal Gear Gets the Remake Glow-Up Next?
AI Gaming News Author · IGN South Africa ·
Konami is polling fans on which Metal Gear game should get the remake treatment next, following the success of *Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater*, signaling a potential long-term strategy for the beloved franchise and a refreshing openness to player feedback.
Right, so you know that feeling when a giant, somewhat unpredictable corporate entity actually seems to be listening? Like you've finally found the right incantation to open a direct dialogue box with the digital gods themselves? Well, Konami, bless their occasionally bewildering digital hearts, might just be doing exactly that. After the rather glorious return of Solid Snake in *Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater* – which, let's be honest, landed with the satisfying thud of a perfectly executed stealth takedown – they've apparently decided to peek into our collective gamer brains and ask a truly dangerous question: Which *Metal Gear* game should get the remake treatment next?
This isn't just a casual whisper in the digital wind; this is a full-blown, official-looking 'post-viewing survey' being floated around, presumably ahead of their 'Metal Gear Production Hotline at TGS2025' livestream. Now, 'Metal Gear Production Hotline' sounds less like a groundbreaking industry event and more like a helpline for confused robots trying to assemble a new unit, but I'll suspend my gentle skepticism for a moment because what’s buried within is pure gold, mate. Beneath the usual corporate boilerplate and queries about whether we're keen on rekindling multiplayer in something called 'Fox Hunt' (which, fair dinkum, sounds like a mod involving either actual foxes or just a really aggressive game of tag), there was the real kicker. A proper, honest-to-goodness question asking players to pick their poison: 'Please select all of the following Metal Gear Series titles that you would like to see remade.'
This follows hot on the heels of *Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater*'s debut, which by all accounts, and according to many a digital wizard (like IGN, who gave it a solid 8/10, noting its faithful yet visually impressive update), largely succeeded in bringing that 2004 classic back to life. That success, I reckon, is the key ingredient here. It proved Konami *could* do it. It showed them there's a hungry, nostalgia-fueled, and genuinely appreciative audience for these games, provided they're done right. And now, armed with that knowledge, they’re engaging with the very people who'll be shelling out for the next one.
But what caught my eye, like a rogue pixel in a pristine rendering, was what was *on* and *off* that list. The choices, as shared by the eagle-eyed folks at MGSMGN on X/Twitter, included:
* Metal Gear * Metal Gear 2 Solid Snake * Metal Gear Solid * Metal Gear Solid 2 Sons of Liberty * Metal Gear Solid 4 Guns of the Patriot * Metal Gear Solid Peace Walker * Metal Gear Solid 5: Ground Zeroes * Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain
Let’s unpack this, shall we? It’s like reading digital tea leaves, trying to divine Konami’s next move.
First up, we've got *Metal Gear* and *Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake* – the genuine OGs, the 2D pixelated ancestors of modern stealth. Bloody hell, imagine those getting the *Delta* treatment! That’s a deep dive into the archives, a proper digital archaeology dig. It would require a monumental amount of re-imagining, not just graphical updates, but a complete overhaul of their very essence to fit a modern 3D mold. This choice signals a willingness to go *all the way back*, rather than just sticking to the PlayStation era.
Then we hit the heavy hitters: *Metal Gear Solid*, *MGS2: Sons of Liberty*. These aren't just games; they're generational milestones that defined stealth-action for millions. Remaking *MGS1* is practically a holy quest for some fans, and a terrifying prospect for others who worry about altering perfection. *MGS2*, with its famously complex narrative and meta-commentary, would be a challenge and a half to update without losing its unique, almost avant-garde charm. But these are the obvious crowd-pleasers, the low-hanging fruit (if you can call recreating a masterpiece 'low-hanging').
*Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriot* is an interesting inclusion. That game was a PlayStation 3 exclusive, a monumental, often cinematic, love letter to fans that almost buckled under its own narrative weight. A remake there would be a colossal undertaking, trying to streamline its hours of cutscenes and often sprawling levels without losing its grand, melancholic farewell to the series' core characters. It’s a bold choice, implying Konami might be willing to tackle some of the more narratively dense entries.
Moving to the later entries, we have *Metal Gear Solid Peace Walker* and *Metal Gear Solid 5: Ground Zeroes/The Phantom Pain*. *Peace Walker* was a PSP gem, a unique blend of mission-based stealth and base-building that genuinely innovated. A remake could elevate it to a main-line console experience it arguably deserved. But *MGSV: Ground Zeroes* and *The Phantom Pain*? These games are still fairly recent, visually stunning, and critically acclaimed. Remaking them seems… premature, right? They’re practically modern classics already, still perfectly playable. Perhaps Konami is gauging interest in a definitive edition, or maybe they just wanted to throw the whole lot in to see what sticks.
Now, for the glaring omissions. No *Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance*? That's a crying shame, honestly. A game that proved *Metal Gear* could be something entirely different – a gloriously chaotic, high-octane hack-and-slash. It built its own dedicated cult following, and a remake or remaster would surely delight. Its absence makes me wonder if Konami wants to stick purely to the stealth-action roots for their remake strategy. And, predictably, no *Metal Gear Survive*. And let's be fair, mate, that's probably for the best. Some digital wounds just don't need reopening.
So, why does this matter? Beyond just ticking a box for fan service, this survey is a powerful signal. It shows Konami is actively gauging market interest, testing the waters for a long-term strategy for one of gaming’s most iconic franchises. It implies they're not just throwing darts at a board anymore but genuinely seeking player input – a positive shift for a company that hasn't always been the most transparent with its beloved IPs. However, it’s a double-edged sword: fan input is fantastic, but expectations will be sky-high, especially after *Delta*'s success. The challenge of maintaining the original's essence while updating visuals and gameplay, all while navigating the series’ complex legacy (and its original creator), is a tightrope walk worthy of Solid Snake himself.
So, which one would *I* pick? Honestly, it's like choosing your favorite child… if your children were all highly trained espionage operatives with questionable fashion sense and a penchant for philosophical monologues. My gut says *Metal Gear Solid 1* is the obvious choice, the spiritual successor to *Delta*'s success, a foundational title begging for a modern polish. But part of me, the part that likes a bit of digital anarchy and seeing boundaries pushed, fancies seeing those old 2D games re-imagined. What a wild ride that would be, transforming ancient pixel art into something truly new and grand.
Whatever Konami decides to pull from their hat (or survey results, as it were), mate, it looks like Snake's saga might just be getting a few more chapters. And for once, in the often-chaotic landscape of big-publisher decisions, that's a prospect I'm cautiously, irreverently, and pretty bloody genuinely excited about. It's almost like they cast a 'listen to the players' spell, and it actually worked.
Tags: Metal Gear Solid, Konami, Game Remakes, Player Feedback, Gaming Industry
Original article: IGN South Africa