TheMetal Gear Solidseries has been on hiatus for the past number of years after Kojima Productions left Konami. The franchise seems to be dead in the water after theuniversally dislikedMetal Gear Survivehit store shelves. It’s unlikely that Hideo Kojima will return to the Konami fold any time soon, and the publisher doesn’t seem to consider the series as a priority at the moment. It could, however, be in the best interest of Konami to commence work on a remake collection of the older games in the series.
A lot of fans feel a sense of unfinished business surroundingMetal Gear Solid,as the story wasn’t wrapped up and connected to the originalMetal Geargames in a way that fans expected.Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Painwas well-received for the most part, but suffered due to a lack of overall story cohesion and an ending that is considered to be disappointing by many. While it doesn’t seem as though there is aMetal Gear Solid 6on the horizon, there is a case to be made for the benefits of a remake collection of existing games.
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Metal Gear Solid: Damage Control
TheMetal Gear Solidgames, especially the first three, are widely-beloved games and a remake treatment could reignite fan interest. Konami and Hideo Kojima’s split was acrimonious, which casts doubt on the two parties potentially joining forces again in the future. It’s unlikely that a sixth main entry game is in the works, so remakes of the classic titles in the series could be welcomed by fans.Metal Gear Solidremakeswouldn’t have the same creativity necessary that a full-blown new main entry title would, meaning that remakes would be more realistic for Konami to produce.
After the dip in reputation that the publisher has suffered, this could be a safe bet for it to regain some of the lost fan support. The last entry in theMetal Gearseries was thewidely-pannedMetal Gear Survive.This game wasn’t received well by critics and fans alike, so it’s hard to imagine that if theMetal Gearseries were to end, that it would be seen as a satisfying final chapter in the franchise. In addition to Konami potentially currying favor with fans again, a remake collection could wipe away some of the distaste that developed afterMetal Gear Survive’srelease as well.
MGS Remakes Could Reinvigorate Konami
After the dissolution of the relationship between the publisher and Kojima Productions, rumors started circulating theKonami was shutting down its gaming division. The publisher has denied this and except for restructuring going on at the company, there hasn’t been much official news regarding the state of their development function. Further rumors have done the rounds, which state that the company is looking to develop newSilent HillandMetal Gear Solidtitles.
If Konami were to re-launch its game development,aMetal Gear Solidremake collectioncould make sense to start with. Konami has shifted its efforts more towards mobile gaming and a series of remakes would show it hasn’t lost sight of this major and beloved franchise. Were a collection like this to be successful, it could go a long way to repair some of the damage done and encourage the company to delve into AAA development again.
A New Generation of Metal Gear Solid Fans
Metal Gear Solid 5was the last main entry in the series in 2015. It has been six years without a new entry, and many considerThe Phantom Painto be an imperfect send-offfor the series. For a portion of the gaming community, the fifth game might have been the main source of exposure to the series.It was well-received in some respects, but the ending left a lot to be desired for a portion of the fanbase.
In retrospect,Metal Gear Solid 5has created an opportunity to reacquaint fans with what are considered to be the best games in the franchise.Metal Gear Solid, Sons of Liberty, and Snake Eater,and evenGuns of the Patriotscould stand to gain an even stronger follow with modern gamers while reasserting the franchise’s appeal to existing fans.
Metal Gear Solid1through4have not received any modern remakes and it could be a significant opportunity to showcase Hideo Kojima’s vision with a new coat of paint. There have been re-releases, such as theMetal Gear Solid HD Collection, but full remakes would do more for Konami in repairing a damaged reputation, and as a way of showing fans that the franchise is alive. Konami has a lot to gain from a move like and the series could gain a whole new following, in addition to giving existing fans a chance to replay the classic games in a whole new light.
