Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain was the last mainline entry in the Metal Gear Solid saga, having released all the way back in 2015 (and no, we don’t talk about the infamous Metal Gear Survive). By the time Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater releases, it will likely be a decade since The Phantom Pain, provided it actually comes out in 2025.
Given the long gap between major Metal Gear releases, there is no doubt that the newer generation of players might not be too familiar with (or even aware about) the classic stealth series, especially with there being so few AAA stealth games being released nowadays. As such, Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater carries the enormous responsibility of ensuring that it not only brings new players into the series, but also keeps Metal Gear’s legacy alive. Metal Gear series producer Noriaki Okamura also believes the same.
Speaking in an interview with Play magazine (Issue 46, via GamesRadar), Okamura revealed that one of the aims behind the upcoming remake is to ensure that the series reaches new audiences.
“One of the things that really sparked us to do the remake in general is because we realised that a lot of the newer, younger generation of gamers aren’t familiar with the Metal Gear series anymore”, Okamura stated. “It was basically our mission, our duty, to kind of continue making sure that the series lives on for future generations. After all, we leave behind much more than just DNA, as Solid Snake would say—but again, who is Solid Snake?”
Judging by Okamura statements, it seems clear that Konami intends to support the series for a long time. Whether it will take the form of remakes or new releases is something that remains to seen. In the past, Okamura has spoken about the viability of developing remakes of Metal Gear 1 (1987), Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake (1990), and Metal Gear Solid (1998), but at the same time also acknowledged the challenges that may come along with undertaking such projects. He also expressed an interest in working with Hideo Kojima on Metal Gear, but said he understands that it may not be possible given people’s changing commitments.
Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater is set to release the PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC. As per Sony, it was supposed to release this year, but that is looking more and more unlikely. Given that the game’s development is more or less finished and it is likely undergoing polishing at the moment, a release for next year seems likely.
Whatever the case, Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater is looking like a faithful remake, but one that will also include a number of quality-of-life improvements, which should hopefully quench the thirst of long-time fans. Whether it will be a critical and commercial success remains to be seen, but a lot seems to be riding on it. Let’s hope it delivers.
For more on the game, check out our recent video about five new details about it below.