With Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater on the horizon, remaking older titles in the series seem like a natural step. However, according to Konami, this task is easier said than done.
Metal Gear Solid Remakes Won’t Release Anytime Soon
MGS1 and 2 Remakes Would Involve Rebuilding the Game, According to Konami
The gaming industry is ever-evolving. As such, nostalgia often clashes with technological ambitions. One such relic of gaming history is Metal Gear Solid, the groundbreaking stealth action game that defined a generation of gamers. As whispers of potential remakes circulate through the community, hopes for a revitalized Metal Gear Solid 1 were dashed when a recent interview with MGS Delta producer Noriaki Okamura said that remaking the game in the same style as the upcoming MGS3 remake would be a difficult undertaking.
"If we were to remake the original Metal Gear Solid or Metal Gear 1 and 2, there would be some parts that would not work in the same methodology as MGSΔ, including redesigning levels," Okamura said, translated via Google. He acknowledged the immense challenge such a project would pose, contrasting it against the more manageable remake of Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater, which was simply updated with modern graphics while keeping its core structure intact.
MGS1’s foundation is considerably older. Rebuilding the game from the ground up, including level design and potentially even core mechanics, would be a significant undertaking. Adding to this is the limited availability of the original development team. According to Okamura, many who worked on MGS1 are no longer at Konami, meaning the remake team would need to rely on a mix of veterans familiar with the game’s spirit and new talent to bring it to modern standards.
Konami Is Exploring Ways to ‘Preserve the Metal Gear Series for 10 or 50 Years’
Konami has yet to definitively rule out a Metal Gear Solid remake, but it appears to be a lower priority at present. "We want everyone to play MGSΔ, get their opinions, and then move on," said Okamura.
With series creator Hideo Kojima's departure in 2015, the franchise has been relatively dormant after Metal Gear Solid V: Phantom Pain’s release. There hasn’t been a mainline MGS game since. Despite this, Konami is currently exploring options to maintain its legacy and chart a future course for the Metal Gear Solid series.
"Before anyone involved is gone, we need to create a path to preserve the Metal Gear series for 10 or 50 years into the future. I think this is something we have to do," Okamura stated.
Korekado echoed this sentiment, by saying "we believe that making all of our titles playable on PC will maximize the chances that they will be enjoyed for 10 or 20 years to come, so our mission is to make this happen."
Konami has already started revisiting the series with Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Vol. 1, released in 2023. This collection bundles the franchise's early titles, including Metal Gear, Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake, Metal Gear Solid, Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty, and Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater.
The fate of Metal Gear remakes remains uncertain, but Konami’s candid assessment of the challenges involved demonstrates their commitment to preserving the franchise’s legacy. The specific path they’ll take to achieve this remains to be seen. In the meantime, fans will have to await the release of Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater to gauge its reception and potentially influence the series’ future direction.
For more on Metal Gear Solid Delta’s release date, check out our article below!
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『メタルギア ソリッド デルタ』国内初インタビュー。原作の感動そのものを新世代へ届ける。『MGS』シリーズの今後も訊いた【TGS2024】
