Metal Gear Solid 6 Leaves Gamers Torn Over Series' Future

When Hideo Kojima left Konami back in 2015 to go on to form Kojima Productions, it was a huge blow for the Metal Gear Solid franchise, especially as its only release since, Metal Gear Survive, was considered the worst entry so far.

However, with the last mainline Metal Gear Solid game, Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain, launching back in 2015 as Kojima’s swan song, it is hard to believe that it has been well over a decade that fans have had to wait for a potential Metal Gear Solid 6. That being said, with Kojima no longer at the helm, it proves quite a difficult situation to be in.

Whilst Kojima may have moved on and achieved success in his brand-new ventures, including the Death Stranding franchise, and with work now focused on upcoming IP, Physint, it seems unlikely that the video game developer will ever return to perhaps his biggest franchise. However, if it was up to original Solid Snake actor, Akio Otsuka, he would happily return for “one more Metal Gear.”

When previously asked, Otsuka claimed that he would not be willing to work on another Metal Gear project without Kojima, revealing that he had a “sense of pride” after working with the legendary game director and, as such, returning without him just would not feel right.

However, in a recent interview with Bunshun, the original Solid Snake seems to have changed his mind, and would be willing to return to the role one last time.

“I really do feel that way,” he shared. “There are Metal Gear fans all over the world, and they have been waiting patiently for it. So, for their sake, let’s make one more Metal Gear,” he said. “Since he’s making his own games with Death Stranding, I think, ‘Why not? It’s okay to do it.’ That’s how I feel.”

As you can imagine, this perked up the ears of the interviewer, who then asked Otsuka if he had spoken to Kojima about this possible collaboration, to which the former replied, “I’ll leave that to your imagination.”

As mentioned, it seems unlikely that Kojima would return to the Metal Gear Solid franchise, especially after finding award-winning success with Kojima Productions over the past decade. However, maybe the return of the original Solid Snake would be enough to convince him.

Nevertheless, upon hearing the news, fans took to r/metalgearsolid to share their thoughts on the brand-new update.

“Metal Gear 1 & 2 remakes seems like the obvious choice to me. It also seems like that’s what Kojima was leading to with the ending of MGSV,” the top comment reads.

Another had big plans, sharing, “I think the only path to a new Metal Gear is a spiritual successor series. What made the narrative interesting is over and done with. They can keep doing remakes. But I don’t see how they could do a sequel/prequel at this point. Unless it takes place so many years before or after the main series.”

However, it seems as though the consensus is, without Kojima being involved, fans are not ready for a potential Metal Gear Solid 6, with one user sharing, “The idea of a new Metal Gear game feels the same to me as the idea of a new Lord of the Rings novel. The story is told, the author is either dead or not involved. Let it rest.”