SNAAAAAAAAAKE!

Today is the 35th anniversary of one of the most influential, genre-defining, and beloved franchises in video game history, Metal Gear. That's 35 years of crawling around in military bases, dodging spotlights, hiding in the backs of trucks and un?der boxes, and sitting through seemingly endless codec conversations about what date it is. And it's been one hell of a journey, I'm sure you'll agree.

While Konami has not seen fit to do anything interesting with the license since series creator Hideo Kojima left the company, the publisher has announced that it is preparing to re-launch some of the series' M.I.A. titles, that were discontinued from sale back in November 2021. At the time, Konami noted that there were licensing issues due ??to the use of real-life documentary footage in? certain games, that the publisher was hoping to renew.

In a tweet posted earlier today, Konami noted that the delisted titles would be returning very soon, though it chose not to mention any of the specific games themselves by name. Is this all we will be seeing in regards to the iconic franchise's anniversary year? Quite possibly, while Konami is wont to hang on to the brand for obvious financial gain, the studio seems increasingly uncomfortable with the idea of producing new titles with Kojima being a key player in the title's deve??lopment. Happy anniversary, please buy these games again. Kind of an anticlimatic anniversary.

Regardless, here's? to the 35th birthday of an undeniable, indelible, 100% genuine game-changer.

//twitter.com/metalgear_jp/st?atus/1547023739371790336?s=20&t=gvi9sf_eB-l??so8sCiJc73A

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Konami outlines its plans for the gradual shutdown

All online services come and go, and it looks like its time for another one to fade away as the console generations change. Today, Konami laid out its plans to gradually shutter servers for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions of Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain, culminating in a full shutdown next year.

Over on its website, Konami lists out the rundown for MGSV and Metal Gear Online. The PS3 and 360 services will be terminated on May 31, 2022, but the schedule kicks off today—Aug. 31, 2021—with the removal of the in-game purchasing system. By the end of November, no Metal Gear Online-related DLC will be available to buy, and on March ??1, distribution will?? be terminated.

Konami noted that Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain will still be available to play offline. No refunds will be made for in-g??ame i??tems.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=l4uSkAACoHc

This doesn't change anything for players on PC or more modern consoles, like the PlayStation 4 or Xbox One, who will still have access to these services. Still, it's another story of an online ser?vice being shutdown, and it's always a sad little reminder that these virtual gathering spaces are, ultimately, temporary.

Metal Gear Solid V's multiplayer has, for years, been a source of fascinating news as players who stuck with it try to achieve fleeting nuclear peace, activating the secret nuclear disarmament cutscene. It's my hope that maybe this news revives that community, especially since their most ?successful endeav?or thus far was on the PlayStation 3.

And it's always heartening to know that fans can carry on their favorite games in their own way, through modding and emulation. The stories we create in online arenas can be so compelling that they can live on long after a server goes quiet, so even though shutdowns like this are commonplace, it's still nice to reflect back on the good fun we had while?? we had them.

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Details, people, I need details!

For those of you who are just now getting into Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain through PlayStation Plus, here's some unexpected news: Kona?mi is dropping a P??S4 Pro patch tomorrow.

Tomorrow... 🙌

It's still available for free if you're a @PlayStation Plus subscriber so get downloading! #MGSVTPP pic.twitter.com/oPw1fsVCND

— METAL GEAR OFFICIAL (@metalgear_en) October 30, 2017

I've yet to come across any specific changes (I suppose we'll find out tomorrow if all else fails), but I have to imagine the update will have more to do with bumping up the resolution than anything else. Performance-wise, this game is already in a good place on the base PlayStation 4 model.

It'd be nice to see Xbox One X support as well, especially considering The Phantom Pain is joining the Xbox Game Pass in November and that'll encourage even more first-ti??me players. I'm super tempted to start up a new run myself, regardless of what the Pro patch does or doesn't do. I miss DD!

Metal Gear Official [Twitter]

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I guess it's as 'definitive' as we're going to get, though

Look, Konami doesn't have a lot of options. It's a bad place to work, and its most creative talent was loyal for much longer than necessary. So we're getting Metal Gear Survive, to re-use some assets and try to make some money. Also released today, just over a year since Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain, is Metal Gear Solid V: The Definitive Experience.

Unlike past, notable Metal Gear re-releases, like Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence, the "Definitive Experience" merely bundles Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain, Metal Gear Online, and Ground Zeroes (plus DLC) in one package, as many modern g?ames do. It costs $50 on PS4/Xbox One, $40 ??on PC (out October 13).

It's also not all tha?t "definitive," given Hideo Kojima, no longer with Konami, never got a chance to even finish the game and never will. This is just adapting the language of modern game publishing ("Definitive Edition!!!!") without even doing as much work on past re-releases in the series. But if you missed the game first time around and want one item, I guess this is for you.

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'People are pretty stunned, slightly excited or mind boggled'

Further to an announcement that it would donate a new prosthetic limb to a gamer, Konami -- in partnership with the BBC -- has released a documentary following double amputee James Young and his “bodyhack&rdquo?; journey.

Young lost both an arm and a leg when he was dragge?d beneath a London Tube train in 2012. Following his recovery, he saw an advertisement from Konami inviting submissions from amputee gamers to apply for a lim?b “thematically modelled” on Snake’s prosthetic, and applied. 

The documentary kicks off a little PR-heavy -- particularly with clips from Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain shoe??horned into the production -- but settles into an enlighting look into the development, and drawbacks, of "cyborg" technology.

It also highlights the everyda??y difficulties for disabled people?? and the outstanding work done by advocates like Young who strive to normalise disability and celebrate difference. 

"With my new bionic prosthesis, you can see in the docume??ntary, people are pretty stunned, slightly excited or mind boggled," Young said in an accompanying Reddit AMA. "I think maybe we got it looking pretty cool, which pleases me. In general people seem happy to kind of think or be aware I am 'making an effort' to 'return to normality' so they don't tut... but mostly they l?ook very confused, which works for me."

"Phantom Pain is?? all too real... or is it... but, yeah, it hurts," he added, when another commenter asked him about the phenomenon. "It varies per patient but mine has stuck around for 4 years and doesn't appear to be going anywhere fast. I take 4 different medications to suppress it to a workable level (if I'm well rested)."

The show’s available below (as embedded from BBC iPlayer), and via BBC Three’s Youtube. Be wary of potential Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain spoilers, though.

Can't wait to hear what you think.

The post Konami’s ‘Bodyhack: Metal Gear Man’ documentary is available now appeared first on Destructoid.

David Hayter? More like David Hater!

David Hayter, the original v??oice of Solid Snake, has some choice words for his old boss, Hideo Kojima.

On a recent episode of The Game Informer Show, Hayter discussed his time as Solid Snake, as well as being replaced by Kiefer Sutherland in Metal Gear Solid V. Apparently Kojima had tried to get a different voice actor for the character since Snake Eater and even (unsuccessfully) offered the role to Kurt Russell, whose character in Escape from New York, Snake Plissken, served as the inspiration for Solid Snak?e.

Hayter explains he's been asked by fans if he was going to play The Phantom Pain. His response? "Yeah. That’ll be 60 hours of humiliation that I can’t get to. I haven’t played the l??????????????????????????atest two iterations because it’s just too painful."

When asked if he would? work with Kojima again, Hayter made it clear that won't be happening, "I've got no particular love for Kojima. I don't feel any need to go back and work with him again." I remember my first breakup too. I??t sucked.

David ?Hayter: Playing Metal Gear Solid V would have Been '60 hours of humiliation??' [Game Informer]

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'Cloaked in Silence' DLC out March 15

Konami has dated the Metal Gear Online expansion, "Cloaked on Silence." It is coming out in two weeks, March 15. Quiet, who moves faster and has a tem??porary cloak, is bundled in the $3.99 piece of DLC, which includes three new maps (Coral Complex, Rust Palace, and Azure Mountain).

A new mode, Survival, is launching April 7. It features teams of six competing on random maps and missions for the highest win s??treak to gain greater reward. Without "Cloaked in Silence," you're limited to 10 Survival matches per week (resetting every Tuesday), though those who buy the DLC can play Survival an unlimited amount. There's also a new mode, Sabo??tage, which tasks teams with destroying or Fulton'ing enemies' missiles.

You could also buy emotes at a couple ??bucks a pop if you want to give Konami m??oney.

konami be like

//t.co/8XzQNN49nv pic.twitter.com/740NhQ1GaR

— the house-leaver (@dtoidsteven) March 1, 2016

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More DLC scheduled for March

Boy, Metal Gear Online. I sure forget about that in a hurry.

Those of you who have stuck with The Phantom Pain's multiplay?er suite and plan to continue do??ing so might be pleased to know that more content is coming in March 2016. Konami has previewed the next major batch of DLC, which includes three maps, some "Appeal Action" packs, and Quiet as a unique playable character (similar to the currently available Venom Snake and Ocelot).

We don't know the price yet (there's got to be a price, right?) but?? more details are coming Monday.

And with that,?? I've got Quiet's hum stuck in my head again.

Metal Gear Online [Twitter]

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You too can shower while others watch

Today Green Man Gaming added a few titles to its "Best of 2015" deal roundup (a sale within its Winter Sale; inception!). Some titles like Crookz – The Big Heist are cheaper on Steam, but a number of the games are hitting new lows at GMG, including one of the top 2015 titles, Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain.

The seven titles li?sted below are all 2015 releases at their lowest price ever. All of the games below activate on Steam.

Use Code: NWYEAR-20PERC-WTHGMG

• Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain  — $32.16 (list price $60)
• Fallout 4 (Steam) — $39.84  (list price $60) <- just added 12/30/15
• Ashes of the Singularity — $30 (list price $50)
• Renowned Explorers — $10.72 (list price $20)
• Medieval Engineers — $8 (list price $20)
• Victor Vran — $8 (list price $20)
• The Escapists — $4.89 (list price $18)
• HuniePop  — $2.72  (list price $10)

The coupon at GMG is set to run through January 4 at 9AM Pacific. That's an hour difference from when the Steam Winter sale ends, meaning these deals wil??l also likely run till the 4th (given publishers are the ones that set the allowed discou?nts).

The drop to $32 makes Phantom Pain the best price ever by about $7 and beats out Steam's deal of $40. Also newly added to the list today is Hunie Pop, the so-so puzzle/dating sim that's "serviceable" (semi-review here). At $2.72, it's not exactly an expensive title.

As an interesting tidbit, if you check the release date on GMG and noticed that The Escapists is listed as an August 2014 release, you might question why it's included in a "Best of 20?15" sale. Early access derp on GMG's part, as the full game technically launched in 2015.

Game deals from Dealzon. Sales help support Destructoid.

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To celebrate his Game Awards win

Saying it's not the monster the media has made it out to be, Konami confirmed today it let Hideo K??ojima out of his cell for one whole hour as a reward for his win at The Game Awards.

Kojima and his team took home the award for Best Action/Adventure game last night for the blockbuster game Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain. He w?as not allowed to attend the ceremony after guards found extremely long-winded esc??ape plans hidden under his bunk during a cell check.

Kojima reportedly spent his limited time in ?the yard lifting weights, joining Neustra Familia and retweeting pictures of Quiet cosplayers. Sources say Kojima will also be given an extra piece of cornbread with his meal tonight in? recognition of his team's Best Soundtrack win.

The post Konami gives Hideo Kojima an entire hour of out?door time?? (Fauxclusive) appeared first on Destructoid.

V has come to...the top sales bracket

The Game Awards may be coming up soon, but another awards show made minor waves just a few hours ago: Sony's PlayStation Awards, the yearly event hosted by Sony Computer Entertainment Japan and Asia to give a pat? on the back (and a cute trophy) to the highest-selling PlayStation titles released in the last 12 months. So yeah, it's not a big? deal (not any more than high sales are a big deal), but hey, recognition is recognition.

The biggest winners of the night were Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain, Minecraft PlayStation 4 Edition and Dragon Quest Heroes, which won the Platinum Prize awarded to games that shipped over a million units. The other "V" title to do well was Grand Theft Auto V, which netted the Gold Prize (for games that shipped over 500,000 units), but also placed in the fan-determined User's Choice categories for both Asia and Japan, as well as the "Asia Special Award" given to games that contributed significantly to PlayStation's business in Asia. Not sure exactly what the criteria for the last one are, but The Witcher 3 and Final Fantasy X/X-2 HD also merited the prize.

Other winners included Bloodborne, Yakuza 0, God Eater 2: Rage Burst, Final Fantasy XIV, and Phantasy Star Online 2, the latter two standing alongside Minecraft as the best-selling d?ownloadable titles of the year.

So, yes, some games sold alright in Japan and Asia. Yay! Check out ?the full awards listing below.

Platinum Prize

Metal Gear Solid V

Dragon Quest Heroes

Minecraft

Gold Prize

Grand Theft Auto V

God Eater 2: Rage Burst

Yakuza 0

One Piece: Pirate Warriors 3

Bloodborne

PlayStation Network Award

Final Fantasy XIV

Phantasy Star Online 2

Minecraft

User's Choice Prize Japan

Bloodborne

Grand Theft Auto V

The Witcher 3

Metal Gear Solid V

Dragon Quest Heroes

User's Choice Prize Asia

Bloodborne

Grand Theft Auto V

The Witcher 3

Metal Gear Solid V

Yakuza 0

Asia Special Award

Grand Theft Auto V

Final Fantasy X / X-2 HD Remaster

The Witcher 3

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Peace Day comes to PC last

In case you missed it, the Metal Gear series has always had a pretty strong anti-nuclear message, and it's never been more literal than in Metal Gear Solid V, the multip?layer "FOB" component of which allows players to develop and store their own nukes, as well as steal and disarm them from other players.

Now Konami's kicked off the anti-nuke fervor with its official "Secret Nuclear Disarmament Event", challenging players to disarm their own (or each ot??hers') nukes for the good of mankind. That's actually asking a bit much, given that developing a nuke takes obscene amounts of resources, an?d makes a player effectively immune to FOB invasions, except from other nuclear-equipped players or "true heroes". 

But it is happening, according to Konami's announcement. Ever since the company started counting on November 1st, nuclear stockpiles on all six platforms have dropped dramatically. As of Friday's count, the Xbox 360 leads the charge to peace, with just 65 nukes left in circulation from a high of 1,011, a disarmament rate of almost ninety-five percent. The Xbox One's mere 50 nukes, from 525 at the beginning of the month, is no figure to sn?eeze at, either. The PS3 and PS4 communities have als??o boasted impressive disarmament rates, of about 90% and 82%, respectively, despite a larger total number of nukes present. 

Unfortunately, it looks like total disarmament will be longer in coming for Private Forces playing on Personal Computers, as the PC servers report over thirteen thousand nuclear weapons still in service, down from a staggering thirty-six thousand as of November 1st. As a point of comparison, even with half of its WMDs out of commission, PC users still possess more nuclear weapons than are currently estimated to exist in service with all? the nuclear-armed nations in the world, combined.

Now, I'll leave you with my favorite anti-nuclear song (which I try to mod into any Fallout game I play), as well as the criteria for part??icipating in the event, in case you too want to make Paz's ??dream come true.

Metal Gear Solid V Official Site [Konami]

Criteria for participating in The Secret Nuclear Disarmament Event:

1. You must have completed Mission 31.
2. You must not own or be currently developing a nuclear weapon. If you have any nukes in stock, you must dismantle them.
3. Certain conditions related to nuclear proliferation must be met on the regional server for your corresponding gaming platform (PlayStation®4, PlayStation®3, Xbox One, Xbox 360®, PC(Steam®)).
4. All nuclear weapons on the regional server corresponding to your console or platform must have been dismantled. In other words, the amount of nukes on your platform's server must be equal to 0. *

*If all four conditions are met, you will automatically trigger the secret nuclear disarmament event when you ??return to Mother Base or after you complete a main mission. Should new nukes be developed after conditions 3 and 4 have been fulfilled, this event can be repeated by fulfilling all four conditions again.

The post Consoles lead Metal Gear Solid V’s race to nuclear disarmament appeared first on Destructoid.

Raiden suit costume

The Gray Fox outfit in Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain is pretty dope, though it's a challenge to get me out of my sexy Black Ocelot. ??But maybe for FOB missions, wherein I will sacrifice style?? for results.

A recent Famitsu live stream showcases the latest additions to the mode, including the new gun camera emplacement, Raiden suit, Wormhole weapon, and even a Skulls sighting on base. It still weirds me out that some of the later enemies in Rise of the Tomb Raider end up looking like the?? Parasite Unit because of their white hats.

The post Raiden joins Metal Gear Solid V as the Skulls come ho??me to roost appeared first on Destructoid.

Promises to continue Metal Gear support

Konami has confirmed yesterday's reports that it closed Konami LA, the studio responsible for the Metal Gear Online portion of Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain.

The Los Angeles studio, formerly Kojima Productions LA before Konami scrubbed the Metal Gear Solid creator's name from as many places as it could, opened in 2012 as part of the company's "commitment to?? expanding our development footprint," president Tomoyuki Tsuboi said at the t??ime.

Now Konami's singing a different tune in a statement issued to Polygon:

"Konami has made the decision to close its Los Angeles Studio, effective immediately, due to the product development resources being restructured into a more centralized unit. This facility contributed to the recent Metal Gear Solid games. Konami will continue its operations to support all Metal Gear Solid titles, including the recently launched Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain and Metal Gear Onlin??e. Metal Gear Online is still scheduled to release for PC Steam in January 2?016."

Konami confirms clos??ure of Kojima Productions Los Angeles studio [Polygon]

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Um, what

[Update: Yep, it was the DLC that already was announced. Apparently Microsoft pulled the?? trigger early on the a??dd-ons.]

Konami just sent over the weirdest press release, presumably to get more people to spend money on Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain before the Big Boss pachinko machines roll out. Here it is:

Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc. announces that a new updat??e for METAL GEAR SOLID V: The Phantom Pain is now available across all platforms – PlayStation®4, PlayStation®3, Xbox One, Xbox 360 and PC. The new update includes seven DLC costumes and the Costume & Tack Pack bundle.

So yeah, if that Mother Base "insurance" DLC wasn't enough, you can now spend more money on costumes for an undisclosed amount of cash. After we're done doing Konami's job for it we'll post more information, I assume they're the costumes they already announced.

The post Konami touts new Metal Gear Solid V: Pha?ntom Pain DLC, gives us no details appeared first on Destructoid.

$179 million day-one dollars

The two movies that made the most opening day money in 2015 (Avengers: Boring Subtitle and Jurassic World, respectively) actually sit at numbers two and three for top-grossing opening day all-time, only beat out by Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2. 

Avengers 2 pulled in about $84.5 million, Jurassic World $82 million. (Harry Potter, $91 million opening day.)

Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain made $179 million globally on its opening day, according to Adobe Digital Index's report on gaming trends. That's more than double its $80 million budget. And to think, Konami wants to stop giving Kojima money and stop making console games altoget??her.

Worth noting that movies are generally judged via opening weekend numbers, wherein Jurassic World did $209 million, Avengers 2 $191 million. Games, which release on Tuesdays, don't exactly have an analogue. And, worth noting, Grand Theft Auto V pulled in $800 million in day-one sales, though Metal Gear is pretty god damn niche, and mo??re original and out there than most of game's highest-grossers (sports, multip?layer shooters).

Metal Gear Soli?d V’s opening day was twice as good as Avengers: Age of Ultron’s [VentureBeat]

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I'd expect problems

Konami plans to launch Metal Gear Online on consoles at 12:00am Pacific on October 6, 2015. You staying up? Know that there will probably be issues, and that it's operating on a "rolling timeline window." In other words, launch begins as early as midnight PT?, so "please continue to check the patch availability on your chosen platform(s) as we near 10/6 in all regi??ons."

My good pal Steven has written at length about the online mode for Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain, both in terms of hands-on impressions (with his good friend Brett, who is also my buddy!) and also in terms of specifics on things like modes, maps, and classes.

Reminder: the lovely PC version of The Phantom Pain, what with its wonderful mods, won't be getting Metal Gear Online until January 2016. That's going to seem?? like a long-ass wait.

Start thinking about your style now.

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Kept you gamblin' huh?

Oh hey it's another pachinko story today!

Following the recent claims that Konami is moving further away from traditional games development, and is instead focusing on pachinko and mobile markets, they have filed a new trademark for "Big Boss" under the entertainment umbrella KPE. ?KPE is Konami's ?pachinko division.

It stands to reason that despite the departure of Kojima, Konami is going to "Mega Man" (read: make a lot of money on merchandise) the shit out of Metal Gear. As for that "erotic" Castlevania machine, I could?n't find it anywhere in Japan during my recent visit for TGS, so I suspect it will hit later this year.

Konami’s Pachinko Company Filed A Trademark For “Big B??oss&rdquo; [Siliconera]

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'Not leaving Metal Gear behind'

A Konami representative has rubbished reports that the developer/publisher has?? ceased making video games for consoles.

Althou?gh the company has not officially responded to the speculation, a Konami rep responded to a reddit User (via Nintendo Life), stating that it was "definitely not" turning its back on console game pro??duction.

"I can promise you that we're definitely not leaving Metal Gear behind or an??ythin??g like that," wrote the rep in an email.

"I know some bl?ogs were claiming that online this morning, but I'm not really ?sure where they'd be getting that from."

"We're still definitely working on console games and franchises such as Metal Gear, Silent Hill, Castlevania, PES and all the rest."

"??I know there's a lot of folks out there that really want us to say it's otherwise, for some reason, but it's just not true. Those teams are definitely still working on designing and programming great games."

Like all of the Konami rumors to date, this must be taken with a pinch of salt as there's no corroboration either way, but for PES, Castlevania, Silent Hill, and Metal Gear fans everywhere, let's hope it's true.

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Did you...like it?

Enough time has passed, to the point where we can safely talk about the ending to Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain.

As a common sense sort of remin??der, this post below will contain spoilers. The comments will contain spoilers. This is a spoiler-heavy post about spoilers.

Spoilers.

As it turns out, a lot of people I talked to during review week didn't actually see the real ending. They assumed that when Huey left Mother Base, that was it. But there's a secret conclusion beyond that, which unlocks after a certain amount of missions have been completed -- you know, those retread ones on higher difficulty settings, and/or a combination of Side Ops.

If you need a refresher, watch it here:

I was lucky enough (well, it wasn't luck, it was skill and hard work, haha) to see this ending before I completed my review. But like everyone else, I have mixed feelings towards it. For one, especially with the removal of the post-game Eli mission, it definitely feels like Konami cut funding for Kojima and his team. It was likely that it happened when all the drama surrounding Kojima first started, and the publisher probably felt that his team wouldn't be able to deliver the game on time. Who knows, maybe the microtransactions were added in as collateral to make back a portion of the massive Phantom Pain budget. We may never know the full details for sure (it's a good bet that Kojima had to sign an NDA),?? but we do know that the production was troubled.

In that vein, while I did enjoy the 30-ish minutes of tapes that sufficiently linked Metal Gear Solid V with the rest of the games in the series (featuring heavy conversations that essentially close out Zero's storyline), they were just that -- tapes. This may be the last game in the entire ?series, and fans were?? left with a text crawl and tapes to provide most of the details.

That isn't to say I thought it ruined the game -- far from it. I actually enjoyed listening to that audio, particularly the logs with Zero and Skull Face, and I was literally on the edge of my seat as some revelations were uncovered. As a fan, it was basically everything I could ask for. Plus, Guns of the Patriots wa?s a fine enou??gh true ending for the entire franchise.

As far as the Big Boss twist goes, I'm on the fence. I don't think it cheapens the character, because he still exists, and causes trouble later on throughout the storyline. Additionally, Metal Gear has always dabbled in the concept of "the legend" being stronger than the actual person (especially in Snake Eater), so it makes per?fect sense within the confines of the series. Also, if you've been following the game for the past few yea??rs, Kojima and company have been hinting at this for some time, in a fairly clever manner.

Even small nods like Kaz saying "what about him?" in a trailer, referring to someone else other than Big Boss, and the medic scene in the helicopter at the end of Ground Zeroes were clues. I feel like this long game only partially paid off for Kojima, but I disagr?ee with those who say that the ending "sucked." Still, my initial years-old prediction of the last part of the game being a remake of the ??first MSX title, featuring a surprise appearance by David Hayter as Solid Snake to Kiefer Sutherland's Big Boss didn't happen, and it would have been pretty cool to see.

But what did you think? I'v??e already seen angles from all sides of the debate, and since the game has been out long enou?gh, I figured this was the perfect time to gather some thoughts on the issue.

The post So, let’s talk about Metal Gear Solid V’s ending appeared first on Destructoid.

And someday you feed on a tree frog

Before the tactical espionage begins, cer??tain "important ?announcements" must be ignored...

The post The first five very important, i??nformative seconds of Metal Gear Solid V: The Ph??antom Pain appeared first on Destructoid.

Love blooms on the battlefield

Minor spoilers but not really.

So, Quiet is in Metal Gear Solid V, just like the cutscenes and footage from two years ago foretold. As it turns out, modding in Ocelot to take the place of her character model produces some amazing results,?? which you can see below.

This is why people fight for PC gaming.

The post Modding Ocelot into Quiet’s scenes in Metal Gear Solid V is hilarious appeared first on Destructoid.

Watch out on mission 29 and 42

Konami is warning Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain players about a bug that may corrupt their??? save file. To avoid it, do not select Quiet as your buddy for mission 29 or 42. That's it.

The issue is "known to be present" on all platforms, according to Konami. "We deeply apologize, and appreciate your patien?ce for further announcements regarding this issue."

Now that I have a tran?q sniper for Quiet, I'm naturally bringing her on most o??f my excursions. Thank goodness I've been screwing around with side ops and haven't hit mission 29 yet.

The post Avoid this save-corrupting bug in The Phantom ?Pain appeared first on Destructoid.

A couple of costume unlocks

I'm not long into having Quiet as an available buddy in The Phantom Pain (this was annou?nced like a year before the ??game came out, spoiler warning my ass), but her costume development tree in as far as I see it is: 1) covered in blood, 2) completely silver, and 3) completely gold.

I am hoping/figuring that, because those unlocks are tied to Quiet and Snake's buddy "bond level" that it is an elaborate Goldfinger joke.

I'm not far enough into the story that I know h?ow Quiet came to be very naked, but I have at least heard the initial in-game explanation for why she is, which definitely doesn't live up to Kojima's, "But once you recognize the secret reason for her exposure, you will feel ashamed of your words & deeds." Especi?ally because, you know, it's still a bunch of shit he made up, however well-rationalized in-game, and because she was clearly designed to encourage cosplay and figure sales by Kojima's own admission. Whatever whatever whatever.

Main point is that Quiet does have some late game duds if the runny mascara and stockings?? looks starts to bore you. There's a Sniper Wolf cameo costume (redo the Quiet fight on Extreme) and another uniform that actually looks pretty great (you should unlock it normally, make sure to do the mi??ne clearing side mission). It's a very standard look, but she rocks it.

Remember, there's a pretty great/stupid trick for dealing with Quiet.

The post So Quiet can put some clothes on in Metal Gear Solid V…eventually appeared first on Destructoid.

Guess which version I have it on

[Update: To clarify, the GfK Chart reports purely on UK sales. This may not be re??presentative of global sales.]

Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain has sold three times as many copies on PS4 than it has on X??box One.

A staggering 72 percent of all Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain physical?? sales were on PlayStation 4. Xbox One drew 22 percent of the sales, with PS3 accounting for 3 percent and Xbox 3?60 just 2 percent.

Unsurprisingly, the latest Metal Gear title has become the fastest selling instalment of the series, jumping into the GfK Chart at pole position... which doesn't take account of digital sales on Stea??m, PSN etc. Just sayin'.

Which platform did you select for Snake's latest escapades? 

Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain sold over 3 times as ?many copies on PS4 ??than Xbox One [VideoGamer]

The post Metal Gear Solid V sells three times more? copies on PS4 than X?box One appeared first on Destructoid.

Look how happy he is

Like a total chump I put in my real birthday date at the start of Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain, so I won't be seeing this extra for a while. If you did the same, you'll probably wan??t to catch this Easter egg above -- for the rest of you with upcoming birthdays, happy birthday! Oh, and just wait to see the surpris?e yourself.

I love how the Metal Gear series can jump ?from completely serious moments to comedy at the drop ??of a hat.

The post Th?is is why you should input a?? fake birthday in Metal Gear Solid V appeared first on Destructoid.

Watch it after you beat the game

Evidently, there's an extra chapter to Metal Gear Solid V that was cut from the game. It's not playable in any form, contains incomplete assets, and you can only watch it on the Blu-ray extra that was included with the Special Edition.

As another warning, the video immediately kicks off with tons of spoilers, since it picks up directly after the story. I'm not even going to embed or comment on the video just in case. Watch it here.

Metal Gear Solid V Spoiler Thread [NeoGAF]

The post Spoiler: This final chapter wa??s cut from Met??al Gear Solid V appeared first on Destructoid.

Director on Metal Gear Solid V

Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain's director Hideo Kojima has done a "Debriefing" video timed with the release of his latest and, presumably, last entry in?? the series. A?nd it appeared on Konami's channel, no less. (And Konami didn't scrub him from the game, as it seemed like it would.)

Kojima talks about how he, "always felt that every chapter I made would be the last, and that nothing would follow." I'm still wondering how much the overt Moby-Dick references reflect his career, for as much as Kojima seems to have been gently coerced into making more Metal Gear. But I'm also looking up at needing to replay the first 14 hours of the game to get those answers, because that's how far I was allowed to play ?in May, and it's kind of daunting (especially with the retreading needed for the "true ending").

??There's plenty of time?? to digest it all, though. The game, the creator, the decades of impact.

The post Kojima: ‘I always felt that every chapter I made would be the last’ appeared first on Destructoid.

Gallop into a 23% off deal

The verdicts are coming in, and Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain is as good as we'd hoped for a potential last installment from Kojima. Those interested in the game can finally buy a copy at Green Man Gaming with a nice 23% off deal to boot.

For those following our pre-order roundups of the title, fans of GMG were undoubtedly surprised the title was missing at the retailer during the pre-order phase. Turns out GMG wasn't able to secure a pre-order agreement with Kona??mi, so fans of the game and retailer were left in the waiting queue (something British people enjoy doing as a pastime).

Anyway, here are the release?? week deals availabl?e on PC:

• GMG s $46.20 after coupon SAVE23-WITHGM-GSEP15
• DLGamer is $46.20 after coupon DLG-QOPANFAE <- now price matched
• GamesPlanet is £37.49 after zero coupon (~$57 USD, skip if you're 'Merica)

While previous deals from Funstock and 2game are now gone, we suspect we'll see more options available within a mon??th of release date. If you have a giant backlog and you're not in a hurry, check back in a few weeks to see where we're at. You might be able to save another dollar or two! Woo!

Deals from Dealzon. FYI: sales help support Destructoid.

The post GMG finally has MGSV: The Phantom Pain (with a sweet discoun??t?) appeared first on Destructoid.

Standing on the edge of the crater

In case you haven't seen Chris' written review of The Phantom Pain (or you're not fond of reading), I've prepared a relatively* spoiler-free video review of the long-awaited final(?) entry in the Metal Gear Solid series.

*All gameplay footage is spoiler-free. All cutscene footage has been shown in previous trailers.

The post Video Review: Metal Gear Solid V: T??he Phantom Pain appeared first on Destructoid.