UPDATE: Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain will be releasing on September 1, 2015. The game will be split into two different installments, with the first version of the game being Ground Zeroes. Ground Zeroes will primarily feature series star Big Boss as the main protagonist. Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes will be priced at $29.99 retail/$19.99 digital for the Xbox One, PS4, PS3 and Xbox 360. The Xbox One and PS4 versions will be available digitally for $29.99.
Video game developer for Konami, Hideo Kojima, took a moment during the 2013 Game Developer’s Conference to reveal the big news — Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain is real. Here’s what you should know about this game, its many trailers, and the rumors surrounding the game’s lead character.
1. A 5-Minute Trailer Was Released
Hideo Kojima revealed a trailer for the fifth Metal Gear Solid, which has been subtitled The Phantom Pain. Naked Snake aka “Big Boss” is in the lead role for this entry in the long-running stealth video game series. A bunch of memorable, dramatic scenes feature Big Boss as he’s seemingly revived and given a new arm to contend with. The trailer can be seen above. Game Informer even released official gameplay footage as well.
2. Two Other New Games Are Really Part of Metal Gear Solid V
Last year at the VGAs, a trailer for a game titled The Phantom Pain was shown (first trailer above). Intense speculation followed. Gamers everywhere reasoned that the game was simply a teaser for a new Metal Gear Solid game. Even more rumors circulated about what the game really was as more related news surfaced. A development studio from Sweden called Moby Dick Studios was supposedly behind the game. And during the VMAs, the devs behind this studio were even seen sitting at a Konami VIP section. Hideo Kojima kept up the facade for a while until he finally came outright and announced that The Phantom Pain is actually Metal Gear Solid V. As for Metal Gear Solid: Ground Zeroes (second trailer above), it’s also a part of the same game.
3. Hideo Kojima Tweeted About the Connection Between All Three Games
“Ground Zeroes” is a prologue of “MGSV”. 9 years after that event will be http://t.co/6lutIpzoQm
For fans that are still confused about what this game is in connection to the two other games spoken about before, Hideo Kojima tweeted out the above response. Click on the link outlined in blue within the tweet to read the full message.
4. Voice Actor David Hayter May Not Voice Snake This Time
Well look,
At least I had a good run.
David Hayter, the voice actor who has voiced Solid Snake since 1998, may not be voicing the lead protagonist for this entry. After apparently watching the new trailer, he sent out the above tweet. Geoff Keighley recently finished an interview with Kojima and this rumor was proven true:
Fun 1 hour interview with @HIDEO_KOJIMA_EN. Will have it online later this week. He confirmed no Hayter for MGS5 and a lot of other things.
5. The Game Will Be Released on Current-Gen Consoles
Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain will be available on the Xbox One, PS4, PS3 and the Xbox 360 at an unannounced date. Tomoyuki Tsuboi, president of Konami Digital Entertainment Inc., released an official installment on this upcoming sequel:
Following the success of METAL GEAR SOLID 4: GUNS OF THE PATRIOTS, we have extremely high expectations for METAL GEAR SOLID V: THE PHANTOM PAIN. We hope to expand and revolutionize the METAL GEAR SOLID franchise utilizing the FOX Engine, while providing fans the high-quality and immersive experience they have come to expect from Kojima Productions.
For anyone who wants to know where Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain falls within the chronology of the series, look below:
Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater (1964)
Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops (1970)
Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker (1974)
Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain (Year TBA)
Metal Gear (1995)
Metal Gear 2 (1999)
Metal Gear Solid (2005)
Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty (2007)
Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots (2014)
Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance (2016)
Buy Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain here.
Buy the Collector’s Edition of Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain here.