While Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater continues to pique fan interest, Konami is already thinking about the future of the franchise. In an interview given to Real Soundthe producer Noriaki Okamura confirmed that several projects were under study: “For the moment, we are still thinking about our next project,” he says. The stated goal is clear: to extend the opening of the series to a new audience, initiated by the remake of MGS3. “I want to continue on this path,” says Okamura, suggesting that the options remain open, between the creation of a completely new game or the redesign of another cult episode.
The MGS4 case: a technical nightmare for developers?
Among the potential candidates for the remake, Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots tops expectations. But its development poses serious problems. “The hardware of the time required very specific designs to make the most of the 3D technology available,” explains the producer.
This reliance on the PlayStation 3’s architecture has generated “fairly unique code”, which makes porting to modern consoles significantly more complicated. “Porting it to the current game would be a real challenge,” he insists, stressing that the project would require significant resources and an almost complete overhaul.
Towards a Master Collection Vol. 2…without Guns of the Patriots?
If rumors are to be believed, Metal Gear Solid 4 could integrate Volume 2 of the Metal Gear Solid Master Collection. But nothing has yet been officially confirmed by Konami. The studio even seems to be procrastinating on the subject.
Okamura had already warned that the team would take its time to avoid the mistakes of Volume 1. “We will do everything we can to not repeat this, but we just have to ask everyone to give us time,” he said at the time. A way of managing expectations, while recognizing the scale of the technical challenge to be met.
Remake or new game: which is the best path for Metal Gear?
Beyond MGS4, Konami suggests that a new original episode could see the light of day. “It could be a remake, or we could challenge ourselves to make a completely new game,” says Okamura, casting doubt on the direction to come. The team wishes to adapt its methods according to the titles: “We will not apply the methodology used to create the recent MGS Delta to all the other games in the series,” he specifies. Each game requires a tailor-made approach, faithful to the spirit of the franchise, but adapted to new technologies. One thing is certain: fans will still have to wait to find Snake in a modernized context. It remains to be seen whether this return will be via an ambitious remake… or a completely new adventure.