Famed video game director Hideo Kojima has recently reflected on Metal Gear and what he believes is the game’s “biggest invention.” Believe it or not, the original Metal Gear recently celebrated its 37th anniversary as the game launched on MSX2 in Japan in July of 1987. It went on to be the first game in a much larger saga that Kojima worked on up until 2015 when he departed from Konami. Despite now being separated from the franchise, Kojima still talks openly about Metal Gea and believes that the first game was influential in more ways than one.ย
In a series of posts on X, Kojima took time to look back at Metal Gear and what it meant at the time. Kojima noted that he was only 23 years old when the game launched, which is quite an impressive achievement. He went on to say that Metal Gear’s radio transceiver ended up being pivotal when it comes to storytelling in games. Kojima noted that while Metal Gear was primarily only praised for its stealth gameplay, it’s the transceiver that is perhaps its most influential aspect as this same gameplay feature is still found in numerous titles today.ย
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“Metal Gear was packed with things that were ahead of its time, but the biggest invention was including the concept of a radio transceiver in the storytelling,” Kojima said. “Moreover, it was interactive, allowing you to send and receive comms. The game moves along with the player, so when the drama happens when the player isn’t present(without the player’s knowledge), the player’s feelings get detached. But with the transceiver, the player’s current situation can be depicted while the other characters’ story or situation can be foreshadowed in parallel; the identity of the BOSS, the betrayal of a character, death of a team member and so on can be portrayed simultaneously. It can also help motivate players and explain the gameplay and rules. Although only the stealth part was praised, most of today’s shooter games also use this gimmick of a transceiver.”
At this point in time, Kojima is still working on a litany of projects that include Death Stranding 2: On the Beach, and the mysterious OD. He also happens to be developing a spiritual successor of sorts to Metal Gear with PlayStation that is dubbed Physint. This project is likely many years away, though, as it’s still in its very early stages.ย
Meanwhile, the Metal Gear franchise continues to be worked on at Konami without its famed creator. Specifically, a new remake of the third Metal Gear Solid entry titled Metal Gear Delta: Snake Eater is in the works and is expected to launch at some point in 2025.ย
