In OPM UK’s Christmas issue, Hideo Kojima is featured in one of the most intriguing developer interviews in recent times. It’s been almost three and a half years since the last major console released with Metal Gear Solid 4, and the game has remained one of the most prestigious titles on the PlayStation 3 over the years. Kojima has kept quiet about the series since then, and has focused on a major portable release along with the epic Metal Gear Solid: HD Collection. Is Solid Snake really gone, or does Hideo Kojima have some tricks up his sleeve?
One of the pages in the upcoming OPM UK magazine reads “Snake was supposed to die”, as if Hideo planned a funeral for the veteran character, but decided that that’s not the best way for one of gaming’s most beloved heroes to go out. (MGS4 spoilers) Snake wasn’t exactly in the best shape of his life toward the end of Metal Gear Solid 4, and it was strongly inferred that he was living the last few days of his life. But with nanomachines and vampires included in the series, it wouldn’t be at all surprising if Solid Snake made a comeback, and perhaps even without the grey hairs. According to the story, Snake was born in 1972, making him only about 42 years old during the events of Metal Gear Solid 4. Without his illness, he should be a perfectly healthy middle-aged man ready to serve a few more AAA releases on PlayStation platforms without relying on prequels and spin-off games.
Whatever Hideo Kojima has cooking in his imaginative mind could end up being huge, and although many Metal Gear fans have accepted Solid Snake’s fate, missing him for over three years has shown that many probably took him for granted. Sure, the Metal Gear Solid: HD Collection is a great way to relive the memories, but why not create new ones? Kojima has plenty of energy left in his tank, and he was once quoted as saying that despite his expectations, the PS3 hardware wasn’t enough for him to fully explore his vision. PlayStation 4 rumors are beginning to look more real, and this generation is surely coming to a close. Powerful new hardware could be attracting the attention of Kojima, and all it takes is one night in the lab and we could have another hot release being added to the series.
Do you think Solid Snake is alive and well? Will the next Metal Gear release feature Solid Snake? Let us know what you think in the comments below.
