Hideo Kojima Addresses “Online Negativity” Over Lowest-Rated Metal Gear Solid Game in The Series

Over a decade since its debut, creator Hideo Kojima recently voiced his sentiments about the unfavorable response Metal Gear Solid Ground Zeroes encountered upon release, on platform X.

Hideo Kojima stands out as one of the most talented storytellers of his generation, excelling across various forms of media. His knack for dramatic storytelling and innovative ideas has been a constant throughout his lengthy career in directing. Metal Gear Solid series is often considered his masterpiece, with several installments being among the most celebrated video games ever produced.

One particular entry has sparked disagreement. Initially met with a lot of criticism at its release, Ground Zeroes is now generally viewed in a more positive light, yet it faced significant backlash when it initially came out.

Kojima Discusses Criticism of Metal Gear Solid Ground Zeroes

Metal Gear Solid Ground Zeroes was initially intended to serve as a precursor or introduction to the gameplay found in Metal Gear Solid Phantom Pain. Originally, it was meant to be integrated with The Phantom Pain, but due to the PS4’s release having only a few titles available at the time, Ground Zeroes was published separately before the others, as explained by Kojima in his statement on X.

Instead of launching it as part of a larger game series, Kojima and Konami chose to release Ground Zeroes independently as a compact action title, which was both visually stunning and fun to play due to the enhanced Fox Engine. However, its short duration was a significant drawback when it first came out.

In his contemplation, Kojima stated: “Though the episodes were brief, we packed them with numerous gameplay features. While this approach is now appreciated, there was criticism 11 years ago, such as questioning if we were selling a demo version at a low price. It even received the lowest rating among Metal Gear Solid series games.

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A little over a decade ago, this concept was intended to showcase the FOX engine and the immersive gameplay of an open-world infiltration game. I envisioned it as a link between PW and MGSV TPP, catering to both generations (console and handheld users). We were pondering over this idea back then.

2:57 pm · 20 Mar 2025

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It’s evident that Hideo Kojima takes pride in the project, and rightly so, as Ground Zeroes offered a fantastic—though brief—Metal Gear Solid experience. Originally, more was to come later, but Metal Gear Solid V: Definitive Experience was eventually released instead. This collection includes both Ground Zeroes and The Phantom Pain, offering a complete Metal Gear Solid package in one go.

Hideo Kojima has transitioned from the Metal Gear Solid (MGS) series and is now focusing on Death Stranding. A sequel to Death Stranding, titled Death Stranding 2, is scheduled for release in 2025. Meanwhile, the MGS franchise continues without Hideo Kojima under the title Metal Gear Solid Delta Snake Eater.

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2025-03-20 19:49