20 Things You Didn't Know About The Metal Gear Solid Series

#20: Big Boss Believes in Santa Claus

“Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker” (2010)

This entry in the series admittedly gets a little wackier than the previous games. It doesn't hold nearly the emotional stakes of MGS4, but it’s still canon, so if Big Boss believes in Santa Claus here, he believes in him everywhere. After Huey laughs off Big Boss’ comment about NORAD tracking Santa, Big Boss continues to insist that old Saint Nick is indeed real, and that he used to bring him presents. It is oddly sweet coming from a man whose eyeball was cut out by Russian terrorists.

#19: Mk. II Was Planned for MGS1

“Metal Gear Solid” (1998)

The Metal Gear Mk. II was a funny little addition to MGS4 that contextualised Otacon always being by your side and giving you a fun little gadget to play with if you don’t want to just run and gun. Interestingly, Snake was originally intended to use the Mk. II throughout Shadow Moses, and it even appeared in his inventory during Metal Gear Solid’s E3 1997 demo. Considering the original game’s top-down layout, the Mk. II might’ve been an even more valuable tool than it was in MGS4, and by the time we got to MGS4, it would have been the Mk. 37.

#18: Ocelot is The Boss’ Son

“Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater” (2004)

Revolver Ocelot is undeniably the most iconic character in the series, appearing in almost all of the mainline entries. He takes center stage in Metal Gear Solid 4, where he directly opposes the will of The Boss, a heartbreak that deepens with the revelation that Ocelot is, in fact, The Boss’ son. In MGS3, The Boss briefly mentions giving birth during battle, and EVA tells Snake about Ocelot, stating “All I heard was that his mother was supposedly shot in the gut during battle and that he was born right there.” It’s subtle, but it’s canon.

#17: Chico Was Meant to Come Back

“Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain” (2015)

First introduced in Peace Walker and swiftly written out in Ground Zeroes, Chico never quite received the character development that seemed intended for him. Along with Paz, he became the emotional core of Ground Zeroes, and then all but vanished from the main game: The Phantom Pain. That is, unless you dig into The Art of Metal Gear Solid V. The art book features a concept page showing what Chico might have looked like had he survived, wearing a long red coat, and carrying various melee weapons. It’s so cool that it feels like a very missed opportunity.

#16: David Hayter Was Almost Replaced In MGS3

“Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater” (2004)

The decision to replace David Hayter with Kiefer Sutherland in Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes sparked major controversy. Hayter’s seemingly abrupt departure caught many off guard, but the truth is Kojima had been considering a change as far back as Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater, and the salt between the two of them has become more and more a topic of public conversation, especially from Hayter. Kojima hoped to have Kurt Russell voice Big Boss, and reportedly had a Konami producer approach him with the offer. I love Kojima, but it does seem like he treats Hayter like garbage, which makes me sad.

#15: MGS4 Barber

“Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots” (2008)

Character customization is a staple of modern gaming, and originally, players were going to have the option to customize Snake’s facial hair in MGS4 using a razor found in-game. Kojima revealed that he had wanted to implement facial hair growth as early as Metal Gear Solid 2, but the PlayStation 2’s hardware limitations held the idea back. With the PlayStation 3, however, the technology was finally up to par, and Kojima even showed four potential facial hair styles for Old Snake, including a full beard that closely resembled an older Big Boss. At least we got growing hair by the time Red Dead 2 rolled around.

#14: MGS2 Almost Didn’t Happen

“Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty” (2001)

Kojima’s original concept for a Metal Gear Solid sequel was surprisingly straightforward. Snake would travel to the Middle East to destroy another Metal Gear. Kojima eventually scrapped the idea because war in the Middle East became a reality and felt a bit close to home. His next draft was closer to the game we got. None of the events of the Big Shell would have actually happened. Raiden’s entire mission in the Plant chapter was envisioned as a fully fabricated simulation. MGS2 already challenges the player’s perception of reality, but this early version would have discarded all ambiguity in favor of the twist being reality, not just a fan theory.

#13: Lost Members of Dead Cell

“Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty” (2001)

Almost all Metal Gear games have a collection of supernatural ‘freaks’ (as Ocelot so kindly calls them), to give our protagonists a few bosses to face leading up to the end game boss. MGS1 had Fox Hound, MGS3 had the Cobra Unit, and MGS2 had Dead Cell. However, two additional members of Dead Cell were originally planned, but ultimately cut from MGS2. One was Chinaman, a martial arts-themed character who had a dragon tattoo that could come to life, and the other was Old Boy, an elderly figure who was meant to be a mentor to Big Boss. Crazy that Kojima nearly got away with a character called ‘Chinaman’.

#12: Join Your Unions

“Metal Gear Solid” (1998)

In the late ’90s, voice acting in games was still a relatively new frontier, and many actors were unsure about how it fit within union guidelines. At the time, the Screen Actors Guild hadn’t established clear rules for video game work, leading many actors to use pseudonyms to avoid potential conflicts. This was the case for much of the Metal Gear Solid cast, who were credited under aliases. Apart from David Hayter, Doug Stone, and Scott Dolph, most of the cast were not who they said they were, with Hayter using a pseudonym for the tech demo.

#11: Sniper Wolf Concept Art

“Metal Gear Solid” (1998)

Oh my word, I need to lie down. The Concept Art books of Metal Gear Solid I–IV showcase stunning concept art and illustrations, primarily by Yoji Shinkawa, but they also include a surprisingly explicit image of Sniper Wolf... I’m gonna check the analytics of this video to see just how many people paused here to go and Google this. Depicted wearing nothing but an open jacket and a single boot, the image was pretty full on, considering the tone of the rest of the game, but not unsurprising considering Yoji and Kojima were mates.

#10: We Figured Out the Twist

“Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain” (2014)

Spoiler alert, Venom Snake from MGSV, is NOT Big Boss, and some players were able to unravel Venom Snake’s true identity by paying attention to Kojima’s music choices in trailers and noticing the character's subtle new traits. With most other developers, Snake’s new ponytail and vaping habit might have been seen as a shift in direction for the character, but with Kojima, every detail carries weight. While his choice of smoke might not have been enough to clue in most players, Kojima’s musical selections definitely played a significant role. Picking songs about fractured identities - clearly on purpose.

#9: MGS3 Was Meant To Be A PS3 Title

“Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater” (2004)

Metal Gear Solid 3 pushed the limits of the PS2 hardware, often feeling like a new generation experience within that gen. And this makes sense, as Konami initially intended for Snake Eater to be a flagship title for the PlayStation 3. Due to frequent delays, the PS3’s release was pushed back for years. Faced with the prospect of more waiting, the team shifted development back to the PlayStation 2. In hindsight, this was likely a blessing, especially considering how notoriously difficult the PS3’s early hardware was to work with.

#8: Metal Gear Rising Saved

“Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance” (2013)

Originally, Metal Gear Rising was a spin-off from Kojima Productions, titled Metal Gear Solid: Rising. Rather than taking place after Metal Gear Solid 4, the game was meant to bridge the gap between MGS2 and MGS4, focusing on how Raiden rescued Sunny from the Patriots. Kojima entrusted his team to lead the project, but when he returned months later, he was disappointed with the progress and ultimately canceled it. Ouch. Fortunately, Platinum Games stepped in to finish the game, leading to a major refocus. That being said, I’d have LOVED to see that first idea play out.

#7: 9/11 Affected MGS2

“Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty” (2001)

It’s fairly common practice that horrific real world events change films, TV, and games that were being created well before these real world events, to save audiences connecting their work with these real world events. Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty required alterations before its launch for this reason exactly. The original ending featured Arsenal Gear crashing into Manhattan and destroying several buildings, with the final battle between Raiden and Solidus ending with Raiden draping the American flag over Solidus' body. The 9/11 attacks felt a little bit too similar, and it was ultimately cut.

#6: The Fear Was One of Raiden’s OG Designs

“Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty” (2001)

In many ways, Raiden's design is a brilliant choice, as it adds another layer of discomfort to Metal Gear Solid 2, further unsettling the player. In other way, f**k Raiden. Regardless of how you feel about whiny, whiny Raiden, his design wasn’t always what we ended up seeing. Early concept art for Sons of Liberty reveals that Snake Eater’s The Fear was considered as one of Raiden’s preliminary designs. Yes, the most erratic and disturbed member of The Cobras was almost the protagonist of Metal Gear Solid 2. Imagine that? Ugh.

#5: Kojima Strikes Again

“Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots” (2008)

MGS4 introduced The Beauty and the Beast Unit as its group of antagonists. Dressed in black and grey armor, the B&B corps consists of four women, each suffering from PTSD. And after beating them, the women shed their armor to reveal their "beauty," slowly advancing toward Snake in nothing but skin tight suits covered in slime. The design is already unnecessarily erotic, which is even harder to digest when they’re clearly having a mental breakdown, but Kojima initially intended to push the sexuality further by having the Beauties approach Snake completely nude. Come on, Hideo, you naughty boy.

#4: Skateboarding Minigame

“Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty” (2001)

In addition to new VR missions and an alternate, non-canon story mode where Solid Snake replaces Raiden on the Plant, MGS2: Substance included a Tony Hawk-style skateboarding mode. Players could choose either Snake or Raiden to skate around Big Shell, performing tricks and destroying Cyphers. I know what you’re thinking: Mat, that sounds totally bodacious... And you’d be right. What is even going on in this game?

#3: Snake’s Dream

“Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater” (2004)

In MGS3, after suffering through the torture sequence, the player will end up in a small jail cell. If the player saves, quits, and reloads the game immediately, they’re treated to a bloody hack-and-slash mini-game called Guy Savage. The inclusion of this strange mini-game remained a mystery for years, with Kojima refusing to comment on it until he revealed it was a preview for a canceled Konami title. The mini-game is exclusive to the PS2 version, and it’s such a crazy weird inclusion that many players still don’t know existed.

#2: Raiden’s Reveal Was Protected

“Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty” (2001)

I’ve drilled this point into the ground, but when Metal Gear Solid 2 debuted in 2001, there was little reason to suspect Snake would be replaced. Raiden made brief appearances in TV spots and trailers, but the focus was always on Solid Snake. He was the one players controlled in all the scenes, and the star of every showcased cutscene. On top of this, Kojima had shown footage of the Plant section, with Snake’s model swapped out for Raiden’s. It’s a sneaky move, and it really rubbed people the wrong way.

#1: Snake and Otacon were Supposed to Die

“Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots” (2008)

At the end of MGS4, and in the longest sequence of cutscenes in the series, Snake decides to live out his remaining months in peace. It’s an unexpected and beautiful conclusion to Solid Snake’s story. However, Kojima originally envisioned a much darker ending, with Snake and Otacon surrendering themselves to the UN for their role in Metal Gear terrorism, and being sentenced to execution. Kojima’s team found this conclusion too bleak and reportedly refused to continue working unless he revised it. Imagine that? Someone telling Kojima “this is a bit much”. Well done, team, I wish someone had stood up to him when it came to Princess Beach in Death Stranding.