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E3 Predictions: Hideo Kojima’s New Game

The fact that Metal Gear creator Hideo Kojima is working a new game is no secret. The big question is: What game is he working on? This year’s E3 could hold the answer.

All speculation aside, the first concrete details about Kojima’s latest project cam last year when the developer revealed that his studio is working on a new engine. In that pre-E3 presentation, he said that the new technology, called the Fox Engine, would be used in an upcoming, unannounced game.

We’ve had a couple other looks at the Fox Engine since, but Kojima still hasn’t said anything about the game it is being created for. Fans have been guessing ever since the Fox Engine was unveiled. Fans have guessed almost everything: another Snatcher, a Metal Gear reboot, or a completely new IP. E3 2012 provides the perfect opportunity to finally clear up the speculation and reveal the mystery game. But what will it be?

As much as we’d like to say that the next game from Kojima will be something brand new (or Zone of the Enders 3), Konami isn’t in a position to gamble with the next title from Kojima Productions. With the spotty titles the publisher has released in the last year (including NeverDead and the latest Silent Hill) and the uncertainty surrounding Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance, Konami’s next big game needs to be a hit. The only way that’s happening is if it’s Metal Gear Solid 5.

We basically know it's in development. Even Kojima has said MGS 5 is inevitable. Unproven names and cult franchises won’t pay Konami's bills, but a mainline Metal Gear title developed by Kojima himself would rally the franchise’s fans. Of course, unlike Metal Gear Solid 4, the new installment would have to go multiplatform like Rising and the recent HD Collection in order to tap into as wide an audience as possible. 

Over the years, Kojima has stated several times that he wishes to step away from the Metal Gear series. However, Konami can’t afford to have its premier development house tied up for years working a project that isn’t successful. Not that Metal Gear Solid 5’s success is guaranteed, but the relative strength of the brand compared to Konami’s other properties practically makes the announcement a new MGS a necessity – the sooner, the better.

Do you agree? Leave your thoughts on Kojima’s possible announcement in the comments below!

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Comments
  • Pretty sure it's Zone of the Enders 3. I think on IGN they said they're converting it to the Fox Engine.
  • I want to believe it's MGS5, but another part of me thinks it's the next Zone of the Enders title...
  • Metal gear solid has too many cut scenes so i hope its zone of enders
  • I really think it's a new IP. i'm basing this on stuff i've heard on Project Ogre (open world Zone of the enders on the ground? nonsense. maybe it's an mgs game, but i don't think so.)

  • I'm guessing its Zone of The Enders 3.

  • I want to see 3 things from Kojima, none of which are MGS-related. One; let's see Lords of Shadow 2. MercurySteam may be the developer, but Kojima Productions helped out in some minor capacity before, and I expect them to have a bigger role in the sequel. That game is amazing, but could use some help on pacing - it's sort of relentless as is, and could use more breathers in between all the intense boss fights. Some editing would've helped it out immensely; there's no need for that many levels. Now, Kojima's known for making games that are overblown, so I don't know if he's the man to help them do that, but I'd like to see more Castlevania regardless.

    Secondly, I wanna see Zone of the Enders 3. Since they just now confirmed that work was underway on "Ender's Project" and it may not even make it to become a full new game, I know it won't be there. But I'm happy they're finally working on something. If it appears in any form, I'll be happy too.

    Thirdly, Metal Gear Rising. Which will be there, so I'm good. Maybe Platinum Games should take it down a notch - this isn't Bayonetta 2, Raiden PROBABLY shouldn't be throwing Metal Gears into the sky and jumping up to them with any regularity. But it still looks awesome and a nice, welcome, overdue change of pace for Metal Gear games.

    I'm pretty sick of MGS games. They're all too similar, ultimately, and Kojima has been pumping out rereleases and PSP original games with a frightening amount of regularity. You can totally sense Konami begging hm to do it, "We need to get a Metal Gear out there for our financial quarter! Silent Hill isn't strong enough anymore, and Castlevania 2 won't be ready!". If you want a new MGS, go play Peace Walker on the HD Collection - it's not like people played it originally on PSP.

    I don't want to see Metal Gear Solid 5, and I don't want to see another generic military shooter, which is what all the Fox Engine demos have been showing off so far. We have PLENTY of those, Kojima.
  • I'm not buying Revengeance unless it's drop-dead perfect and I have no idea what Zone of Enders is. So unless they make a great new IP on the same quality of MGS, or MGS 5 they wont be getting any money from me.
  • Here's hoping Konami's Contra reboot is as successful as Castlevania: Lords of Shadow was for THAT brand. It would be good for them to have 3 franchises they could count on.

    They should probably keep working on rebuilding Dance Dance Revolution as a Kinect title though. They shouldn't give up on it; DDR was the first and these new dancing games do NOT scratch the same itch. Who the heck wants to dance to the Black Eyed Peas besides idiots? Bring back JPOP.

    As for Silent Hill, stop dicking around Konami. Either make a NEW horror IP so you can get out of the overrated shadow of Silent Hill 2 and 3, or just make a Silent Hill so different, no one can compare it to the previous games. Either way, I say put Frictional Games (Penumbra, Amnesia) on the case and get serious about this thing. Climax might be able to make another fantastic entry too, if they build off of Shattered Memories and make a game that uses motion controls thoughtfully. Which Memories did to a degree; practically everything, actually, except the "waggle to shake off bad guys" moments.

    Digitally, you should keep making new entries in your older, less amitious franchises. Rocket Knight was awesome - it was great to see Sparkster return, and Climax did another great job being respectful of the series. Even though it lacked the spectacle of the 16 bit titles, and was perhaps a bit too uninspired. Take a page from Sega's book and release your own "Vintage collections" of re-releases. And also keep putting out new iterations of games, even if you must contract western developers to do so. Wayforward or Dreamrift could EASILY make a fantastic sequel to Goemon's Great Adventure on N64 (Mystical Ninja to some of you). Make those types of games US/Japanese co-productions, where the design, art and engineering work are done by US teams, but the Japanese talent does the sound design and story and concept. That should fix the lack of inspiration that Rocket Knight, perhaps, suffered from.

    You simply cannot keep falling back on Metal Gear. This series should've had a break a looooong time ago.
  • Yup - whatever else it may be, it will be a sequel to an existing franchise - even if merely a spiritual successor.
  • Is it just me or does anyone else feel E3 is going to be really disapointing? But then again im a Nintendo fan lol
  • I don't want another Metal Gear as much as I want a new IP. I have confidence in Hideo Kojima developing some fresh ideas that will be a Hit. Unfortunately Kojima's greatest weakness being too famous prevents him from trying anything indie.

  • Well I hope it isnt MGS5 I really want that to come out next generation. I would like it to be Zone of Enders 3 but yeah its true, konami are pretty crap.

    But man he must be getting annoyed being chained by MGS as an artist. I love the games so much, just as creative person myself it would get annoying. Its also one of the problems George Lucas has had , that he always has to make star wars. Tbh be funny if his trashing of the old films was his revenge for being stuck only doing them :P

  • As long as they release a ZoE 3 I'll be happy with whatever Kojima-san and Konami do. I'm also looking forward to CLoS 2.

  • Metal Gear Solid has and always should launch as a PS exclusive. That's part of the reason it always has such high quality. It's fine if later down the road they port it to Xbox, but it should never launch as multiplatform. The same way all Final Fantasy games after VII should've stayed exclusive to Sony. We see what happened with FF XIII... It's a good thing FF Versus XIII is PS3 exclusive. There's still hope...
  • Look at that picture, he freaking hates Konami.

  • He already said he's making the next Metal Gear. http://kotaku.com/5887161/get-ready-for-the-next-metal-gear-solid
  • I'm pretty sure it's MGS5.

  • What the hay happened to that 3DS Zone of the Enders game he was teasing a while back? I love how one of the tags is "probably something with nanomachines." We need more joke tags in articles.
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