Please support Game Informer. Print magazine subscriptions are less than $2 per issue
The Phantom Pain Is Much Bigger Than Every Other Metal Gear Combined
When it comes to pure square footage, Konami's upcoming Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain is easily the most expansive entry in the series to date. This point was recently illustrated by series creator Hideo Kojima, who held up a map showing the size of The Phantom Pain compared to the other main entries. The competition isn't even close.
The demonstration came in the latest episode of the Kojima Station webcast. The large square represents all of The Phantom Pain, and each of the other titles' total sizes are represented to scale. You don't need to examine the data for long to see that The Phantom Pain is staggeringly large.
The reveal comes only days before E3 next week, where Konami will likely be revealing a new trailer and additional info on The Phantom Pain.
Our Take
Metal Gear is one of my favorite series, so I always get excited when Kojima starts hyping up elements of a new entry before release. However, it's important to remember that sheer size is an easy talking point, but it isn't necessarily what makes Metal Gear games great. The depth of the gameplay within the space is what makes the series fun – the varied approaches, tricks, and numerous Easter eggs crammed into each area. That's not to say that The Phantom Pain won't have those things, but I hope they aren't spread thin over the game's massive surface area.
I’d like to ask you to support Game Informer’s continued coverage of games with a subscription. For less than two dollars per issue, we mail you a full year of 10 print magazines, each with cover stories and preview features filled with exclusive details about the most exciting upcoming games. We profile and interview game creators. We look back on the rich history of gaming, and we celebrate what’s next.
Here on the website, we offer much of our content for free, including game reviews, daily news, videos, event coverage, and more – all with minimal ads.
We do so with a small editorial team, alongside contributing paid writers from around the world – over 65 individuals from 9 countries around the world, just in the last couple of years.
It’s not possible without support.
In a time when game makers and games coverage have faced hard struggles and layoffs, the future of this 30+ year magazine and community is at risk. Our new standalone magazine subscription is the number one way you can keep us alive – and we believe you’ll get a pretty fantastic gaming magazine in your mailbox every few weeks for your trouble.
Thank you.
