It is no secret that as more and more details have surfaced surrounding the first “half” of the Metal Gear Solid V saga, subtitled Ground Zeros, gamers have been quick to accuse the franchise of attempting a cash grab, with the installment priced at a daunting $30 USD for next gen consoles, and featuring only a single mission, which has been purported to take less than two hours to finish.
In an interview with Games Magazine, Hideo Kojima, industry veteran, and the man behind Ground Zeros and the entire Metal Gear franchise, defended the decision to split the eagerly awaited sequel into two pieces. Kojima stated that, “(he’s) seen a phenomenon around the world, young people are losing interest in high-end games and focusing on mobile and social titles, especially in Japan. I wanted to show people that Japanese high-end games are still worth playing and that big Japanese games still have a future”.
Kojima further stated that, “(the splitting of Metal Gear Solid V) wasn’t necessarily a strategic move. The Phantom Pain is roughly 200 times bigger than Ground Zeroes. A game that big wouldn’t be ready for next-gen launch windows, and we didn’t have any Japanese titles that would be available. At that time, the Ground Zeroes portion was almost complete and a lot of fans were asking for a prologue, so that’s the decision we came to. That was the reasoning behind the move.”
Certainly, the length and pricing of Ground Zeros is an issue that is ripe for debate, and Kojima’s, words do little to address the issue directly. However, the point that he is making about the shift in the industry as a whole is certainly one of merit. With the rise in popularity of mobile gaming, (the Flappy Bird sensation comes to mind here) do gamers really have the time and motivation to dedicate dozens of hours to a single title anymore? Kojima does make a valid point about having a product available to coincide with the launch of the new console generation, however. With the installed base of both Xbox One and Ps4 owners nearing the combined 10 million mark, and the system’s first “killer apps” beginning to arrive this month, this certainly seems to be the best time to cash in on the new hardware market.
However, does this justify Ground Zeros hefty price tag, especially when gamers will then have to shell out another $60 USD for The Phantom Pain? One thing is for certain, Gamer Headlines will be here in the coming weeks when the reviews begin to trickle in for Ground Zeroes, and we will see for ourselves if Kojima’s gambit pays off.
What do you think about Ground Zeros, are you excited for the next Metal Gear installment? Let us know in the comments below.