Despiteone or two issues with the narrativeinMetal Gear Solid Vand the travesty that wasMetal Gear Survive, demand for a newMetalGeargame remains high. Unfortunately, however, it’s a little difficult to see how exactly this would work now that Hideo Kojima is no longer working at Konami.
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Some havesuggested that a reboot may be in orderand while this would definitely help to revitalize the franchise, whether or not Konami is the best company to take on such a monumental task is a matter for debate. Despite years of mediocrity, only a fool would write the sleeping giant off completely, but there are plenty of other developers who could get the job done if needed.
10Camouflaj
It might not be the largest studio out there, but the team over at Camouflaj has a proven track record when it comes to high quality stealth games. Partially inspired by theMetal Gearseries,Republiqueis a fantastic title in its own right, but is made all the more impressive by its limited budget and the small size of the team who created it.
What’s more, the studio’s founder, Ryan Payton, already has experience working onMetal Geargames having spent several years as an assistant producer at Kojima Productions in the early two thousands. With more resources and a pre-established IP to work with, there’s really no telling what this team of talented developers could accomplish.
9Naughty Dog
While stealth based mechanics are undoubtedly an integral part of theMetal Gearseries, they are but one of several platforms on which it has built its success. To many, it is just as much the wonderful storytelling and cinematic qualities of theMetal Geargames that make them so enthralling and this is something thatthe team at Naughty Dog have consistently deliveredover the last few decades.
Franchises likeThe Last of UsandUnchartedhave redefined expectations with each new outing and providedsome of the very best games of the 21st century. The formerdoes incorporate some stealth based gameplaytoo, although this would have to be expanded quite a bit were the studio to get its hands on theMetal GearIP.
8IO Interactive
One often wonders what the team at IO Interactive could achieve if only they were willing to step out of their comfort zone a little. That’s not to say thattheHitmangames aren’t still a lot of fun, but more that there’s perhaps some potential being left on the table as a result of them sticking to such a rigid formula and largelylimiting themselves to just a single IP.
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Their upcoming007game should give the world a better idea of whether or not the studio is more than just another one-trick pony. All of the building blocks are certainly there though to suggest that they could find success away from theHitmanfranchise. That success may well come with Bond, but it could just as easily be drawn from aMetal Gearreboot if they were ever given the chance.
7Capcom
There was a time back in the nineties when Capcom and Konami were seen astwo of the most prominent pioneers of the video game industry. While the latter may have fallen off the radar somewhat in the decades that have followed, Capcom remains one of the most influential and reliable developers in all of gaming.
It could certainly be argued that the companywould be a much better fit for aSilent Hillrebootand while such an endeavor would undoubtedly yield success, the Japanese giant could just as easily handleMetal Gear. The recentResident Evilremakes demonstrate not only thatthe studio can rebuild classic games to adhere to modern visual standards, but also refine their gameplay for the current generation as well.
6Bend Studio
Sony hasa lot of great first-party studios under its beltand while there are many that could potentially rebootMetal Gearif given the opportunity, none are a better fit than Bend. It’s a studio that’s perhaps best known for its 2018 PS4 exclusiveDays Gone, but it also has a strong track record when it comes to stealth heavy games.
Although not quite as visually impressive, the storytelling and gameplay found throughout theSyphon Filterseries was at times just as enthralling as some of the earlierMetal Geartitles.The stealth mechanics were solid tooand the enemy AI was revolutionary for the era. With technology having come on leaps and bounds in the 15 years since the last entry, there’s really no telling what Bend Studio could accomplish if given the chance.
5Arkane Studios
Interest in theDishonoredseries may have fizzled out a little over the last few years, but Arkane Studios' action adventure titles remain some ofthe best stealth games ever made. The storytelling is on point, the world in which the games take place is well fleshed out and the meticulous attention to detail is at times astounding.
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WithMicrosoft’s acquisition of Zenimax having recently been approved by the SEC, the studio now finds itself in an interesting position. It will soon have the financial might of one of the largest companies in the world in its corner and, with it, a license to take a more ambitious approach to game design. WithDeathloop just a few months away now, the developer could be ready to start working on a new project almost immediately as well.
4Ubisoft Montreal
Ubisoft may not have the best reputation amongst gamers, but it’s hard to argue that those working at the company’s Montreal studio don’t know how to make great games.Far Cry,Assassins CreedandWatch Dogsare just a few ofthe huge franchises they’ve developed in recent years, but it’s perhaps theirTom Clancygames that make them such a good fit forMetal Gear.
TheSplinter Cellseries was one of very few that ever came close to matchingMetal Geararound the turn of the century. Granted,it did run out of steam after the first few releases, but some of the more recentTom Clancytitles at least provide occasional glimpses that the studio still knows how toincorporate stealth-based mechanicsinto a gritty, hyper realistic world.
3Eidos Montreal
Since being acquired by Square Enix a little over a decade ago, the quality of the games being produced by Eidos has improved dramatically. The Montreal subsidiary has played a role in the development of two of Crystal Dynamics' fantasticTomb Raidergames and also developed the hugely underrated 2014 title,Thief. The studio’s crowning achievement, however, is undoubtedly theDeus Exseries.
Although bothtonally and thematically different fromMetal Gear, the gameplay mechanics found in recentDeus Extitles are at times incredibly similar to the ones used inMetal Gear. It really wouldn’t take too much tweaking to make them fit and the talent and creativity are certainly there to do this as well as improve theMetal Gearformula rather than just replicate it.
2Konami
Konami is one of the most frustrating companies in gaming. It continues to sit onsome of the biggest and most popular IPs ever created, but, for whatever reason,seems reluctant to do anything meaningful with them. Ultimately, the question is not whether the developer could handle aMetal Gearreboot, but instead, whether it cares enough about the franchise to dedicate the time and resources needed to make it work.
Judging by the lack of any kind of official announcement regarding the future ofSilent Hill, many believe the answer to that question is a resounding ‘no’. Of course,Silent Hillis notMetal Gearand it’s entirely possible that the higher ups at Konami see the latter in a slightly different light.IfMetal Gear Surviveis anything to by though, there’s a strong argument to be made for a new studio taking the lead onMetal Gear.
1Kojima Productions
Who better to revive the fortunes ofMetal Gearthanthe man responsible for its creation? To many, Hideo KojimaisMetal Gearand, regardless of whether one agrees with that sentiment or not, it’s somewhat difficult to imagine what a new mainlineMetal Geargame would look like without his involvement.
Since parting ways with Konami in 2015, Kojima has spent much of his time working onDeath Strandingand has expressed an interest in developing a sequel tothe divisive titleon multiple occasions. Even so, one suspects that he’d find it difficult to turn down the chance to return to the world ofMetal Gearif given the opportunity.
