Metal Gear (Japanese: METAL GEAR, Hepburn: Metaru Gia) is a series of action-adventure stealth games created by Hideo Kojima. Konami developed and published the games. The first game, Metal Gear, was released in 1987 for MSX home computers. Players often control a special forces soldier named Solid Snake, who is usually tasked with finding a superweapon called "Metal Gear," a robot that walks on two legs and can launch nuclear weapons.
Many sequels and prequels followed, expanding the story and introducing new characters who support or oppose Snake. The third game, Metal Gear Solid for the PlayStation, introduced 3D graphics and helped the series gain worldwide popularity.
The series is known for helping start the popularity of stealth games and games that look like movies. Features include movie-like scenes, complex stories, unusual humor that breaks the fourth wall, and themes such as futuristic technology, bleak futures, politics, and deep thinking. The games also include references to Hollywood films. Individual games in the series have received high praise and awards. As of December 2025, the series has sold 65.5 million copies. The franchise has also been made into comics, books, and audio dramas. Solid Snake has appeared in other games, such as Super Smash Bros., Ape Escape 3, LittleBigPlanet, Fortnite, and Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege.
Games
Hideo Kojima created the first Metal Gear game, which was first released in Japan and Europe in 1987 for the MSX2 computer. A different team made a version of the game for the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES), which came out in Japan on December 22, 1987, North America in June 1988, and Europe and Australia in 1989. Konami later released a sequel called Snake's Revenge for the NES in 1990, but Kojima was not involved in its creation. One of the designers of Snake's Revenge met Kojima and asked him to make a real sequel to Metal Gear. In response, Kojima began working on Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake, which was released in Japan in 1990 for the MSX2.
After completing Metal Gear 2, Kojima worked on other projects before returning to create his third Metal Gear game, Metal Gear Solid, for the PlayStation. Development began in 1994, and the game was shown at the 1996 Tokyo Game Show before being released in 1998. The success of Metal Gear Solid led to many more games, including sequels, prequels, spin-offs, and remakes for platforms like Microsoft Windows, Game Boy Color, PlayStation 2, Xbox, GameCube, PlayStation 3, PlayStation Portable, PlayStation Vita, Xbox 360, Nintendo 3DS, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One. A sequel called Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty was released for the PlayStation 2 in November 2001. A remake of the original Metal Gear Solid, titled Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes, came out for the Nintendo GameCube in 2004. Later that year, Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater was released for the PlayStation 2. This game was the first prequel in the series and told the story of how the franchise began. A sequel to Snake Eater, called Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops, was released for the PlayStation Portable in 2006. The main story of the series ended with Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots, which was released for the PlayStation 3 in 2008. This game also included a multiplayer mode called Metal Gear Online.
In April 2010, a sequel to Snake Eater called Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker was released for the PlayStation Portable and was set shortly after the events of Portable Ops. A spin-off game, Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance, was released in 2013 for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, and later on PC in January 2014. This game was set after Guns of the Patriots and featured Raiden, the main character from Sons of Liberty who became a cyborg ninja.
Expanded versions of some games were released, such as Integral (Metal Gear Solid), Substance (Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty), and Subsistence (Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater). Portable games in the series often take place outside the main story. Metal Gear: Ghost Babel was released for the Game Boy Color, and other games were made for the PlayStation Portable. Some games, like Metal Gear Acid and its sequel, used a different style of gameplay based on collectible cards.
On May 18, 2009, a teaser site for the next Metal Gear game was created by Kojima Production. The site showed countdowns and images of two characters resembling a middle-aged Big Boss and a cyborg Raiden. An article in the July 2009 issue of Famitsu covered the site and included an interview with Kojima. The interview was heavily censored, as requested by Kojima, who was working on the new game. The article promised to publish the full interview later. The new game was eventually revealed to be Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance, which was announced at E3 2009 during a Microsoft press conference.
At E3 2010, a demo called "Metal Gear Solid 3D: Snake Eater – The Naked Sample" was shown for the Nintendo 3DS. Official screenshots and art were later released by the Kojima site. Kojima said this was not a preview of a full game but a sample of what could be done on the 3DS. At Sony’s PlayStation Meeting in January 2011, Kojima demonstrated a possible portable version of Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots for the PlayStation Vita.
On June 2, 2011, Konami announced the Metal Gear Solid HD Collection, which was released in November 2011 for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. The collection included remastered versions of Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty, Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater, and Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker. These games were improved to run at 720p and 60fps, with updated audio and achievements. In August 2011, UK retailer Zavvi secured the exclusive right to sell the Metal Gear Solid: Ultimate HD Collection, which was released on November 25 for the PlayStation 3.
In November 2011, Kojima told PlayStation Official Magazine (UK) that the series might eventually have a sequel to Metal Gear Solid 4, but he did not know what it would be. He also said that Konami would have less influence on the game than he had on previous titles. After mixed reactions to Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance, Kojima assured fans that an authentic stealth-focused sequel to the series would come in the future.
At a discussion panel in March 2012, Kojima said he was working on a project he believed would be a major highlight of his career and the Metal Gear series. During the franchise’s 25th anniversary, Konami released a demo for a new game called Metal Gear Solid: Ground Zeroes. A social game called Metal Gear Solid: Social Ops was also released in December 2012.
On December 7, 2012, a teaser for The Phantom Pain was shown at the Spike Video Game Awards. After the trailer was released, many websites and fansites noted its connection to the Metal Gear series.
On March 27, 2013, Kojima announced at GDC 2013 that Metal Gear Solid: Ground Zeroes and The Phantom Pain were parts of the same game, Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain. Ground Zeroes served
Storyline
In the Metal Gear universe, history changed after World War I with the creation of the philosophers, an imaginary agreement between the United States, China, and the Soviet Union. They formed the fictional Cobra Unit, led by The Boss, who helped defeat the Axis Powers. Cloning, AI, and robotics from the 1970s are more advanced. The 11 main Metal Gear games tell a story that spans 5.5 decades, from the Cold War to the near future. Big Boss is the most important character in the series. Five of the 11 games are prequels that focus on his story, set decades before the first Metal Gear game. Solid Snake remains the main character of the series, as the prequels explain his purpose and his role as the opposite of his father.
Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater is the first game in the series. It introduces Naked Snake, a CIA operative working for the fictional FOX unit during the Cold War. The game shows Naked Snake’s journey from an apprentice to a legendary soldier and the downfall of his mentor, The Boss. After The Boss defects to the Soviet Union, Naked Snake is sent to Russia to kill her and stop Yevgeny Borisovitch Volgin, a Soviet colonel planning to overthrow the government. His heroics earn him the nickname "Big Boss." The origins of The Patriots, an organization founded by Zero, are also explored.
Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops follows Naked Snake after he leaves the FOX unit. At this point, he has not yet accepted the nickname "Big Boss." The game shows the beginning of his mercenary unit as he tries to escape the San Hieronymo Peninsula and fights former members of his unit. Some parts of the game are considered part of the official Metal Gear timeline, while others are not.
Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker takes place 10 years after Snake Eater and focuses on Big Boss, now the leader of the mercenary group Militaires Sans Frontières (MSF). He discovers nuclear warheads being sent to Latin America and works to stop them. New characters help him, and some from later games, like a younger Kazuhira Miller, appear.
Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain is a direct sequel to Peace Walker and has two chapters. The first, Ground Zeroes, happens weeks after Peace Walker’s ending. Big Boss is sent to rescue two VIPs in Cuba, but his mission is interrupted by an attack on his base by the XOF organization. During the chaos, Big Boss is injured and spends nine years in the hospital. The main story, The Phantom Pain, follows Big Boss forming a new group, the Diamond Dogs, to avenge the destruction of MSF and the loss of his comrades. However, it is later revealed that the "Big Boss" in this story is a brainwashed survivor of the attack, while the real Big Boss went into hiding to create Outer Heaven, a place for soldiers to live without government control.
The first Metal Gear game for the MSX follows Solid Snake, a rookie in the FOXHOUND unit. He is sent by Big Boss to investigate a weapon called Metal Gear in the fortress of Outer Heaven in South Africa. After completing his mission, Big Boss is revealed to be the leader of Outer Heaven, a place he created for soldiers to fight without government influence. He fights Solid Snake and is killed, but this is later shown to be a body double from The Phantom Pain. In Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake, the real Big Boss establishes a new nation, Zanzibar Land, and fights Solid Snake again, who defeats him.
Metal Gear Solid explains that Solid Snake is a genetic clone of Big Boss, created by a secret government project. Liquid Snake, Solid Snake’s twin brother, takes control of FOXHOUND after Solid Snake retires. Liquid and FOXHOUND seize control of a nuclear weapons facility in Alaska and commandeer REX, a new Metal Gear weapon. They threaten to detonate REX unless the government gives them Big Boss’s remains. Solid Snake destroys REX and defeats most of FOXHOUND, except Revolver Ocelot.
In Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty, Solidus Snake, a third brother of Big Boss, becomes the U.S. president. He learns about "The Patriots," a secret group manipulating history. After leaving office, Solidus takes control of the Big Shell facility, where Arsenal Gear—a mobile underwater fortress housing AI systems—is being developed. The game takes place four years after Liquid Snake’s death and follows Raiden, a soldier who fights Solidus. Raiden learns that Revolver Ocelot, who took control of Liquid Snake’s nanomachines, is working for The Patriots. At the end, Ocelot is seemingly possessed by Liquid Snake.
Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots follows an aging Solid Snake, now called "Old Snake," who fights Revolver Ocelot, now known as Liquid Ocelot. Despite the destruction of Arsenal Gear, The Patriots continue using AI to control history. Ocelot opposes them and plans to take over their systems. Solid Snake’s mission shifts to destroying The Patriots’ AIs and ending their control. After succeeding, Snake chooses to live peacefully.
Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance takes place four years after Guns of the Patriots and stars Raiden, a cyborg ninja mercenary. He joins Maverick Security Consulting to protect an African country’s prime minister. However, the mission goes wrong, and the prime minister is killed.
Development
The first Metal Gear game was planned as an action game that showed modern military combat. However, the MSX2 computer's limited technology could not display many bullets or enemies on the screen, which Hideo Kojima believed made the combat feel less exciting. He was inspired by the movie The Great Escape and changed the gameplay to focus on a prisoner trying to escape. In articles for Official PlayStation 2 Magazine, Hideo Kojima said that several Hollywood movies influenced the story and gameplay of the Metal Gear series. He also mentioned that the James Bond movies had the greatest influence on the creation of Metal Gear Solid. The original game's story included fears about nuclear war during the 1980s caused by the Cold War. Later games included ideas about nuclear weapon inspections in Iraq and Iran, but these were removed because of concerns about political issues in the Middle East. Other changes happened in Metal Gear Solid 2 because of the September 11 attacks.
After Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake, Kojima planned to release the third game for the 3DO Interactive Multiplayer in 1994. The game was later moved to the PlayStation, renamed, and the word "Solid" was added to its title as the series began using 3D computer graphics. From then on, the games aimed to look more realistic to improve the player experience. Metal Gear Solid 3 was originally planned for the PlayStation 3, but because the console took too long to release, the game was made for the PlayStation 2 instead. Earlier games had indoor settings because of console limitations, but Kojima wanted to change this despite challenges. Since Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty left some plot points unanswered, it was meant to let players discuss them and form their own ideas. This caused problems in the English versions of Metal Gear Solid and Metal Gear Solid 2 because they mentioned details later explored in Metal Gear Solid 4.
Related media
A book version of the original Metal Gear was published in 1988 as part of Scholastic's Worlds of Power series, which included books based on third-party NES games. Alexander Frost wrote the book. It does not follow the game's official story but instead uses Konami of America's version of the plot. The book changes the name of Solid Snake to Justin Halley and renames Snake's unit from FOXHOUND to the "Snake Men." In Japan, a Metal Gear gamebook was released on March 31, 1988, shortly after the game came out on the Famicom. This book is set two years after the original Metal Gear and is part of the Konami Gamebook Series. A book version of Metal Gear Solid was published in 2008. Raymond Benson, who wrote nine James Bond novels, wrote this book. Benson also wrote a book version of Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty, which was released in 2009. Reviews of Benson's books were mostly positive. Bookgasm.com said Benson "does a fine job translating the game to the page," and MishMashMagazine.com called Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty "a great companion to the game." A Japanese-language book version of Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots, written by Project Itoh, was published on June 12, 2008. Viz Media translated the book into English, and it was released on June 19, 2012.
A comic book version of the original Metal Gear Solid was published by IDW Publishing in 2004. Kris Oprisko wrote the comic, and Ashley Wood created the artwork. A comic book version of Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty was also published by IDW, written by Alex Garner with artwork by Ashley Wood. The comic series had 24 issues and was collected into two trade paperbacks and a hardback edition that is no longer available. A paperback version called Metal Gear Solid Omnibus was released in June 2010. A digital version of the first comic was released for the PlayStation Portable in 2006 as Metal Gear Solid: Digital Graphic Novel. A second digital version, Metal Gear Solid 2: Bande Dessinée, was released in Japan on DVD in 2008. It includes fully voiced versions of both comic adaptations. Most Japanese voice actors from the games returned for the series, except those who had passed away.
A radio drama based on the original Metal Gear Solid aired in Japan from 1998 to 1999 as part of Konami's CLUB db program. Directed by Shuyo Murata and written by Motosada Mori, the drama had 12 episodes divided into three story arcs. It was later collected into two volumes. The stories follow Solid Snake, Meryl Silverburgh, Mei Ling, and Roy Campbell on missions as FOXHOUND operatives. Mei Ling and Meryl wear different uniforms in the series. The stories are not considered official parts of the Metal Gear series. Japanese voice actors from the game returned for the radio drama, and new characters were added.
Several DVDs have been released to promote the Metal Gear series. Metal Gear Saga vol. 1 was released in 2006 as a pre-order disc for MGS3: Subsistence. It has five chapters, each covering one game in the series in order, starting with MGS3. Each chapter includes discussions by Hideo Kojima. Metal Gear Saga vol. 2 was shown at the 20th Metal Gear Anniversary Party and later released as a pre-order disc for MGS4. This DVD is a pseudo-documentary about Solid Snake, divided into a prologue and four chapters. It covers the origins of Solid Snake, Liquid Snake, Solidus Snake, and the events leading up to MGS4.
In 1999, McFarlane Toys, with Konami's help, created action figures of key characters from Metal Gear Solid. In 2001, after the success of the first series and the release of Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty, McFarlane and Konami made more action figures of characters from the game. Each figure includes a piece of Metal Gear RAY, so collecting all pieces is needed to build the robot.
Konami released 4-inch blind-box figures based on MGS2 in Japan in 2002 and Substance in 2003. The Substance series was later sold in the U.S. and U.K. in card packages instead of blind boxes. During the release of MGS3, Medicom made 12-inch figures of Snake as part of their Real Action Heroes line. Medicom later released figures of characters from Snake Eater and Guns of the Patriots, including 7-inch and 12-inch versions.
In 2009, toy company ThreeA partnered with Hideo Kojima to create products related to the series. In 2012, ThreeA released a 1/48 scale model of Metal Gear REX with working LED lights. The model can be dressed to show REX's damaged state from Guns of the Patriots. ThreeA is also working with artist Ashley Wood to make a similarly scaled model of Metal Gear RAY. A prototype was shown at a hobby event in Hong Kong in 2012.
Square Enix began making toys based on the series, starting with characters and vehicles from Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker. These toys, part of Square's Play Arts Kai line, were released in 2010. The line later expanded to include characters from Metal Gear Solid, Sons of Liberty, Ground Zeroes, and The Phantom Pain, with more detailed designs than earlier figures.
In 2012, Hot Toys released a 1/6th scale action figure of Naked Snake wearing his original sneaking suit from MGS3, as well as a figure of the Boss. To celebrate the series' 25th anniversary, Kotobukiya released a 1/100 scale model of Metal Gear REX with small figures of Solid Snake, Liquid Snake, and Gray Fox in both standing and near-death poses. Kotobukiya later made a similar model of RAY. Kaiyodo's Revoltech line includes figures of Big Boss from Peace Walker and Raiden from Rising: Revengeance, as well as Venom Snake and a Soviet soldier from The Phantom Pain in smaller sizes.
The soundtracks for the first two games were created by Iku Mizutani, Shigehiro Takenouchi, and Motoaki Furukawa. For Metal Gear Solid, Hideo Kojima wanted "a full orchestra next to the player," with changes to music tempo and texture instead of switching tracks. These features were later used in Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty. Harry Gregson-Williams, a Hollywood composer from Hans Zimmer's studio, was chosen to compose Metal Gear Solid 2, a decision widely publicized before the game's release. Gregson-Williams also composed music for Metal Gear Solid 3 and
Reception and legacy
The Metal Gear franchise has sold over 65.5 million copies as of December 2025. By February 2007, the series had earned more than $1 billion (worth about $1.6 to $2.8 billion today when considering inflation) from 20 million copies sold. It also sold extra items like 3 million strategy guides, 1.5 million action figures, and 200,000 comic books. As of 2019, the franchise had earned about $2.5 billion worldwide.
Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty sold 7.03 million copies worldwide. It was followed in sales by Metal Gear Solid with over 7 million copies sold, then Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots and Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain, each with over 6 million copies sold. According to Chart-Track, Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots was the second fastest-selling PlayStation 3 game in the United Kingdom after Grand Theft Auto IV. The Phantom Pain earned $179 million on its release day, more than the combined opening day box office of the films Avengers: Age of Ultron and Jurassic World. The PlayStation Portable games sold much less, but this was because the console was not selling well at the time. Metal Gear Survive, the first Metal Gear game developed after series creator Hideo Kojima left Konami, sold only a small fraction of the copies sold by Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain.
The series, especially the games directed by Hideo Kojima, is often considered one of the most influential in video game history and has received strong praise from critics and players. Most of the numbered games are considered among the greatest video games of all time. Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty has a score of 95.09% on GameRankings and 96/100 on Metacritic, making it the highest-scoring game in the series so far. In 2002, Metal Gear Solid was named the best PlayStation game ever by IGN’s editors. In Game Informer Magazine’s list of the top 200 games of all time, Metal Gear Solid 2 ranked No. 50. Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater was voted the fifth greatest PlayStation game in a poll by PlayStation Official Magazine (UK). Metal Gear Solid and Metal Gear Solid 2 were displayed in the Smithsonian American Art Museum’s “The Art of Video Games” exhibition from March 16 to September 30, 2012. Games in the series have won awards, such as Metal Gear Solid, which received the “Excellence Award for Interactive Art” from the Japan Media Arts Festival, and Metal Gear Solid 2, which won the Game of the Year award from Game Informer.
Metal Gear was the first mainstream stealth game, where players start unarmed, and sold over a million copies in the United States. Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake improved stealth gameplay from its predecessor and is considered one of the best 8-bit games ever made. Metal Gear and Metal Gear 2 helped create stealth mechanics in games. Metal Gear Solid, which debuted at the 1996 Tokyo Game Show, was the first 3D stealth game and helped popularize the stealth genre and the hiding-behind-cover mechanic. The series introduced cinematic techniques into video games, with Metal Gear Solid being called the “first modern video game” by Eurogamer.
Several boss fights in the series are praised for their variety and the strategy needed to defeat them. The series is known for breaking the fourth wall in its scenes. The story is noted for its detailed characters and its exploration of controversial themes. Hideo Kojima’s script in Metal Gear Solid 2 has been praised, with some calling it the first postmodern video game, while others say it anticipated ideas like post-truth politics, fake news, and echo chambers. The series’ storytelling has been praised for being among the most fascinating science fiction stories in any medium. Cutscenes in the games are often praised for their graphics and the actors’ performances. However, some critics have criticized the length of scenes and parts of the story. The introduction of Raiden as the main character in Metal Gear Solid 2, despite his lack of appearances in game trailers and his replacement of the popular character Solid Snake, is considered one of the most controversial parts of the series. The series’ audio, including sound and music, has been highly praised and has earned awards.
The Metal Gear series influenced many video game developers. Clint Hocking, who designed Splinter Cell and Far Cry 2, said that every stealth-action game “owes its existence to the success of Metal Gear” and that “without Metal Gear, there would be no stealth games.” Mathieu Ferland, a Splinter Cell producer, said Metal Gear Solid was a major inspiration and a pioneer for the genre and quality of directing. Denis Dyack, founder of Silicon Knights, said Metal Gear Solid’s “story, script, characters, voice acting, and cinemas” were “a landmark” and “guiding light to the future of video games.” Cliff Bleszinski, creator of Unreal and Gears of War, said the military themes and action gameplay of Metal Gear influenced his work, and he named Gears of War in honor of Metal Gear. Takuma Endo, creator of Tenchu, said the early 2D Metal Gear games inspired him. Tom Leonard, creator of Thief, said Metal Gear Solid’s success showed that experimental stealth gameplay could be successful and “revitalized the team” during the final stages of their project. Emily Knox, a designer at Sumo Digital, said Metal Gear Solid was an early influence on her work. Luke Kelly, an animator for Crysis 2, said the game’s animations were inspired by Metal Gear Solid 4. Neil Druckmann said the introduction of Raiden in Metal Gear Solid 2 influenced The Last of Us Part II (2020).
Beyond video games, filmmaker Jordan Peele said the series