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. In the game, players usually control a special forces soldier named Solid Snake. His mission is to find the main weapon in the story, called "Metal Gear," which is a robot that walks on two legs and can launch nuclear weapons.
Many follow-up games were released for different consoles. These games added new characters who help or oppose Snake, while earlier games explored the origins of Metal Gear and other characters. The third game in the series, Metal Gear Solid, was released for the PlayStation. This game used 3D graphics and helped the series become famous worldwide.
The series is known for starting and popularizing stealth games and games that look like movies. Key features include movie-like scenes, complex stories, unusual humor, and themes such as cyberpunk, dystopian futures, politics, and philosophy. The games also include references to Hollywood movies. Each game in the series has received praise and awards. As of December 2025, the series has sold 65.5 million copies. The franchise has also been adapted into comics, novels, and drama CDs. Solid Snake has appeared in other games, including Super Smash Bros., Ape Escape 3, LittleBigPlanet, and Fortnite.
Games
Hideo Kojima created the first Metal Gear game, which was released in Japan and Europe in 1987 for the MSX2 computer. A different team made a changed version of the game for the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES). This version came out in Japan on December 22, 1987, in North America in June 1988, and in Europe and Australia in 1989. Konami later made an NES sequel called Snake's Revenge without Kojima. It was released in North America and Europe in 1990. One of the designers of Snake's Revenge met Kojima and asked him to make a real Metal Gear sequel. Kojima then began working on Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake, which was released in Japan in 1990 for the MSX2.
After finishing Metal Gear 2, Kojima worked on other projects before making his third Metal Gear game, Metal Gear Solid, for the PlayStation. Development started in 1994, and the game was shown at the 1996 Tokyo Game Show. It was 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, called Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes, was released for the Nintendo GameCube in early 2004. Later that year, Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater was released for the PlayStation 2. This game was the first prequel, set before all previous Metal Gear games, and it introduced the origins of the franchise. A sequel to Snake Eater, 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, released for the PlayStation 3 in 2008. This game included a multiplayer spin-off called Metal Gear Online.
In April 2010, another sequel to Snake Eater, Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker, was released for the PlayStation Portable. It 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 in January 2014 for PC. This game was set after Guns of the Patriots and featured Raiden, the protagonist from Sons of Liberty who became a cyborg ninja.
Expanded re-releases of games in the series were made, such as Integral (Metal Gear Solid), Substance (Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty), and Subsistence (Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater). Portable versions of the games are usually set outside the main storyline. 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 turn-based strategy mechanics based on collectible cards.
On May 18, 2009, a teaser site for the next Metal Gear game was uploaded by Kojima Production. The site had 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 PSP + PS3 covered the site and included an interview with Hideo Kojima. The interview was heavily censored, as requested by Kojima, who was working on the new game. The game was later revealed to be Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance, announced at E3 2009.
At E3 2010, a demo called "Metal Gear Solid 3D: Snake Eater – The Naked Sample" was shown on the Nintendo 3DS. Screenshots and art were later released on the official Kojima site. Kojima said the demo was not a preview of a full game but an example of what could be done on the 3DS. At Sony's PlayStation Meeting on January 27, 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, 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, with improved graphics and audio. In August 2011, UK retailer Zavvi secured the exclusive right to sell the Metal Gear Solid: Ultimate HD Collection for the PlayStation 3, released on November 25.
In November 2011, Kojima told PlayStation Official Magazine (UK) about the future of the series, mentioning a possible Metal Gear Solid 5. He said, "I think we'll probably have to make it [a sequel to MGS4] at some point, but what that will be, we have no idea." He also said he would have less influence on future games than before. After mixed reactions to Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance, Kojima reassured fans that an "authentic stealth Metal Gear Solid" sequel would come later.
During a discussion panel at the Smithsonian American Art Museum in March 2012, Kojima said he was working on a project he believed would be a "shining moment" for 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 released in December 2012.
On December 7, 2012, a teaser for The Phantom Pain was shown at the Spike Video Game Awards
Storyline
In the Metal Gear universe, history changed after World War 1 with the creation of the Philosophers, a fictional secret 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 over 55 years, 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 original Metal Gear. 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 order. It introduces Naked Snake (or Snake for short), a CIA operative working for the fictional FOX unit during the Cold War. The game shows Snake’s journey from an apprentice to a legendary soldier and the downfall of his mentor, The Boss. After The Boss joins the Soviet Union, Snake is sent to Russia to kill her and stop Yevgeny Borisovitch Volgin, a Soviet colonel planning to overthrow the government. Snake’s actions earn him the nickname "Big Boss." The origins of The Patriots, a group started by Zero, are also discussed.
Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops follows Naked Snake after he leaves FOX. At this point, he has not yet accepted the nickname "Big Boss." The game shows the beginnings of his mercenary unit as he tries to escape the San Hieronymo Peninsula and fights former members of his unit. Some people question whether Portable Ops is part of the official Metal Gear timeline, as the creator, Kojima, said the main story is part of the series, but some details are not.
The next game, Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker, takes place 10 years after Snake Eater and returns to the story of young Big Boss. Now leading the mercenary group Militaires Sans Frontières (MSF), Big Boss learns about nuclear warheads being sent to Latin America and decides to stop them. New characters help Big Boss, and some characters 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 chapter, Ground Zeroes, happens a few weeks after Peace Walker’s final mission. Big Boss is sent to rescue two VIPs from a U.S. military site in Cuba. His mission overlaps with a visit by the IAEA, which hides an attack by the secret group XOF. During the chaos, Big Boss’s helicopter is damaged by a bomb inside Paz, crashes, and he is hospitalized for nine years, leading to the main story of The Phantom Pain. The main plot follows Big Boss forming a new private military group, the Diamond Dogs, to fight back after MSF is destroyed and his comrades are lost. However, this "Big Boss" is revealed to be a brainwashed survivor of the crash, while the real Big Boss hides 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 his superior, Big Boss, to South Africa’s Outer Heaven fortress to find a missing teammate, Gray Fox, and investigate a weapon called Metal Gear. 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 ideology. He fights Snake and is killed, but this was actually a body double from The Phantom Pain. In Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake, the real Big Boss establishes a new military nation, Zanzibar Land, and faces 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. A new antagonist, Liquid Snake, is introduced as Snake’s twin brother who takes over FOXHOUND after Snake retires. Liquid and FOXHOUND seize control of a nuclear weapons facility in Alaska and take over 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 the rogue FOXHOUND members, except Revolver Ocelot.
A third brother, Solidus Snake, becomes the U.S. president at the end of Metal Gear Solid and is the main antagonist in Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty. As president, Solidus 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’s death in Metal Gear Solid and follows Raiden, a soldier who fights Solidus, who was his former commander. Raiden joins forces with Snake and learns they are being controlled by Revolver Ocelot, who works for The Patriots. At the end, Ocelot is seemingly possessed by Liquid Snake as nanomachines from Liquid’s arm (taken by Ocelot after Gray Fox cuts it off in Metal Gear Solid) affect his mind.
Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots follows an aging Solid Snake, now called "Old Snake," who is on a mission to defeat Revolver Ocelot, now known as Liquid Ocelot. Despite the destruction of Arsenal Gear in Sons of Liberty, The Patriots continue their plans to control history by installing AI systems globally. Ocelot opposes this and gathers armies to fight back, aiming to take over the Patriots’ systems. Solid Snake’s mission changes to destroy the Patriots’ AIs and stop their control. After succeeding, Snake chooses to live peacefully.
Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance takes place four years after Guns of the Patriots and features Raiden, a cyborg ninja mercenary. Raiden 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 battles. However, the MSX2 computer's limited power made it difficult to display many bullets or enemies on the screen, which Hideo Kojima believed limited the combat experience. Inspired by the movie The Great Escape, he changed the game to focus on a prisoner trying to escape. In articles for Official PlayStation 2 Magazine, Hideo Kojima mentioned that Hollywood films greatly influenced the story and gameplay of the Metal Gear series. He also said the James Bond movies had the most influence on the creation of Metal Gear Solid. The original game's story included themes about fear of nuclear war during the 1980s, which came from the Cold War. Later games included ideas about inspecting nuclear weapons in Iraq and Iran, but this idea was removed because of concerns about politics in the Middle East. Other changes happened in Metal Gear Solid 2 after 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 its sequels added the word "Solid" because the series began using 3D computer graphics. From then on, the games were designed to feel 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 technical challenges with consoles, but Kojima wanted to change this despite the difficulties. Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty left some story details unresolved, allowing players to discuss and form their own ideas. This caused inconsistencies in the English versions of Metal Gear Solid and Metal Gear Solid 2, as they mentioned story elements later explored in Metal Gear Solid 4.
Related media
A novel version of the original Metal Gear game was published in 1988 as part of Scholastic's Worlds of Power series, which included books based on games from other companies for the NES. The book was written by Alexander Frost. It does not follow the official story of the game but instead uses Konami of America's version of the plot. The book changes the name of the character Solid Snake to Justin Halley and renames his unit from FOXHOUND to the "Snake Men." In Japan, a gamebook version of Metal Gear was released on March 31, 1988, shortly after the game came out on the Famicom. This book is set two years after the original game and is part of the Konami Gamebook Series. A novel version of Metal Gear Solid was published in 2008. It was written by Raymond Benson, who also wrote nine James Bond novels. Benson also wrote a novel version of Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty, which was published in 2009. Reviews of Benson's books were mostly positive. One website said Benson "does a fine job translating the game to the page," and another called the second book "a great companion to the game." A Japanese-language novel of Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots was published in 2008 by Project Itoh. It was translated into English by Viz Media and released in 2012.
A comic book version of the original Metal Gear Solid was published by IDW Publishing in 2004. It was written by Kris Oprisko and illustrated by Ashley Wood. A comic version of Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty was also published by IDW, written by Alex Garner and illustrated by Ashley Wood. The comic series had 24 issues and was collected into two trade paperbacks and a hardback book that is no longer available. The entire comic was later collected in a paperback called Metal Gear Solid Omnibus and released in 2010. A digital version of the first comic was released for the PlayStation Portable in 2006. A second digital version, Metal Gear Solid 2: Bande Dessinée, was released in Japan on DVD in 2008. This version includes fully voiced versions of both comics, with all original voice actors except those who have 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 series had 12 episodes divided into three story arcs. It was later collected into two volumes. The radio drama follows events after the Shadow Moses incident, with Solid Snake, Meryl Silverburgh, Mei Ling, and Roy Campbell on new 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 introduced.
Several promotional DVDs have been released about the Metal Gear series. Metal Gear Saga vol. 1 was released in 2006 as a pre-order disc for MGS3: Subsistence. It includes five chapters, each focusing on one game from the original five-part series in order, with discussions by Hideo Kojima. Metal Gear Saga vol. 2 was shown at the 20th Metal Gear Anniversary Party and released as a pre-order disc for MGS4. This version is a pseudo-documentary about Solid Snake, divided into a prologue and four chapters that cover events from MGS3, MG1, MG2, MGS, MGS2, and 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 figures of characters from the second game. Each figure includes a piece of Metal Gear RAY, so collecting all pieces is needed to build the robot. Konami also released 4-inch blind-box figures of MGS2 characters in Japan in 2002 and Substance figures in 2003. These were later sold in card packaging in the U.S. and U.K. During the release of MGS3, Medicom made 12-inch figures of Snake as part of their Real Action Heroes line. They later made figures for Snake Eater and Guns of the Patriots, including 7- and 12-inch versions of characters.
In 2009, toy company ThreeA partnered with Hideo Kojima to make related products. 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 create a similarly scaled model of Metal Gear RAY. A prototype was shown at a hobby event in Hong Kong in 2012. Square Enix also made 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 and later expanded to include characters from other games. In 2012, Hot Toys released a 1/6th scale action figure of Naked Snake in his original sneaking suit from MGS3 and 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 different poses. They later made a model of RAY. Kaiyodo's Revoltech line includes figures
Reception and legacy
The Metal Gear franchise has sold more than 65.5 million copies as of December 2025. By February 2007, the series had earned over $1 billion (equivalent to between $1.6 and $2.8 billion when adjusted for inflation) from 20 million copies sold. Additional products, such as 3 million strategy guides, 1.5 million action figures, and 200,000 comic books, were also sold. 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 is followed in sales by Metal Gear Solid, with over 7 million copies sold, and 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 had lower sales, but this was likely due to the low sales of the console at the time the games were released. Metal Gear Survive, the first Metal Gear game developed since 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 widespread critical acclaim. Most of the numbered installments are regarded as some of 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 to date. In 2002, Metal Gear Solid was ranked the best PlayStation game ever by IGN’s editors. Metal Gear Solid 2 was listed at No. 50 on Game Informer Magazine’s list of the top 200 games of all time. 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 featured in the Smithsonian American Art Museum’s “The Art of Video Games” exhibition from March 16 to September 30, 2012. The games have won multiple awards, including Metal Gear Solid, which received the “Excellence Award for Interactive Art” from the Japan Media Arts Festival, and Metal Gear Solid 2, which was named Game of the Year by Game Informer.
Metal Gear was the first mainstream stealth game, with players starting the game unarmed. It sold over a million copies in the United States. Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake improved the stealth gameplay of its predecessor and is considered one of the best 8-bit games of all time. Metal Gear and Metal Gear 2 are credited with creating the stealth gameplay mechanics used in many games today. 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 have been praised for their variety and the strategy required to defeat them. The series is known for breaking the fourth wall in its scenes. The storylines are noted for their strong character development and exploration of controversial themes. Hideo Kojima’s script in Metal Gear Solid 2 has been praised, with some calling it an early example of a postmodern video game. Others believe it anticipated ideas such as post-truth politics, fake news, echo chambers, and alternative facts. The series’ storytelling has been praised for being among the most fascinating science fiction stories in any medium. The cutscenes in the games are often praised for their graphics and the quality of the actors’ performances. However, some critics have pointed out that the scenes are sometimes too long and that parts of the storylines can be confusing. The introduction of Raiden as the main character in Metal Gear Solid 2, without much prior mention in trailers or his replacement of the popular character Solid Snake, has been considered one of the most controversial moments in the series. The audio in the games has been highly praised, earning awards for its use of sound and music.
The Metal Gear series influenced many video game developers. Clint Hocking, the designer of 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 producer for Splinter Cell, stated that Metal Gear Solid was a major inspiration and a pioneer for both the genre and the quality of directing. Denis Dyack, founder of Silicon Knights, said that 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, cited the military themes and action gameplay of Metal Gear as a major influence on his work and named Gears of War in honor of Metal Gear. Takuma Endo, creator of Tenchu, said the early 2D Metal Gear games influenced his work. Tom Leonard, creator of Thief, said that the success of Metal Gear Solid showed that experimental stealth gameplay could be marketable and helped his team finish 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, a game designer, said the introduction of Raiden in Metal Gear Solid 2 influenced The Last of Us Part II (2020).
Beyond video games, filmmaker Jordan Peele cited the series as an inspiration, particularly Metal Gear Solid 2. Some critics have compared the Metal Gear Solid series, especially Metal Gear Solid 2, to the Marvel Cinematic Universe film Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2