Metal Gear Solid Delta Could Be the Heyday Konami Needs Following Silent Hill

Oct 24, 2023

Konami's recent record of apparent priorities hasn't been largely in fans' favor but its beloved franchise revivals will hopefully quell that concern.

Even though there had been loads of rumors about potential Metal Gear remakes in the air before the PlayStation Showcase, hardly anyone could see a remake of Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater coming based on its CGI teaser. This teaser is perfectly themed to the game itself, but its food chain sequence was almost impossible to peg as being related to Metal Gear Solid until Snake himself silently emerged from a swamp's shadowy brush. Knowing how successful remakes are in today's gaming culture, the newly titled Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater has a ton of potential and has suddenly become a big game to look forward to, playing beautifully in Konami's favor.

It is fantastic that Konami is finally revisiting long-abandoned franchises, for example, though there is a prevailing concern that the publisher might have financial ambitions. This is thankfully becoming more difficult to argue as Silent Hill and Metal Gear Solid are seemingly returning in full force, and Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater's reception might be all Konami needs to help usher it into an era of being generally well-liked again.

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The reception to Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater being as ubiquitously positive as it has been is a wonderful sign for Konami, proving that turning a new leaf over for the beloved franchise was a smart choice. Like any remake of a classic, there are fans who don't believe Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater or any other Metal Gear Solid game actually needs a remake, but having a new way to play older titles is always fantastic.

It is still too early to say with certainty whether this Delta remake will be positively received when actual gameplay is shown, but it is fair to assume for the moment that Konami is finally getting back into fans’ good books following Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater's official reveal. Moreover, the announcement of Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Vol. 1 is also a huge boon.

Konami is nowhere near finished with Silent Hill now that multiple eccentric projects are confirmed to be in development, but due to how sour fans are toward Konami's handling of Silent Hill it seems perfectly timed that Metal Gear Solid is being reinterpreted at the same time. If Konami is fortunate, a future of Metal Gear Solid Delta remakes could help tip the scales and balance a potentially underwhelming reception to Silent Hill endeavors.

Of course, it is fully possible that Konami's rehashing of Silent Hill could amount to a wonderful future for the psychological-horror franchise. Bloober's Silent Hill 2 remake has immense shoes to occupy as one of horror's most seminal titles, for example, but Silent Hill: Townfall, Silent Hill: Ascension, and Silent Hill f are completely new experiences that could reinvent the entire franchise's core premise as fans know it.

Indeed, fans largely appreciate Silent Hill games that were developed by Team Silent regardless of Konami being their publisher, but there is still surely bad blood between fans and Konami nonetheless as Konami moves the anthology franchise forward. Likewise, publishing Silent Hill: Ascension and Silent Hill f will hopefully discern whether Konami has the merit to do so authentically.

Interestingly, though, Annapurna Interactive will be co-producing Silent Hill: Townfall, demonstrating that the series could be lent to different studios and handled uniquely by each anyhow. Either way, a successful future for Metal Gear Solid could be a balm for Konami fans. It will be interesting to see how Konami moves ahead with both franchises, but it remains to be seen if it will stick the landing for either.

Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater is in development for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.

MORE: The Case for More Remakes After Silent Hill 2

Jared is a writer, editor, and Communications Studies graduate who loves popular nerd culture and the interactive storytelling medium. Jared's first console was the PS1, wherein he fell for Spider-Man, Spyro the Dragon, and Crash Bandicoot.