Konami has revealed that one of the reasons behind its upcoming remake of Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater is to allow the "newer, younger" generation of gamers the chance to experience the stealth franchise on modern hardware. Spotted by GamesRadar in the 46th (and final) issue of PLAY magazine, series producer Noriaki Okamura cites those unfamiliar with the series as one of the things that "really sparked" Konami into action.
Okamura said in full: "One of the things that really sparked us to do the remake in general is because we realised that a lot of the newer, younger generation of gamers aren’t familiar with the Metal Gear series anymore." This is then reflected in the decision to replace the number in the title with the word "Delta", because despite being the third entry, Snake Eater actually takes place first in the timeline. "That’s where the original story started," added Okamura.
It's been nine years since the last mainline Metal Gear Solid game, and only recently, with the first volume of the Master Collection has there been an effort to preserve the series. It brought back the first three numbered entries for PS5 and PS4, and with the help of Virtuos, the Japanese publisher is faithfully remaking Snake Eater. Konami has confirmed it'll announce a release date before the end of the year, and as more time passes, a reveal at The Game Awards next month seems more and more likely.
We had the chance to play the Virtous Mission at a MGS Delta: Snake Eater Preview event earlier this year, where we concluded it to be a "fiercely loyal remake". We said: "Without the need for gameplay or story changes, what Konami and Virtuos are doing is tweaking near-perfection. On the basis of the Virtuous Mission, they are going about the endeavour in the correct manner."