There are many franchises in video game history that fans love to discuss. Franchises in video games are, at times, the most popular and lucrative of the lot, mainly because they develop over the course of years. Through that period, they create a fanbase, establish quality, and get people excited for the next game. For example, the Metal Gear franchise goes back over 30 years. Hideo Kojima developed its first title in 1987, and for nearly three decades, he crafted one of the most unique and insane franchises ever seen in the video game space. But then, it was gone.
Not because the story was fully completed, as there are always new stories to tell in a universe like this. Instead, it was because Konami and Kojima had a legendary falling out, and that led to Kojima making a studio of his own, where he then made Death Stranding, which is getting a sequel soon. Konami tried to “top Kojima” by making Metal Gear Survive, except it was an abomination that didn’t deserve to exist. So after terrible sales, the series was dead.
However, Konami is reviving some of their “untouched” properties, which made many think that Snake and crew could get a resurrection. But that topic raised an interesting poll question on Resetera, “when did the Metal Gear franchise peak?”
It’s an interesting question for many reasons. The biggest reason is that each game played differently from the other and didn’t follow a “linear progression” arc, as you would see in other franchises. That was one of Kojima’s strengths. He would flip things on its head and shock the world with what he made. Granted, that did backfire on him a bit because it made the overall plot of the franchise incredibly convoluted, but fans made due.
As for who won the poll, that would be Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater. Many fans praised the storyline of Big Boss and how it fleshed out everything that was to come, including the birth of Solid Snake, the rise of Revolver Ocelot, etc. It also was praised for its boss fights, the visuals, the ending, and the legendary/infamous ladder scene that was oh so Kojima.
The banter between the fans is fun and lighthearted, yet you can feel their passion for these titles. It should be noted that Raiden’s spinoff by PlatinumGames wasn’t on this list, but that game has a fanbase all its own.
If you have a thought on the poll question, make your feelings known!
Source: Resetera
