Will Konami start licencing?

 Give it back! This isn't right, that was ours!

The great stone wheel of the rumour mill is stirring up a little late this year, at least in regards to what many expect out of the 'gaming even of the year' this time around. E3 probably underwent the best announcement it could have recently, after deciding to not host a show in person for the second year running, although that's more in response to the on-going global caution rather than actual acknowledgement of how much better last year's event was to their usual garbage. Several weeks of coverage spread out for people to digest, great free demos to try out, a distinct lack of existential cringe to recoil at; E3 last year was straight unnatural for many reasons. (But in all the best ways) And perhaps that distinct veer from the usual, that clear indication the humors of the world's body are no longer in alignment, has effected the very soul of the industry as we know it. I say this because people are starting to suggest- nay, to speculate- that Konami's next botch-job is going to be the licensing out of one of their core franchises.

But why am I even talking about Konami in the year 2021, you might be asking, theirs is a clearly fallen company who have no baring in the modern landscape of gaming. The last game I remember out of their studios was that mobile Castlevania game which- oh right that shut down, didn't it? (After a year in operation. Poor form) They've still kept up with their annual PES releases though, because I guess they need to keep the lights on, but apart from that their studio has gone completely radio silent since they torpedoed their own reputation in a fruitless battle against a beloved industry icon, and then ruined their own reputation as competent creators by trying, and utterly failing, to supplant his life's work. (Oh my god, Metal Gear Survive still gives me nightmares some nights. Until I wake up and realise- real life is the nightmare where this game exists in; the night terrors were the escape.) But it's fitting I should invoke the name of my favourite game series of all time. (that favouritism is really directed towards specifically 3 but I think the gist carries all the same) For you see, folk believe that Metal Gear Solid is the game getting licenced.

And to be honest I wouldn't be too darn surprised with the way that Konami have treated that franchise in recent years. (I mean beyond their efforts to actually make a game for it; that deserves it's own special place in hell) On one hand you have the, still inexplicably not cancelled yet, Metal Gear Movie said to be staring Oscar Isaac. I'm told he's a solid actor, but casting anyone as Snake is a damn crime to the source material no matter who's wearing the bandanna. Also, the very concept of creating a stealth action storyline for the cinema is asinine to me. Where will the tension of sneaking around come from? I've never seen a movie shoot a stalking/sneaking scene with even an ounce of the amount of investment that a game can create over the same situation; and Metal Gear was the original king of tension pop moments. I think the project is so wrapped up with the conspiracy storyline and bombastic villains that it totally forgot how the meat of the game doesn't really translate over all that well onto the big screen. Unless they want to take a 'movie Hitman' route and completely forget what the source material was about in favour of mindless action. (Wait- this movie, despite getting greenlit from Konami, actually has Kojima's seal of approval? Hmm... well then I guess I disagree with my favourite game director; I wonder who will have that laugh last...)

Then there's the biggest crime that Konami have ever done to any one of their series', which they then committed several times to their other franchises, and I'm of course talking about Metal Gear Solid 3 Pachinko. (You utter, utter, monsters.) I will literally never forgive Konami for that. The absolute exuberance of seeing your favourite game of all time rendered with the love and care of a high-quality remake only to have it be all for mid-game eye candy shoved onto a Pachinko box; was truly heart-breaking. I may never love again. Actually, I did go and watch some proud Diamond Dog out there who uploaded themselves filming evert cutscene onto Youtube; so I have technically cathartically benefitted from this betrayal in the long run; but I wouldn't have needed that closure if Konami hadn't actually stabbed me in the heart to begin with. (The reanimation was great by-the-by. You can tell the creator really respected Kojima's famously solid scene placement and timing and did their best to match that perfectly, as opposed to the Twin's Snake remake.)

In light of that catastrophe, it might make a little sense why Konami want to distance themselves from any future delving into the Metal Gear series. They have no more creditability themselves and any move they make will be instantly killed by sheer underperformance, the only sort of accountability that these people care about. That's not just a reflection of how loyal Metal Gear fans are, but also how clueless Konami is about the series. They took a stealth action political intrigue thematically heavy-handed series and turned it into a zombie survival game that takes place in an alternate universe. There's no sensible words for how far off the mark you need to be in order to miss the execution that badly. With how the industry works, where the next game suffers from the failures of the last, it would literally be burning money for Konami to sell another Metal Gear. (And Survive did poorly enough anyway) But is their solution really going to be licencing out the franchise?

On one hand it really had done wonders for some series' to have a plethora of different creators come in and have their own swing at things. One of the most iterated upon series that I can think of, Warhammer, has literally every single game genre under it's belt that you could think of short of a racing spin off. (Although there's always potential. The Speed Freaks table top game is just waiting there to get adapted!) But on the otherhand Metal Gear is such a hyper specific series it's a wonder that any other developer could consider approaching it for a one-off entry. The lore is intricate and entwined, the canon and validity of the supernatural differs drastically in relation to however Kojima is feeling that morning, and all the characters know each other intimately; so slipping in another one there will just feel cheap and contrived. (Trust me, I know. They tried that twice with 'Metal Gear Solid: The Phantom Pain')

What makes far more sense is the rumour that Konami are looking to straight up sell Metal Gear; because that's the only way the K-gang are ever going to realistically see decent profits out of this series ever again under their leadership. (Their company badge might as well be profit-kryptonite right now) Plus, if anyone is going to come to this series they'd need to attack it with gusto and commitment; especially since all the loose ends are firmly tied up right now, so a new entry would have to start a fresh branch of the Metal Gear story, and that's no easy task. I mean sure; I know of several great jumping off points for new storylines, but I'm a megafan who's literally had years to ponder this, you'd need that same level of dedication to formulate a new series yourself. (As well as a new suffix to Metal Gear. Again, I have a perfect one. Not sharing. At least not today.)

I am absolutely, unequivocally, all for this rumour being willed into existence by the sheer force of the Internet. Metal Gear, Castlevania, Silent Hill and just about anything of quality needs to divorce itself from Konami if they've any chance to be good again. Some complete hopefuls out there even hypothesis that, with this move, Metal Gear could feasible end up in the hands of Kojima productions! (Could it be coming home?) But I think that's a stretch beyond the pale. Even if Kojima is in those talks, like it's said that he is, I can't understand why he'd go back in his career at this point when it seems he's committed to exploring high concept art games from this point onwards. Mixing art and action to that perfect degree would be JOJO levels of brilliant, but I've suffered too much disappointment in my life relating to this series to even entertain such a notion. But unhooking Metal Gear's reins so that it can gallop free around the pasture? Heck, I'd say that's a good enough compromise for this lifetime. Come on Konami; do the right thing for once in your miserable lives!