In a turn of events that’s sure to send the rumor mill into overdrive, several reputable retailers – the likes of Rakuten annd even Microsoft’s own store amongst others – have listed Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain’s release date as February 24, removing the previous placeholder date of December 31.
Before the major retailing outlets had overtly switched the date, an Inventory Manager on Reddit took a chance snapshot of an update to the game’s listed date, setting in motion a a fandom on the game’s subreddit. Crucially, the release date falls on a Tuesday, the day typically used for housing big-budget gaming releases. Of course, this sort of thing happens all the time and is normally debunked as inconsequential, but knowing Hideo Kojima things are never quite that simple. And even with the game ”near-completion” as far back as September, the release date doesn’t leave a whole lot of room for pre-order drumming and advertising – so what makes this particular release update any different?
While the purported release date means that the game’s an unrealistically short distance away, Kojima-san is in fact known for his non-conventional approach to game-related announcements, not least with his interactive P.T. trailer that turned out to actually be the first next-generation outing for Konami’s blood-curdling Silent Hill franchise, as well as the plethora of Metal Gear Solid-related reveals that have dazzled gamers for years on end. Hell, even The Phantom Pain was initially disguised as a different non-Metal Gear Solid game entirely, created by fictional Swedish developer ‘Moby Dick Studios’.
Moreover, at this year’s revamped Game Awards a few weeks back, Kojima-san appeared on stage wearing a T-shirt that read ”tjugoandra den sjätte” – Swedish text which spells out ”twenty-second and sixth”. Some fans interpreted as being either a nod to a Christmas-orientated passage in Herman Melville’s Moby Dick (relative to the aforementioned fictional developer) or for it to mean June 22 as a release date.
It’s all a little farfetched and convoluted to believe – a bit like the majority of Metal Gear Solid’s expanded storyline – but one thing’s for certain, it’s not beyond the realm of possibility for someone as eccentric as Hideo Kojima. While it’s still fully in rumor mill territory there seems to be a little more than meets the eye with this particular story. We’ll keep you posted.
Do you think there’s any substance to the thought that Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain will be releasing in February? Are you one of the many who’ll be picking it up? Let us know in the comments section below.