Metal Gear Solid Delta dev says they wanted it to be 'almost too faithful' and explain why it's not called 'a Hideo Kojima game'

The developers of Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater aim for an almost too faithful remake, preserving core design choices like loading zones and credit sequences, while distancing the game from Hideo Kojima's direct involvement following his departure from Konami.

A faithful remake of a beloved game, like in the case of Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater, can be tricky. Finding the balance between retaining what made the original special and modernizing elements that haven't aged well is a tall task for any developer. But according to production producer Noriaki Okamura in the second episode of Konami's Metal Gear Production Hotline video series, the team would still rather come down on the side of being "almost too faithful" and maintain the original design of Snake Eater.

When looking at an element like the zones separated by loading screens, Okamura mentions "that's just how the game was designed. The rhythm and the shifting pace of gameplay flows from that choice." He goes on to say, "if we had done anything to change that overarching design it would have changed the game entirely."

The same logic applies to the credits, where the team has decided to include the original developers – with one notable exception. Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater will not open with "a Hideo Kojima game" but instead say "based on Metal Gear Solid 3." It might seem strange at first, but as Okamura notes, "it's always been the case that games Mr. Kojima didn't personally direct don't have 'a Hideo Kojima game.'" Okamura continues on, "so for Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater, we decided that it just made sense to follow that precedent."

Hideo Kojima had a very notable split from Konami back in 2015 after the release of Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain. Now that Konami is back to working with the Metal Gear Solid property, questions about Kojima' involvement will almost certainly continue to circulate.

If you're looking for more about the upcoming remake, check out our Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater hands-on preview.