It’s been 10 years since the release of the last legitimate Metal Gear Solid game, but in some ways, it feels like it’s been even longer. Ignoring 2018’s maligned multiplayer spin-off Metal Gear Survive — the first entry in the series published by Konami following the departure of series creator Hideo Kojima — 2015’s Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain has essentially served as a punctuation mark on the franchise, which began all the way back in 1987 on the MSX2 home computer.

After directing nine mainline entries in the series, Kojima moved on from Konami to form his own studio, Kojima Productions, and developed the Death Stranding series, leaving the fate of Metal Gear in complete limbo — until now.

On Aug. 28, Konami is bringing the beloved action-adventure stealth series back from the grave with Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater, a remake of one of the series’ all-time great installments, 2004’s Metal Gear Solid 3. With overhauled visuals and modernized controls, Delta is intended as a reintroduction to the franchise for players with rosy memories of the now 20-year-old original, as well as an entry point for newcomers who might not even know what the series is after its extended absence in gaming culture. But, according to its developers, it might end up being even more.

At a hands-on preview event for Metal Gear Solid Delta in New York earlier this month, the game’s producers and Metal Gear series veterans Noriaki Okamura, 59, and Yuji Korekado, 56, discussed their vision for the game with Rolling Stone, which isn’t just about resurrecting one classic title but learning about what the current generation of gamers want to see.

“One thing that was really helpful was to understand how modern gamers play games; what frustrates them, what makes it easier for them,” Korekado says via a translator. “[We] were able to get a lot of feedback from all the younger development staff. We were aware that we needed to maintain the original. We wanted to keep the story, wanted to keep the gameplay as [close] to the original as possible. They understood the assignment, and what they did is help us make sure [it’s] not too awkward, it still feels like a fun and exciting game.” Editor’s picks

For those who are well-versed in Metal Gear’s history, an authentically reproduced iteration of Metal Gear Solid 3, chronologically the first game in the series despite being the fifth overall, will be a surefire hit. For younger players, however, it’s more a blind spot. So why even bother with a remake instead of something new?

Metal Gear Solid Delta revisits the series’ past, but could be a training ground for its future. Konami

“It’s a very black and white answer for us: Because we’re getting old,” Okamura says. “We only have a few years left out of us to make a game, right? And one of the things that we noticed, and what really kicked off this project, is that we started seeing a huge wave of new gamers that [weren’t] even aware or didn’t even [know] Metal Gear before. And [we] were like, ‘We need to do something about this because we wanted to carry on the legacy.’”

But the lingering question isn’t whether fans new and old will enjoy a polished remake of an already beloved game, it’s whether there will ever be a genuinely new entry in the Metal Gear saga. For the team at Konami, Delta serves as both an easy way to reignite the series’ torch and pass it on to the next generation of creators.

“So, one of the reasons why we brought in a lot of fresh meat — all the new, younger developers — is because, not only did we want to give them a chance to figure out how to create and develop a Metal Gear game, but also give them a chance to experience the game themselves,” Okamura adds. “And we’ll still be here for a while, but right now the goal is to build a team that could carry on the legacy on our behalf and could produce, hopefully in the future, more exciting games.” Related Content

While it isn’t official confirmation that a new Metal Gear outing is in the works, Okamura’s statement is the first clear acknowledgement that Konami is potentially planning to build of the foundation of Delta as a training ground for what could be a true continuation of the series. Whether that comes to fruition likely depends on audiences’ reaction to Delta, but one thing is certain: fans shouldn’t expect Metal Gear’s creator to be involved. In a recent interview with Ssense, the Death Stranding 2 director said that he won’t be playing the remake of his seminal 2004 game.

For now, Metal Gear is back to remind people of its past, but the good news is that it may just have a future.

Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater arrives on Aug. 28 for PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.