Whether in the incest themes in Otacon's backstory or the series' overall leering approach to women, Metal Gear Solid is no stranger to controversy. Noting this, Konami has seen fit to include a content warning in the opening of each of the major games in the collection, which include Metal Gear Solid, Metal Gear Solid 2, and Metal Gear Solid 3 as well as versions of the original 8-bit games.
According to Gamesradar, which first spotted the content warning during the recent round of previews, the collection contains the following message warning players about elements that "may be considered outdated."
This game contains expressions and themes which may be considered outdated. However, these elements have been included without alteration to preserve the historical context in which the game was made and the creator's original vision. Player discretion is advised
The message declines to name Hideo Kojima, who is closely associated with the series. Kojima, who was fired shortly before the completion of Metal Gear Solid V, is not involved with the Master Collection or the upcoming MGS 3 remake, Metal Gear Solid Delta.
Konami's content warning bears a striking resemblance to the one utilized by Warner Bros. ahead of some of its golden age Looney Tunes cartoons, which contain content typically viewed as racist by modern audiences. It's not a common sight in video games, though.
Naturally, fans were quick to speculate on what specifically might have motivated the content warning. Apart from the above-mentioned incest themes, some pointed out that Metal Gear Solid 2 included a scene in which the President grabs Raiden's crotch, among other things. Needless to say, Metal Gear Solid has never been shy about being silly and risque with its humor.
An 'authentic' Metal Gear Solid experience
One way or another, Konami says it is dedicated to providing an "authentic" Metal Gear Solid experience, telling IGN, "We want to add that the concept for this collection really is to provide the most authentic MGS experience possible, with minor quality of life changes to smooth out a few edges from a different era of game development. Konami’s goal is to provide a new generation of players an accessible way to experience MGS while including all the MGS-flavored set dressing and bonus content that the core fans will appreciate."
Konami's professed commitment to authenticity seemingly includes releasing the collection in 720p even on modern consoles, which is currently spurring controversy among fans of the series. While it includes plenty of bonus content, it is otherwise a fairly straightforward port of the original Metal Gear Solid HD Collection, with some previewers even spotting a 2012 copyright (the original HD collection release date) in the menu screen.
Our own Metal Gear Solid Master Collection preview notes many of these issues, including the noticeable slowdown and lower framerate in the Switch version. You can read our first impressions right here.
Metal Gear Solid Master Collection Vol. 1 is set to release October 24 on PC, Switch, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S. As for Metal Gear Solid Delta, it'll be out in 2024.
Kat Bailey is IGN's News Director as well as co-host of Nintendo Voice Chat. Have a tip? Send her a DM at @the_katbot.
