A long-standing fan theory about Metal Gear Solid V has finally been validated by Hideo Kojima himself. The legendary creator confirmed that the game really did conclude with a Game Over sequence.

During the turbulent final stretch of Metal Gear Solid V’s development, the rift between Konami and Kojima grew so severe that it resulted in a messy promotional rollout and eventually in their definitive breakup, which led to the foundation of Kojima Productions. To celebrate the game’s tenth anniversary, Hideo recently shared a set of photos with his longtime collaborator Yoji Shinkawa, showing them signing copies in Japanese stores since large-scale events were impossible at the time of launch.

That wasn’t the only thing Kojima posted on social media to mark Venom Snake’s anniversary. On September 3, he shared an article from Inverse with the telling headline: “10 Years Later, Hideo Kojima’s Unfinished Masterpiece Is Still Influencing Games Today.”

The game’s ending has been analyzed endlessly over the years, well beyond its narrative twist. Entire communities have dedicated themselves to dissecting the story, even rallying together to try and trigger a rumored hidden finale by pushing for complete online denuclearization. For a long time, fans speculated that the game was unfinished, and whispers persisted of a bonus act that never materialized but left its mark through concept art included in the Collector’s Edition bonus disc, featuring Eli—the boy rescued in Africa.

The article Kojima shared compared Metal Gear Solid V’s ending to that of Game of Thrones Season 8, with lines such as: “It’s really hard to write an ending when the creator isn’t there to finish it.” While Kojima didn’t pen those words himself, his act of sharing the piece gave them a subtle stamp of approval.

Meanwhile, Konami has released Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater, a remake of the third numbered entry—the first chronologically in the saga. Kojima, on his end, is preparing to unveil updates on his upcoming projects later this September, taking advantage of the tenth anniversary of Kojima Productions, with an event hosted at TOHO Cinemas Roppongi Hills in Tokyo and streamed live through the studio’s official channels.

Source: 3djuegos