There is at least one next-gen "Metal Gear Solid" game on the way: It might be called "Metal Gear Solid: Ground Zeroes." It could be called "Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain." They could be two different games, or one could be a codename for the other. The PR spectacle surrounding the game(s) has gone beyond a viral campaign to the a full-on misinformation campaign: It's become increasingly clear that Kojima Productions has created a fake studio, Moby Dick, with a fake charismatic leader, Joakim Morgen.
Hideo Kojima is trying to draw us into a universe of inter-connected conspiracies, and it's starting to drive fans insane. The question is: How long will "Metal Gear Solid" fans be willing to be messed with? At what point does the hype machine implode on itself and begin pushing angry fans away?
Let's look at the symptoms before examining the cause. Right now, NeoGAF users are debating whether or not the visage of Joakim Morgen shown during a recent interview between him and GTTV's Geoff Keighley is actually a computer-generated character using Kojima's next-gen Fox Engine, which Morgen revealed is powering "The Phantom Pain." User Mushroomer25 proposed the theory in a "Phantom Pain" thread, prompting the following discussion:
"Joakim is 100% CGI in that interview. This is an elaborate tech demo for the Fox Engine.
- It explains why the two are never in the same frame together
- It explains the bandages
- It explains why the game being on the Fox Engine was the big reveal.
If you look at his cheek during the interview, the shading seems suspicious. And the closer you look at it, I have a hard time believing he is actually there."
Last year, Kojima planted the seed that the Fox Engine could make images so realistic most would be unable to distinguish it from actual photos. Kojima productions released a set of images of a conference room from their office: Half of them were real, and half made with FOX. The two were nearly identical. Rendering a life-like human face, especially an animated one, would be much harder to duplicate on that level, but once the idea has been planted in our heads, it's hard to ignore the possibility... "Is it real or is it FOX?"
The response to the idea has been mixed. Most users are at least skeptical to the idea, and many say it's completely crazy. But there are a few who willing to take the leap. NeoGAF user Tempy responded: "I want to believe." Whether or not the image is CG, the idea that nothing is as it seems has clearly gotten under fans' skin. (For what its worth, I think he's real. There's a fine line between teasing users and decieving them, and forging an interview crosses that line.)
At the same time, a "Phantom Pain" ARG, released late week, featuring a message and video briefly connecting the presumed "Metal Gear Solid" sequel to the "Metal Gear Solid: Ground Zeroes" demo shown when the game was announced last fall. The video (shown below) refers to project Omega, which is the name of the camp shown during the "Ground Zeroes" video. While the video connects the two, it does not establish which game is real, or if there are two. The only thing that seems clear is that the two are connected. So Kojima has two frustratingly obtuse viral campaigns splitting fans' attention, leaving bigger gaps for fans to squint at and connect imaginary dots.
Allowing fans to work themselves up into a conspiracy-fueled frenzy is a recipe for disaster. While it seems admirable that Kojima and company would seek to bring to life a feeling integral to the "Metal Gear Solid" series with its marketing, for the fans unwilling to accept the idea, the charade is simply getting in the way of the game's announcement. More than that, allowing fans to build up unrealistic expectations has never worked well for game developers. It may be time to put an end to this.
Hideo Kojima will show off the FOX engine and "Metal Gear Solid: Ground Zeroes" later this month during his panel at GDC.
