Business
Metal Gear Solid back with remake years after Kojima left Konami
Tom GerkenTechnology reporter
KonamiMetal Gear is one of the best-selling video game series in history, shifting more than 60 million copies.
The series pioneered cinematics in gaming by blending cutting-edge cutscenes, voice acting and dynamic camera angles to create something that would have looked more at home on the big screen at the time.
Metal Gear tackled themes not commonly seen in games, such as nuclear disarmament and child soldiers, and posed philosophical questions while also leveraging offbeat humour.
The games would often break the fourth wall and ask players to find solutions to puzzles in unusual ways – such as looking on the back cover of the game’s physical box.
The series’ significant place in gaming history meant fans were stunned when its creator Hideo Kojima quit game publisher Konami in an acrimonious split in 2015.
One of gaming’s biggest titles was left directionless – and there’s been no game in the best-selling series since.
But now, a decade later, Konami has released a remake of the third game in the series: Metal Gear Solid Delta.
So what happened between Konami and Kojima, and how does the new game hold up without its original creator?
Why did Kojima leave Konami?
“The impact Metal Gear has had on game-making makes it one of the most heralded entertainment franchises in the world, and made Hideo Kojima one of the industry’s most famous creators,” industry expert Christopher Dring told the BBC.
With such success, you might think it was a match made in heaven, but there were issues bubbling under the surface.
While nothing has been said publicly, one generally accepted theory behind the split relates to the spiralling cost of 2015’s Metal Gear Solid V, estimated by some at more than $80m (£59m) – a very significant development cost at the time.
It is not known exactly what happened between Konami and Kojima, but the studio was clearly fed up with the amount of money he was spending to make a single game – with Kojima’s internal studio actually removed from promotional materials for Metal Gear Solid V at the time.
Konami got the game out the door, but it seemed to be scaled back from its original vision despite the high cost, with repeated levels and a third chapter that never emerged.
Even so, the game still received excellent reviews and won several awards, but the rift between company and creator seemed unfixable.
And in an act that proved highly controversial – and perhaps shows how heated things had become behind the scenes – when Metal Gear Solid V won an award, Konami informed the developer he was not allowed to collect it.
Getty ImagesA few months later, Kojima was gone, and in the years that followed, his former studio pivoted.
“Konami shifted its strategy for a while, away from console games, and focused its efforts on the amusements markets, things like pachinko machines,” Mr Dring said.
“They also focused increasingly on mobile.”
It meant Konami’s other classic franchises like Castlevania and Silent Hill also went without new games for a decade.
Meanwhile, Kojima’s new studio signed a blockbuster deal with Sony to develop the monster hit Death Stranding for PlayStation, followed by a sequel this year.
Why a remake now?
Gaming has pivoted towards remakes in recent years.
High-profile games like Resident Evil 4, Final Fantasy VII and Demon’s Souls, all classics in their day, have been remade with the benefits of modern graphics and game design to big fanfare – and strong sales figures.
“It’s a hugely lucrative and growing sector,” said Mr Dring.
“The industry is getting older, gamers are entering middle age and are nostalgic for classic titles.
Mr Drings points out that one of the best-selling games of the year so far is Elder Scrolls V: Oblivion Remastered, a remake of a classic Role-Playing Game (RPG) from 2007, selling millions of copies since its release in April.
Konami has begun a return to publishing games by focusing in this area, with a Silent Hill remake coming last year and a new Survival Kids game released earlier in 2025.
So it is a potentially lucrative move – but is Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater the right game to remake?
KonamiFans of the series told the BBC Metal Gear Solid 3 was chosen for good reason.
YouTuber Zak Ras said there was “immense significance” behind the game.
“Most people will say their favourite entry to the series is either Metal Gear Solid 1 or 3,” he said.
“Story-wise, given that it’s the first prequel set at the very beginning of the series timeline, it’s one of the few entries you can go into completely blind with absolutely no required knowledge of the series, other than very first Metal Gear from 1987.”
Ras said Metal Gear Solid 3 struck a good balance between gameplay and cinematic storytelling, making it a good choice for people who have never played a game in the series before.
For example, the game opens with an introduction heavily influenced by James Bond films, meaning new fans are eased into the series’ weirder elements.
And the brothers behind PythonSelkan Studios – known as Python & Selkan to their 122,000 YouTube subscribers – agreed.
“Completing the game was an incredible experience in itself,” they said. “Snake Eater’s gut-wrenching ending is what stood out most, leaving an impact on us that no other game had ever left before.”
“This game holds a special place in our hearts,” they added.
Metal Gear without Kojima
The brothers said, as lifelong fans of the series, they were “incredibly excited” by the announcement.
The pair are currently playing the remake, and have been “very impressed” by its improved graphics and audio.
They described the game as a “truly a faithful recreation”, adding that it improved “the essence of the original without changing its fundamental structure”.
KonamiSo far so good for Metal Gear Solid without Hideo Kojima – which Ras put down to the game being true to the original.
One example he highlights is that the voice performances have been kept the same, and players can choose whether to use the original control scheme or a more modern take.
“There’s no doubt it is Kojima’s directorial ‘genes’ that are being dominantly expressed here,” he said.
“Kojima expressed a desire to move on from Metal Gear since as early as MGS2 and leave the series in the hands of others to continue.
“It may have taken him another 14 years and five director credits for that to happen, but it is now reality.”
And however the remake fares with fans, one household won’t be picking up a new copy – Kojima himself has laughed off the suggestion that he would play the new game.
New Delhi: The Department of Public Enterprises under the Finance Ministry has announced that Numaligarh Refinery in Assam has been granted the Navratna status.
Department of Public Enterprises in a post on X wrote, “Hon’ble Finance Minister has approved the upgradation of Numaligarh Refinery Ltd (NRL) to Navratna CPSE. NRL will be the 27th Navratna amongst the CPSEs. NRL is a Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas CPSE with an annual turn over of Rs 25,147 crores and net profit of Rs 1,608 crores for FY 2024-25.”
Hon’ble Finance Minister has approved the upgradation of Numaligarh Refinery Ltd (NRL) to Navratna CPSE. NRL will be the 27th Navratna amongst the CPSEs. NRL is a Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas CPSE with an annual turn over of Rs 25,147 crores and net profit of Rs 1,608… pic.twitter.com/SRLr8bfcHN
— Department of Public Enterprises (@DPE_GoI) December 2, 2025
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that he was grateful to to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the grant of the prestigious Navratna status to Numaligarh Refinery.
Sarma wrote on X, “I am grateful to Adarniya Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi ji for his faith in Assam’s oil & gas sector and his guidance in taking it forward. This milestone achievement would not have been possible without the unstinted support of Hon’ble Union Minister Shri @HardeepSPuri ji.”
Proud moment for Assam!@NRL_MoPNG is now a Navratna PSE.
Not too long ago, it was on the verge of losing its PSU status but with the Union Govt’s support, we reposed our faith in the enterprise’s ability & enhanced our stake in it and within 4 years it has become a Navratna. pic.twitter.com/4S1nQmXgmt
— Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) December 2, 2025
Oil India Ltd has majority shareholding (69.63%) in NRL, while the Assam government has 26% and Engineers India Ltd 4.37% shareholding.
Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri posted on X saying he was delighted and proud for Navratna status to NRL.
“This recognises NRL’s strong performance and its ambitious growth path, from the ongoing NREP refinery expansion to the recently inaugurated ABEPL bamboo-based 2G bioethanol plant that is driving energy security and green growth from Assam and the North East,” Puri posted on X.
Delighted and proud to share that under the leadership of Hon’ble PM @narendramodi Ji, Numaligarh Refinery Ltd has been accorded Navratna status.
This recognises NRL’s strong performance and its ambitious growth path, from the ongoing NREP refinery expansion to the recently… pic.twitter.com/wn2a4gZWTK
— Hardeep Singh Puri (@HardeepSPuri) December 2, 2025
The Minister congratulated NRL, promoter Oil India Ltd, equity partner Engineers India Ltd and the Assam government, adding that the company’s steady rise reflects the Centre’s push for energy self-reliance and green-transition pathways.
HSBC has a buy on Dr Reddys Labs with the target price at Rs 1,430. Analysts said that the semaglutide opportunity is intact for Dr Reddy’s in Canada, and it has replied to Health Canada’s queries on its application. GLP-1 drugs class remains the company’s focus segment and it is making progress in long-term drivers like biosimilars. Health Canada approval for generic semaglutide will be a key catalyst for the stock.Goldman Sachs has a buy on Titan with the target price at Rs 4,500. Analysts said the company expects a 15-20% growth in its jewellery business in the medium term. The company is maintaining jewellery margins despite headwinds. Its consolidated earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) growth is ahead of standalone jewellery EBIT growth, driven by the strong trajectory of Caratlane, watches and other businesses. Titan’s eyewear business is strong in the premium segment and it is exploring how to address the mass market opportunity.Bernstein has and outperform rating on Trent with the target price cut to Rs 5,000. Analysts said they believe that the company’s revenue growth now is at a bottom. From here on the key drivers of recovery are like-for-like for split stores turns positive with base effect, about 20% compounded annual growth rate in Zudio network for three years, improved consumer demand cycle and growth in Westside business. On the other hand the key risk remains the competitive upsurge (more stores and replicating Zudio’s fashion sense and demand pull).CLSA has an outperform rating on Power Grid Corp with the target price at Rs 342. Analysts said that the company’s entry into the battery energy storage systems (BESS) should be a positive surprise with it emerging as a preferred bidder for a 150MW project. The company’s strategy of entering adjacencies such as BESS inside a transmission substation as it is likely to win the BESS concession at 11% above the price of lowest bid. They expect the company to scale-up its BESS portfolio to multi-GW with its competitive advantage of a 100 basis points (= 1 percentage point) lower interest rate versus private competitors.Macquarie has an outperform rating on ITC with the target price at Rs 480. Analysts said that the govt is proposing a new cess on cigarettes, which is likely to replace the compensation cess. This new levy increases uncertainty on taxation for the players, analysts said. In turn this could involve a transition period for things to adapt and normalise to any new system.(Disclaimer: Recommendations and views on the stock market, other asset classes or personal finance management tips given by experts are their own. These opinions do not represent the views of The Times of India)
Business
Your FDs, RDs, SIPs Are Growing, But Are They Useless? The Biggest Mistake 90% Don’t Even Notice
Personal Finance Tips: Most of us keep saving money through fixed deposits (FDs), recurring deposits (RDs), provident fund (PF) accounts or systematic investment plans (SIPs) without giving it the thought it actually deserves. The bank deduction goes through, the balance inches up, the graph rises and everything looks fine on the surface.
But underneath this rhythm sits a truth that people are saving diligently without knowing what that money is supposed to do for them. This is a money trap that almost everyone walks into.
Investments keep running, but the purpose disappears. The amounts grow, but the “why” behind them turns vague. Once that emotional connection breaks, the whole act becomes routine and lifeless.
Why Does This Happen?
Most people say they are saving for retirement or putting money aside for the future. These answers sound responsible but reveal very little. What does retirement look like? What kind of future are we imagining? When the mind cannot see a clear picture, it refuses to bond with the goal. That is when investing becomes a cold task.
FDs continue because they have always existed. SIPs continue because the automatic deduction is fixed. After a point, this cycle becomes tiring. Savings continue, but the inner reason for saving slips out of sight.
Purpose Mapping
Purpose Mapping reminds you that money is not meant to lie dormant but to support the kind of life you want. It brings your financial decisions back into your emotional world.
Instead of thinking in numbers, you begin by imagining how you actually want your daily life to look. A person may say, “I want the freedom to shift to a smaller town by the age of 45,” or “I want to be able to take a six-month career break without fear or stress,” or even, “If something serious happens at home, I should not feel helpless.”
These statements breathe. They feel real because you can see them unfolding.
Once these lived goals come into focus, the structure of your investments naturally aligns with them. The SIP you invest in each month becomes the cushion for a future career pause. The FD becomes a tool for near-term needs. The emergency fund becomes a source of mental peace rather than an afterthought. At this stage, you are no longer saving out of habit; you are investing with intention.
The emotional link becomes even stronger when each part of your financial plan is tied to a feeling (freedom, safety, peace or control). When money stands for something human, the motivation behind saving never dries up. And when you keep your goals visible, sometimes literally, sometimes in the back of your mind, the process becomes far easier. You no longer feel that you are losing money to deductions; you feel that every deduction is building a specific life.
Life keeps changing, and so should your goals. A review every year helps your investments change in step with you. When your plans move with your life, saving no longer feels like a burden. It becomes a way of staying ready for the life you want to live.
India’s IIP sees 0.4% YoY growth in Oct 2025: Quick official estimates
THIS Major Refinery In Assam Accorded Navaratna Status, Becomes India’s 27th Navratna CPSE
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