It looks like Konami is going to relist some Metal Gear games onto digital storefronts again after having previously taken them down. The news comes by way of a tweet from the official Metal Gear Twitter account.
“The ‘METAL GEAR’ series released on July 13, 1987, celebrated its 35th anniversary today,” the account tweeted. “We are preparing to resume sales of titles that have been temporarily suspended.”
1987年7月13日に発売された『METAL GEAR』シリーズは、本日35周年を迎えました。
一時販売を停止しておりますタイトルにおいて、販売再開のための準備を進めております。 #METALGEAR #MG35th pic.twitter.com/X7RL5du2qE— メタルギア公式 (METAL GEAR) (@metalgear_jp) July 13, 2022
The account’s tweet didn’t specify which games would be relisted on digital storefronts, but they would most likely be Metal Gear Solid 2 and Metal Gear Solid 3. In November 2021, Konami delisted both games from multiple platforms. Any compilation or single HD remaster that contained either Metal Gear 2 or 3 was delisted, including the Metal Gear Solid HD Collection, Metal Gear Solid Snake Eater 3D, and Metal Gear Solid 2 Substance. The games were pulled in order to renew the licenses for select historical archive footage that was used in them.
Now, it seems like Konami has finished the renewal process and will be relisting the games soon. However, Konami didn’t specify a date that they would be coming back.
There has been discussion around the topic of digital ownership of games, especially since Ubisoft recently delisted Assassin’s Creed Liberation HD from Steam. Initially, a note on the game’s Steam page said that even those who bought it would not be able to even access the game come September 1.
However, Ubisoft has since clarified that is not the case and updated the wording all across platforms. Players will still be able to play Liberation HD. On September 1, Ubisoft will shut down online servers for several titles such as Splinter Cell: Blacklist, Assassin’s Creed III, Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood, Assassin’s Creed Revelations, and the aforementioned Liberation HD.
