Published on: 09/02/2022
How Many Metal Gear Solid Games Are There?
From the first game to the most recent release, Metal Gear Solid spans more than thirty years. It’s a legendary, iconic franchise that, in recent years, has been plagued with issues that have led to the (hopefully temporary) death of the series. Before these issues, Metal Gear Solid was a diverse and densely packed franchise, with many top-tier titles having been released in that three-decade-long window. We’re here to look at the entire series of Metal Gear Solid games, figuring out how many releases we’ve actually seen.
As you work your way through this guide, ask yourself how many out of the series of Metal Gear Solid games have you played?
Metal Gear Solid Games: The Collection
It all started way back in 1987 with the release of Metal Gear, a humble stealth-action title constructed by the legendary Hideo Kojima. It would be Kojima that acted as the driving force behind the Metal Gear franchise for almost thirty years, before an untimely departure from the series in 2015. As we moved into the 1990s, things were a little quiet, but in 1998, Metal Gear Solid launched, often seen as the true beginning of the franchise.
By 2004, three major titles in the franchised had been released, before a short hiatus took place. In 2008, the franchise returned with Metal Gear Solid 4, exclusive to PlayStation 3, which effectively wrapped up most of the franchise’s core storylines. However, that wasn’t the end of MGS, as in 2015, Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain launched, serving as the last major, well-received title in the series.
While 2018 received Metal Gear Survive, fans of the franchise would like to completely forget about this title. It was the first to be delivered without Kojima’s guidance, and it completely abandoned the formula that the preceding games had delivered on so perfectly. In fact, it stands as MGS games rank, it’s the worst-rated game in history.
From beginning to end, the franchise looks something like this:
- Major Releases: 9 games
- Minor Releases: 14 games (including spin-offs)
Next, let’s look at the chronology of the Metal Gear Solid games.
MGS Games in Order
There’s a confusing timeline at the heart of Metal Gear Solid. It’s a complex, twisting thing that only the most hardcore of fans truly understand, but it serves a purpose. There’s a deep and rich universe surrounding Metal Gear Solid, and the timeline has only helped to explore that universe. We’ve seen the stories of these characters, such as Snake and Big Boss, unfold over a series of decades. In some cases, we’ve grown up with these characters, regardless of whether or not we’ve understood the timeline.
Here’s how the Metal Gear Solid timeline ultimately breaks down:
- Snake Eater (rel. 2004, set. 1964)
- Portable Ops (rel. 2006, set. 1970)
- Peace Walker (rel. 2010, set. 1974)
- Ground Zeroes (rel. 2014, set. 1975)
- The Phantom Pain (rel. 2015, set. 1984)
- Metal Gear (rel. 1987, set. 1995)
- Solid Snake (rel. 1990, set. 1999)
- Metal Gear Solid (rel. 1998, set. 2005)
- Sons of Liberty (rel. 2001, set. 2007)
- Guns of the Patriots (rel. 2008, set 2014)
- Rising: Revengeance (rel. 2013, set 2018)
It’s a far-reaching timeline that includes dozens of main characters, diverse settings, and a multi-tiered, complex story. Ultimately, the entire series of Metal Gear Solid games stand as a testament to the ability of story-telling throughout the medium of video games. It’s a sad fact that Metal Gear Solid 5 may very well be the last ever game and another addition to the franchise is just something we’ll have to hope for.
