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- Primary Subject: Metal Gear Solid
- Key Update: Hideo Kojima confirmed he held serious talks with Vince Zampella about turning Metal Gear into a first-person shooter after MGS4.
- Status: Confirmed
- Last Verified: February 13, 2026
- Quick Answer: Kojima and Zampella discussed a first-person Metal Gear after 2008’s MGS4, but the idea never advanced beyond serious early-stage talks.
Hideo Kojima recently revealed that after the release of Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots in 2008, he had multiple conversations with Vince Zampella about turning Metal Gear into a first-person shooter.
Although it never became a full project, Kojima explained that the idea was seriously considered on multiple occasions and stayed in discussion during a turning point in their professional paths.
When Did These Conversations Actually Happen?
The conversations reportedly happened during a turbulent period in the industry, as Zampella was leaving Infinity Ward and beginning work on what would become Respawn Entertainment, the studio behind Titanfall and Apex Legends.
Kojima, meanwhile, was nearing the end of his long relationship with Konami and would eventually leave to establish Kojima Productions as an independent studio.
The overlap in timing makes the idea particularly intriguing, as it suggests the project may have been in development during Respawn’s formative years, when bold creative directions were still being explored.
How Radical Would a First-Person Metal Gear Have Been?
The real intrigue behind a first-person Metal Gear lies in how drastically it would have altered the series’ design identity, given that Metal Gear revolves around awareness, stealth, patience, and the anxiety of observation.
Earlier entries featured optional first-person aiming, but the series primarily depended on a third-person perspective to convey enemy sightlines and environmental details.
A fully first-person installment would have required rethinking how stealth systems are communicated to players, as it would not just be Metal Gear with a gun camera but a complete redesign of its stealth language to fit the intimacy and immediacy of an FPS framework.
Interestingly, fans have pointed out that Metal Gear Solid 4 itself toyed with FPS expectations. Its reveal trailer famously opened with a first-person fake-out, and the game even contained moments that humorously commented on shooter culture.
Looking back on it, those ideas feel less random and more like early experiments pointing toward a different version of Metal Gear, especially as the story returned during a DICE Summit tribute in Las Vegas honoring Vince Zampella following his December passing.
The event highlighted not just his work on genre-defining franchises like Medal of Honor: Allied Assault, Call of Duty, Modern Warfare, Titanfall, and Apex Legends, but also the leadership approach behind those successes.
Speakers described him as a “servant-leader” who championed his teams, prioritized player experience, and consistently pushed for excellence without ego.
Figures like Phil Spencer, Todd Howard, Laura Miele, Randy Pitchford, and Geoff Keighley spoke about his influence, describing him as one of the most consequential leaders in modern gaming.
Would a First-Person Metal Gear Have Actually Worked?
A fully first-person Metal Gear would have demanded major design changes to fit within the series’ established stealth structure.
Traditionally, the franchise depends on a third-person view to show enemy lines of sight, movement routes, and spatial awareness.
Moving entirely to first-person would have meant redesigning how players receive tactical information, how stealth feedback is delivered, and how tension is maintained without the broader spatial visibility third-person cameras provide.
However, other stealth-focused titles and immersive simulations have demonstrated that first-person perspective can support methodical infiltration, environmental storytelling, and player choice.
If it had been developed during Respawn’s early years, the project might have combined tight gunplay and smooth movement with Metal Gear’s focus on stealth and layered storytelling.
In the end, although the idea never moved past early talks, the technical and design groundwork was entirely feasible.
It would not have been a simple genre swap, but a structural reinterpretation of Metal Gear’s core mechanics through a first-person lens.
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