Konami has just announced that various versions of both Metal Gear Solid 2 and Metal Gear Solid 3 are being taken down from online shopfronts. The issues cited were because of issues with “licenses for select historical archive footage used in-game.”
The company’s full statement reads as follows:
*** [Important Notification] Temporary removal of METAL GEAR SOLID 2 and METAL GEAR SOLID 3 from digial storefronts (PlayStation®3, Xbox 360, Nintendo 3DS, etc.)
Thank you for playing the METAL GEAR series.
We are currently working on renewing the licenses for select historical archive footage used in-game, therefore, we have made the temporary decision to begin suspending the sale of METAL GEAR SOLID 2, METAL GEAR SOLID 3 and all products that include these games from digital storefronts globally starting from November 8th, 2021.
We sincerely ask for your patience and understanding as we work towards making these products available for purchase once again.
Thank you for your continued support of the METAL GEAR series.
The games affected by the takedown include the following:
- PlayStation® 3 METAL GEAR SOLID 2 SONS OF LIBERTY HD EDITION
- PlayStation® 3 METAL GEAR SOLID 3 SNAKE EATER HD EDITION
- PlayStation® 3 METAL GEAR SOLID HD EDITION
- PlayStation® Vita METAL GEAR SOLID 2 SONS OF LIBERTY HD EDITION
- PlayStation® Vita METAL GEAR SOLID 3 SNAKE EATER HD EDITION
- PlayStation® Vita METAL GEAR SOLID HD COLLECTION
- PlayStation™ Now METAL GEAR SOLID HD COLLECTION
- Xbox 360 METAL GEAR SOLID HD EDITION: 2 & 3
- Nintendo 3DS METAL GEAR SOLID SNAKE EATER 3D
- GOG.com METAL GEAR SOLID 2 SUBSTANCE
- NVIDIA® SHIELD™ METAL GEAR SOLID 2 HD for SHIELD TV
- NVIDIA® SHIELD™ METAL GEAR SOLID 3 HD for SHIELD TV
The takedowns going into effect starting today (November 8, 2021). It remains to be seen if the removal are temporary or if the games will have to be repackaged with replaced footage. As games get older and licensing gets more tricky, multiple games have found themselves altered from their original state over the years. Whether that happens here as well, we will have to wait and see. One thing we know for sure: This will likely add to the ongoing debate of video game preservation and the pros and cons of digital gaming.
