Is This The True Explanation For Metal Gear Solid V's Hidden Chapter?
Finally we can all agree on something.
The final chapter in Metal Gear Solid V was always going to stir up some controversy, be it the reliance on gameplay over expositional cutscenes, reduced boss fights versus over-powered encounters with the Skull Unit - or just Snake himself electing to stay quiet for most of the near-70 hour runtime. I'll refrain from specific plot spoilers in this post, but sufficed to say when things are all wrapped up and multiple credit sequences have rolled - it can still feel a little unfinished.
Why? Well, PC users have since dove into the game's code and realised not only was there a secret 'Nuclear Disarmament' cutscene that requires some very specific criteria be filled to unlock, but there was also a mysterious 'Chapter 3' title card embedded in there too; named 'Peace'.
Today is the one month anniversary of the release of Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain. It's been amazing so far, but there's more to see
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As such, Konami and the game's representatives have been extremely cagey when it comes to addressing the fact the game seems to end almost prematurely, but I think I've cracked everything they've been hinting at for months now.
Here goes: Sadly I can't link in the aforementioned disarmament cutscene as Konami continue to pull it from Youtube every chance they get, but we do know the only way it triggers is through the entire player-base working together to rid the digital world of every last nuclear device they gain access to.
Mild spoilers relate to the fact you eventually develop the capability to develop a nuke in the first place, but whether or not you actually put one on your base, is on your shoulders. Kojima's final hurrah for MGS is asking every player to - of their own volition - disarm these nukes worldwide. Something that'll almost never be done.
Just look to the never-ending debate on gun violence in America; do you keep a weapon on your premises for protection from the unknown, or have enough faith in your fellow human to put it down?
That's the brilliance at the heart of MGS V's final question.
Doing so would not only trigger the final cutscene which shows Kaz and Snake victorious as the world is rid of nukes, and I posit then - and only then - we'd get the final 'Chapter 3 - Peace' card to close the game.
There you go; we are the events of the final chapter, and it's up to us to bring about (digital) world peace to close The Phantom Pain in the fashion it was always intended.
Can we do it? Will we ever see the cutscene in a fashion other than being ripped straight out the PC version's code? That's up to all of us collectively, but man, Kojima has managed to make one hell of a comment on world peace directly through the medium of video games - something he alluded to in previous interviews that until now, everyone thought referred to that ending twist.