10 Gaming Endings That Basically Doomed The Franchise
9. The Non-Ending - Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain
From a mechanical perspective, Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain is one of the greatest open-world action games of the generation, but it also dealt major damage to the brand through its highly contentious conclusion (or rather, lack thereof).
Though MGSV's climactic twist, that Venom Snake was actually a doppelganger of Big Boss, proved plenty divisive with the fanbase, fans were generally far angrier that the game ended on such a ridiculous cliffhanger.
It's no secret that MGSV was effectively released unfinished by an impatient Konami, resulting in the story more-or-less ending in flux as a young Liquid Snake flees to parts unknown with Metal Gear Sahelanthropus in tow.
A scrapped third chapter, remnants of which have since been revealed (below), would've given the game a more concrete ending, rather than the deeply unsatisfying one on which, given Hideo Kojima's departure from Konami, the main franchise has most likely concluded.
Ultimately MGS V's dispiriting climax underlined the building discord between Kojima and Konami, serving as a monument to both unrealised potential and the consequences of corporate meddling.
Even if Konami eventually decides to move ahead with a sixth Metal Gear Solid sans-Kojima, for many fans the franchise has been irreparably tainted.