10 Ways Video Games Blew Your Mind (Without You Even Realising)

3. Nuclear Disarmament - Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain

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Konami

Now for a video game easter egg that serves as a damning indictment of human nature. The Metal Gear Solid series has always had a strong anti-nuke message running parallel to its silly factions and women getting their bums out, but there's something especially depressing about MGS V's "Nuclear Disarmament" event.

When kitting out Mother Base with all manner of defences and helicopter paint jobs, another check mark on the list is to create a nuke (as a deterrent for other players, obviously).

Kojima, however, hid a cutscene in the game which was intended to trigger only if every single player in the world disarmed their nukes and disposed them, resulting in a literal worldwide nuclear disarmament. Early in 2018, the cutscene triggered - but unfortunately, this turned out to have been a bug caused most likely by a stack overflow.

The criteria for how to properly achieve Nuclear Disarmament has since been revealed by Konami. Whilst it hasn't yet happened, there are players worldwide working together to achieve the result.

If it were ever to happen, it would surely be a major - and poignant - milestone in gaming.

Contributor
Contributor

Neo-noir enjoyer, lover of the 1990s Lucasarts adventure games and detractor of just about everything else. An insufferable, over-opinionated pillock.