As many of you have probably already seen, Kojima Productions started advertising their available positions today while simultaneously covertly announcing the next game in theMGS franchise. Said game is set to utilize the new ‘FoxEngine’ platform for next gen consoles and the PC.

However, the most interesting titbit came in the form of a tweet from Kojima himself that featured both a picture of Big Boss sporting a brand new ‘Diamond Dogs’ shoulder emblem and a real world reproduction of said emblem.

This badge, which we can assume is designed to replace the ‘Militaires Sans Frontieres’insignia from MGS Peacewalker might be far more telling about the thematic setting and story of the new game than you would think on first sight.

Here are a few of my thoughts:

‘Diamond Dogs’ is the name of a David Bowie concept album and was released in 1974.Metal Gear Solid Peacewalker was also set in the year 1974 after the formation of MSF in1972. These two pieces of information grounds our time frame in the mid 70s. In fact the new game might also take place in 1974 and be a direct sequel to Peacewalker as David Bowie released a new album entitled ‘Young Americans’ in 1975.

Our next plot clues come from the track listing for the album ‘Diamond Dogs’ itself as well as the story concept behind it:

1. "Future Legend" – 1:05
2. "Diamond Dogs" – 5:56
3. "Sweet Thing" – 3:39
4. "Candidate" – 2:40
5. "Sweet Thing (reprise)" – 2:31
6. "Rebel Rebel" – 4:30

1. "Rock 'n' Roll with Me" (lyrics: Bowie, music: Bowie, Warren Peace) – 4:00
2. "We Are the Dead" – 4:58
3. "1984" – 3:27
4. "Big Brother" – 3:21
5. "Chant of the Ever Circling Skeletal Family" – 2:00

Now those of you who are familiar with existing Metal Gear lore might immediately start drawing comparisons between the names of these tracks and established, or at least alluded to, point or importance within the framework of the franchise.

‘Hunger City’

The Bowie album revolves around the character of ‘Halloween Jack’ (a real cool cat) who lives in the decaying ‘Hunger City’

In 1980 Big Boss founded Outer Heaven 200km north of Galzburg, South Africa. This lines up rougly with the period of time in which we can expect this new game to take place give or take a few years or a little retconning. Not only that but early demonstrations of the ‘FoxEngine’ featured not only jungles but character of African decent, deserts and crumbling towns. Is this a dead city the Big Boss claims as his own? Are these the bones of Outer Heaven?

‘Candidate’

Is the ‘Candidate’ our protagonist? Are we playing as a character who is attempting to become a soldier in Big Boss’ army? Are we a Manchurian ‘Candidate’? Is our goal to infiltrate and subvert ‘Outer Heaven’?

‘Plastic Soul’

Despite everything, is ‘Big Boss’ continuing with the development of the ‘Metal Gear’program? We know from the first ‘Metal Gear’ that this is indeed the case.

‘Future Legend’

This speaks for itself. Big Boss is already a Legend. Who is a ‘Future Legend’? Is this the seed of the ‘Enfant Terribles’ project?

‘Rebel, Rebel’

Is Big Boss issuing a rallying call to soldiers around the world to cease fighting for nations and governments and instead fight for themselves, the very reason ‘MSF’ existed in the first place.

‘We Are The Dead’

What if the call worked? What if ‘Outer Heaven’ has become the de facto home for lost, abandoned and discarded soldiers.

‘Big Brother’ & ‘1984’

Something is happening within ‘Outer Heaven’. Is Big Boss’ disfranchised relationship with the rest of the world is worsening? Is he losing his grip of the situation? Has he started down the road of fascist corruption? Absolute power corrupts absolutely.

‘Chant of the Ever Circling Skeletal Family’

Big Boss has lost many people, people he considered to be his family. Most notably his‘Mother’ the original Big Boss. Who else has died? Who has Big Boss inadvertently sent to their graves that end up tipping him over the edge?

I would love to hear what you think.

You draw some excellent lines connecting what we've been shown to setting-appropriate links. The Bowie connection seems pretty likely. We know how much Kojima loves the eighties. As for the setting of the game, I was personally hoping for the long awaited Metal Gear remake. That's looking unlikely, but I could definitely get behind another chapter in Big Boss's saga. Still though...I really wish they would retell the story of the first two games. Western audiences never even got to experience that part of the series until Subsistence. I'm not counting the NES version of Metal Gear, because that was pretty crap.

Based on the last pic, I'm guessing you play as that dog.

Holy fuck.
 
This is one helluva theory and I'm excited beyond all belief now.

Search your heart, and you will find only one answer.

Liquid Snake.

(edit: I mean, come on. LOOK AT THAT FIST PUMP.)

The way that people will dig for anything related to an MGS game is beyond belief to me.

Nonetheless, I think it'd be rad to see a concept video game by a lunatic game designer based on a concept album by a lunatic music artist.

Man, they really can't let MGS end with 4 and leave it can they? They just have to keep messing with stuff.

I just wish that they'd drop the "Solid" and make either a brand new, not tied in any way Metal Gear title, or do a straight-up reboot, if they insist on making another one in the first place instead of working on new IP with the talent they have. I guess when you have a good thing, you run with it...