From its origins on the MSX2, a popular Japanese home computer in the 1980s, Metal Gear revolutionized stealth gaming and evolved into a renowned franchise. Despite its success, the series encountered challenges that led to the cancelation of several intriguing game concepts.

Spanning from ports to new spin-offs, the Metal Gear saga witnessed the rise and fall of various game projects. Some were completed but never released, while others were reshaped due to market trends or studio decisions. These hurdles highlight the complexities of game development that even a juggernaut like Metal Gear faced.

5 Metal Gear 3DO Game

The Shift from 3DO to PlayStation by Kojima

During a break from the series, creator Hideo Kojima worked on titles like Policenauts. He initially planned a return to Metal Gear on the 3DO but switched to the PlayStation due to the latter's advanced graphics capabilities.

The intended Metal Gear 3 for 3DO, featuring digitized sprites in 3D environments, faced setbacks and was eventually redeveloped for the PlayStation as Metal Gear Solid, garnering worldwide acclaim.

4 Game.com Port Of Metal Gear Solid

Abandoned Handheld Port for Game.com

Metal Gear Solid, known for its cinematic storytelling, was considered for a handheld port on the Game.com. Despite nearing completion by 1999, the project was shelved, and the handheld's dwindling sales further deterred its release.

Though the Game.com version remains unreleased, enthusiasts hope for its discovery as lost media resurfaces occasionally.

3 Metal Gear Solid 4 On The Xbox 360

Failed Xbox 360 Port Due to Storage Constraints

Efforts to bring Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots to the Xbox 360 were thwarted by storage limitations. Despite successful emulation on the console, the game's size necessitated multiple DVDs, rendering the port impractical.

With the game confined to the PS3's Blu-ray format, hopes for an Xbox 360 version rest on a rumored release in Konami's Master Collection series.