July 13, 1987 — Metal Gear Was Released

Why Metal Gear Became One of the Most Important Games in History

On July 13, 1987, Konami released Metal Gear for the MSX2 computer. Created by Hideo Kojima, it is widely regarded as one of the most influential video games ever made. Its greatest achievement was changing the way action games were designed.

Stealth Became the Core Gameplay Mechanic

Instead of defeating every enemy, players were encouraged to infiltrate enemy bases without being detected. In 1987, this was a radical departure from the action games of the time, which typically rewarded direct combat.

Metal Gear Defined the Stealth Genre

Earlier games had experimented with stealth elements, but Metal Gear was the first to combine them into a complete gameplay system. Enemy vision, alert states, patrol routes, infiltration, and specialized gadgets all worked together to create a new style of play. This formula would later become the blueprint for the stealth genre.

Hardware Limitations Inspired a New Idea

The MSX2 simply couldn’t handle large-scale firefights with numerous enemies on screen. Rather than fighting against those technical constraints, Kojima’s team turned them into the game’s defining feature. It remains one of the best-known examples of hardware limitations inspiring an entirely new genre.

It Showed That Games Could Tell Serious Stories

Metal Gear also stood out for its narrative. Military conspiracies, double agents, radio conversations, and cinematic storytelling demonstrated that video games could deliver complex, engaging stories rather than serving as simple action experiences.

Its Influence Is Still Felt Today

The ideas introduced in Metal Gear laid the foundation for series such as Metal Gear Solid, Splinter Cell, Hitman, Thief, Deus Ex, and Dishonored. Nearly every modern game that emphasizes stealth over direct combat owes something to the design principles Hideo Kojima first brought together in 1987.

Sources

• Den of Geek — Why 1987’s Metal Gear Is Still Important
• GamesRadar+ — Hideo Kojima Was Ready to Quit Konami Before He Even Made Metal Gear
• The Snake Soup — Myth: Metal Gear Started on NES
• Time Extension — Metal Gear (1987), MSX Game