"MGS Timeline: Playing Metal Gear Solid Games in Chronological Order"

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From the thrilling elevator ride to the rain-soaked cliffs of Shadow Moses in the original Metal Gear Solid to the gripping final confrontation between student and mentor in Snake Eater, Hideo Kojima and Konami's Metal Gear series has given us some of the most unforgettable moments in gaming history. Spanning multiple console generations, the saga of Solid Snake and Big Boss has not only pushed the boundaries of video game storytelling but has also been celebrated as one of the most influential series in the medium.

The release of Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain in 2015 seemed to mark the end of the franchise, especially with Hideo Kojima's departure from Konami to start his own studio. However, Konami has breathed new life into the series with re-releases and remakes, such as the upcoming Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater set to launch later this year. With an influx of new players diving into this world of espionage, conspiracy, and iconic characters, we've compiled the chronological order of the Metal Gear Solid series to help both newcomers and returning fans navigate the saga.

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How Many Metal Gear Solid Games Are There?

Every IGN Metal Gear Review

19 ImagesExcluding remakes, ports, and remasters, there are 17 Metal Gear games in total: 11 mainline entries, five on handheld devices, and one on mobile. While this number might seem daunting, many of these games are considered non-canon, with stories that diverge from the main saga and explore alternate takes on the universe.

Metal Gear Survive, released in 2018, takes place in a post-apocalyptic world overrun by a zombie virus, placing it outside the main canon. Similarly, the PSP's Metal Gear: Acid and Metal Gear: Acid 2 introduce new stories that deviate from the established timeline, making them alternate-timeline spin-offs. The Game Boy Color's Metal Gear: Ghost Babel, an alternate-universe sequel to the original Metal Gear, contradicts the events of Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake and thus is not part of the main timeline. Finally, Metal Gear Mobile and Snake's Revenge have been deemed non-canon by both the community and Hideo Kojima himself.

This leaves 11 games within the main storyline, each contributing to the overarching narrative of the Metal Gear Saga, which stretches from a fictional alternate-history 1960s to the late 2010s. Let’s guide you through these games in chronological order.

Which Metal Gear Should You Play First?

We suggest two starting points for diving into Metal Gear. For those looking to experience the complete saga, the 2023 release, Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Vol. 1, is the perfect choice, as it contains the best versions of Metal Gear Solid 1–3. For those interested in a more modern entry point or those less tolerant of older game mechanics, we recommend starting with Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain, the most recent mainline game.

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5See it at AmazonMetal Gear Games in Chronological Order

These descriptions include mild spoilers regarding characters, settings, and key story elements.

1. Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater

The timeline begins with Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater, which is also slated for a modern remake. This game follows Naked Snake, a US Special Forces operative, during the Cold War era. Tasked with extracting a Russian scientist to prevent the creation of a devastating weapon called the Shagohod, Snake is shocked to discover his former mentor, The Boss, has defected to the Soviets.

After a brutal confrontation, Snake is left for dead in the jungle but survives and is ordered by his commanding officer, Zero, to return to Russia, eliminate The Boss, and stop the Shagohod from sparking a nuclear war. By the game's end, Naked Snake earns the title of Big Boss, becoming a legend within the US Special Forces. However, the secrets he uncovers and his battle with The Boss leave him disillusioned with his government and his mission.

Read our Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater Review or see updates about the Metal Gear Solid 3 remake.

2. Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops

Six years after his confrontation with The Boss, Big Boss faces new challenges in Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops. The story continues with Big Boss learning that his former unit, FOX, has gone rogue and staged a revolt against the CIA.

Captured and tortured on a Colombian base by FOX, Big Boss escapes but is accused of treason. Determined to clear his name, he hunts down his former comrades and their leader, Gene. By the game's conclusion, Big Boss uncovers Gene's plan to create a mercenary nation called Army's Heaven and acquires the resources meant for this project. Back in the US, he forms a new special ops unit known as FOXHOUND.

Read our review of Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops.

3. Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker

Four years following Portable Ops, Big Boss has left FOXHOUND and the Patriots to form Militaires Sans Frontières (MSF) with Kazuhira Miller. In Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker, they fight to protect nations without the means to defend themselves, confronting the Peace Sentinels after their invasion of Costa Rica.

Big Boss's investigation reveals The Boss's involvement with the Peace Sentinels and their possession of nuclear weapons, including a powerful mech known as the Peace Walker. From their base on an offshore oil rig called Motherbase, Big Boss and MSF strive to uncover the Peace Sentinels' true motives. The game concludes with Big Boss confronting his former ally Paz, who turns out to be a Cipher agent.

Read our review of Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker.

4. Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes

Shortly after the events of Peace Walker, Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes serves as a prologue to The Phantom Pain. Big Boss learns that Paz, thought dead, is alive and being interrogated by Cipher at Camp Omega. He rushes to extract her before she reveals critical information about MSF.

During the mission, Big Boss encounters XOF, a Cipher cell led by the sadistic Skull Face. The prologue ends with Big Boss successfully extracting Paz, only to learn that XOF is attacking Motherbase, resulting in its destruction and the near-death of Big Boss.

Read our review of Metal Gear Solid: Ground Zeroes.

5. Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain

Nine years later, Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain sees a severely injured Big Boss waking up in a Cyprus hospital. Surviving an assassination attempt, he's rescued by Revolver Ocelot and leads a new mercenary group, the Diamond Dogs, under the codename Venom Snake.

Driven to stop XOF, Venom Snake tracks them to Africa and learns that Skull Face, now rogue from Cipher, is developing a devastating parasitic weapon. The game ends with Big Boss setting the stage for Outer Heaven, a military nation where soldiers can live free from government manipulation.

Read our review of Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain.

6. Metal Gear

Eleven years later, the original Metal Gear game follows rookie FOXHOUND member Solid Snake, mentored by Big Boss. Solid Snake is sent to Outer Heaven to locate a weapon of mass destruction.

He encounters Grey Fox, another agent sent to investigate, and learns of Metal Gear, a mech capable of launching nuclear bombs. The game concludes with a confrontation between Solid Snake and Big Boss, revealing the latter's role in Outer Heaven's operations.

Read our review of Metal Gear.

7. Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake

Four years later, in Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake, Solid Snake learns that Big Boss has survived and is constructing another Metal Gear in Zanzibar Land. Teaming up with various allies, Snake infiltrates Zanzibar Land to destroy the weapon, facing Big Boss and his forces along the way.

See more about Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake.

8. Metal Gear Solid

Six years after Metal Gear 2, Solid Snake returns in Metal Gear Solid, tasked with stopping his former unit, FOXHOUND, now rogue and holding a government facility on Shadow Moses Island hostage. The facility is a testing ground for a new Metal Gear, and FOXHOUND threatens nuclear action unless they receive Big Boss's remains and a large ransom.

Snake battles various FOXHOUND members, including Revolver Ocelot, Psycho Mantis, and a cyborg Grey Fox, before confronting the eccentric leader, Liquid Snake. The game ends with Snake declared dead by the government, but he escapes Shadow Moses alive.

Read our review of Metal Gear Solid or see more of the best PS1 games.

9. Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty

Two years later, in Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty, a rogue Solid Snake infiltrates an oil tanker to locate a new Metal Gear, discovering Metal Gear Ray. Revolver Ocelot steals the prototype and sinks the tanker, framing Snake for the incident.

The story then shifts to Raiden, a new FOXHOUND agent sent to Big Shell, a decontamination facility built to clean up the oil spill from the tanker's destruction. Big Shell is hijacked by the Sons of Liberty, who take the US president hostage. Raiden uncovers the facility's secrets and meets Iroquois Pliskin, who is actually Solid Snake. The game concludes with Snake joining Raiden to confront Ocelot, now possessed by Liquid Snake's will, and the mysterious Patriots.

Read our review of Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty or check out more of the best PS2 games.

10. Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots

The series concludes with Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots, where an aging Solid Snake, now called Old Snake, returns for his final mission. Afflicted by the rapid aging caused by his cloning and the FOXDIE virus, Snake has only a year to live.

Tasked with assassinating Liquid Ocelot, who leads a new Outer Heaven in the Middle East, Snake battles his deteriorating condition and the mutating FOXDIE to reach a climactic confrontation with his nemesis.

Read our review of Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots.

11. Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance

The final chapter in the current Metal Gear timeline, Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance, focuses on Raiden, who has become a cyborg. Four years after Guns of the Patriots, Raiden works for Maverick Security Consulting and is attacked by Desperado Enforcement during an operation in Africa.

Left for dead by Jet Stream Sam, Raiden investigates Desperado and uncovers dark secrets. As he learns more, he vows to dismantle the group and its allies, embarking on a quest for justice.

Read our review of Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance.

How to Play the Metal Gear Games by Release Date

Metal Gear (1987)
Snake’s Revenge (1990)
Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake (1990)
Metal Gear Solid (1998)
Metal Gear Solid: Ghost Babel (2000)
Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty (2001)
Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater (2004)
Metal Gear Solid: Acid (2004)
Metal Gear Solid: Acid 2 (2005)
Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops (2006)
Metal Gear Solid: Mobile (2008)
Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots (2008)
Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker (2010)
Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance (2013)
Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes (2014)
Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain (2015)
Metal Gear Survive (2018)
Metal Gear Solid Δ: Snake Eater (2025)

What’s Next for Metal Gear?

Though it once seemed that the Metal Gear series had come to an end, Konami has confirmed the development of a Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater remake, titled Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater. Unveiled with a cinematic trailer during PlayStation's 2023 summer showcase, the game promises a modern reimagining of Naked Snake's iconic battle with The Boss, set to release on August 28, 2025, as announced in Sony's February 2025 State of Play.

While Konami has not confirmed plans for new original Metal Gear games without Hideo Kojima, Virtuous Studios, the developer behind Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater, hinted that remakes of other games in the series could be considered based on player demand.

Metal Gear Games: Complete Playlist

Here are all the standalone Metal Gear games and spin-offs, in order of release. Log in to rank them, mark games owned, completed, or create a game plan for what to play next.

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