Some cracking work from Saladin over on msgforums.com has unearthed evidence of both a level editor and mission editor nestled within Metal Gear Solid Five‘s game files.
It’s an astonishing discovery, and updates are continuing with regards to just how deep this particular well goes.
Why is the feature there? More to the point, why wasn’t it completed? As Neogaf user AAMARMO suggests, perhaps the much-documented bust-up between Metal Gear Solid creator Hideo Kojima and Konami could have led to its abandonment?
AAMARMO also harkens back to the following Phantom Pain footage, showing a level editor being masterfully manipulated as part of an engine demo.
The feature had largely been forgotten since that video’s release, with many putting any dreams of making their own levels to one side. Perhaps this discovery puts that possibility back on the table? Or perhaps these are just remnants never meant to be seen and of little import. Only time will tell.
Sources: MSGForums, Neogaf