Metal Gear Solid 4 escapes PS3 exclusivity in new collection
Developed over time first seen 2 months ago
Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots, long confined to PlayStation 3 hardware, has finally reached modern platforms via Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Vol. 2. This resolves a near two-decade wait for players without ageing PS3 consoles, and a Push Square review of the PS5 version calls the port "mostly fantastic", praising its improved 60fps performance and 4K visuals over the notoriously choppy original release.
The review notes the reworked controls now default to L2/R2 rather than the PS3's L1/R1 setup, correcting a longstanding annoyance, though two cut-scenes reportedly suffer a resolution drop that the reviewer hopes will be patched. Vol. 2 also bundles a portable spin-off and a non-canon title alongside MGS4, making it a slimmer package than the first Master Collection, but the reviewer argues the divisive, effects-laden story has aged well thematically, with its focus on privatised warfare and digital surveillance feeling particularly relevant in 2026.
- MGS4 is no longer exclusive to PlayStation 3
- Master Collection Vol. 2 port runs at a stable 60fps
- Controls updated to modern L2/R2 aiming scheme
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Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots first appeared in 2008 as a PlayStation 3-only title in Konami's long-running stealth-action series, following mercenary-turned-soldier Solid Snake. For years it stayed locked to that ageing console, meaning anyone without a working PS3 simply couldn't play it, unlike most other entries in the franchise, which had been reissued more widely over time.
Konami has been gradually reviving the Metal Gear back catalogue through the Master Collection, a set of bundled re-releases aimed at bringing older games to current PlayStation, Xbox and PC systems. The absence of MGS4 from earlier volumes was notable, since it's a key part of the story connecting the series' various instalments.
Its inclusion in the collection's second volume matters because it closes a long-standing gap for fans following the series' plot and allows a wider audience, particularly those who never owned a PS3, to experience a game that had effectively become inaccessible without seeking out old hardware.
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
The port represents a victory for game preservation and consumer access. A landmark title central to gaming's cultural history should not remain locked to aging, increasingly fragile hardware. The enhanced technical presentation improves the experience significantly, and there is no legitimate consumer interest served by artificial scarcity of major artistic works. Expanding access to important games strengthens gaming as a medium.
The case against
Platform exclusives serve a critical competitive function by justifying hardware investment and incentivising publishers to create ambitious, platform-defining experiences. Eroding exclusivity windows undermines the economic rationale for developing transformative exclusive software, turning crown jewels into ordinary commodities. When major exclusives too readily migrate to rival systems, platform holders lose competitive differentiation and the ecosystem loses the incentive structures that produce high-quality, exclusive-focused titles.
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Originally published by GameSpot as “MGS Master Collection Vol. 2 Finally Gives Fans What They’ve Been Waiting For”.