Gazing into the future...
The Metal Gear Solid franchise has always been a little... weird. From cybernetic ninjas to automated camouflage to immense walking tanks, franchise director Hideo Kojima has never shied away from the bizarre. But the most interesting bit of Kojimas strangeness is the dystopian future his series depicts.
Genetic manipulation of soldiers will be advanced enough to see widespread use
The prediction: The generic guards you encounter in Metal Gear Solid are genetically modified to encourage alertness and aggression. As if that isnt enough, the main character and his principal antagonist are both clones of the mythical Big Boss. Clearly, Kojima predicted a society that had a handle on genetic engineering and cloning.
Terrorist attacks cause widespread destruction in New York City
The prediction: Metal Gear Solid 2 is perhaps the most prescient of Kojimas games--its chock full of predictions that almost came true. Consider this: the central location in MGS2, a cleanup facility near New York, was built in reaction to a massive terrorist attack on the city. Oh boy.
The government will secretly monitor and censor global web traffic
The prediction: The central storyline for Metal Gear Solid 2 involves a powerful artificial intelligence designed for the sole purpose of monitoring and surveillance. Specifically, this AI monitors and censors web traffic in an effort to control and protect the civilian population. Sounds kind of familiar, doesnt it?
Unmanned war machines will take prominent roles on battlefields in the future
The prediction: The Metal Gear Solid franchise offers a fascinating look into the evolution of unmanned, automated warfare. The only unmanned enemies you face in Metal Gear Solid are stationary, gun-equipped cameras. MGS2 takes it a step further with cyphers, essentially autonomous flying camera drones. Metal Gear Solid 4 takes it several steps further, introducing powerful, autonomous walking tanks called GEKKO.
Nanomachines will be highly advanced and commonplace in the military world
The prediction: Nanomachines, son! They're everywhere throughout the Metal Gear Solid franchise. Some nanomachines give characters accelerated healing. Others serve as communication relays, allowing squadmates to literally share their senses. Nanomachines suppress soldiers emotions, making them more efficient on the battlefield and less likely to commit atrocities. Theres no problem those tiny wonders cant fix.
Private militaries overtake national armies as the premier fighting forces on Earth
The prediction: The issue is first hinted at in MGS2--the patrolling guards are all members of an ex-russian PMC, the Gurlukovich Mercenaries--but the concept fully ripens in Metal Gear Solid 4. In MGS4s version of the 21st century, the roles of state militaries have essentially been turned over to PMCs so powerful that a constant series of proxy wars are needed to keep the war economy moving.
A small group of political and financial elites shape world events to suit their needs
The prediction: The single most important organization in the entire Metal Gear Solid franchise is the shadowy group known as The Patriots." Consisting of anonymous wealthy donors, and headed by the Wisemans Comittee, the Patriots embody the idea of a New World Order conspiracy, in which a select cabal directs the motions of history through a series of fences and puppets.
