DAILY MANIFESTO

Could Phantom Pain Be Kojima's Project Ogre? Or Is This Ground Zeroes?

Posted on Friday, December 7 @ 19:37:23 Eastern by Anthony Severino

By now, you should have watched, and drooled over, The Phantom Pain reveal trailer from tonight's VGAs. And while everyone else moved on and watched the rest of the reveals, I remained too intrigued by the cryptic trailer and the brain-teaser that I believe it really is.

One thing is for sure: Things aren't what they seem.

First, The Phantom Pain trailer had certain markers that just "scream" Hideo Kojima, the man responsible for Metal Gear and a franchise full of mind-fucks. The whale—Moby Dick Studio—and the way it jumped struck me as the same movement as Metal Gear Ray; plus, the whole execution of the footage, the movement, the way the main character crawled, etc.

The Internet has been set aflame with speculation, many believing that The Phantom Pain is nothing more than a teaser for Metal Gear Solid Ground Zeroes, and the segment shown was a hallucination brought about on Big Boss by Psycho Mantis. But things don't quite add up there. Yes, there are many similarities, but there is this...

What I believe we have just seen tonight, was the other "phantom" born from the FOX Engine, Kojima Productions' new engine. This other phantom would be Kojima's fabled "Project Ogre."

At the start of The Phantom Pain trailer, the logo for the developer Moby Dick Studios is displayed proudly. Except, this is a studio with no history whatsoever and was virtually non-existant to Google. In fact, the supposedly Swedish-based website is only two weeks old. And even more striking, is the fact that the CEO of the company's name is Joakim Mogren.

Joakim is an anagram for Kojima. Mogren has the word Ogre right in it. Could this really just be a coinicidence? Maybe, but knowing that Kojima was in attendance makes things all the more interesting.

And let's face it, some nobody developer isn't going to grab prime space on gaming's biggest night.

That said, there isn't enough "solid" proof yet. And it seems, the Internet is split, with one side saying it's a hallucination Big Boss suffers from in Ground Zeroes and the other saying it's Project Ogre. Still, the majority is in agreement that this is Kojima pulling the strings, and that it's not actually a game called The Phantom Pain.

The camp on the Ground Zeroes side of things has plenty to back up the theory, too. The main character, for example; outside of his prosthetic hook arm, he resembles Big Boss. And that wrapped up companion of his in the trailer? Could be the charred face pictured below.

Truth is, I'm really torn with my thinking. Creating a viral video promoting Ground Zeroes isn't beyond Kojima's capabilities, even of this high quality. But it all seems far too elaborate to just be a hallucination and not it's own project. If it is, that only means that Ground Zeroes will impress even more than expected. Either way it's a win for me, a win for Kojima, and a win for the industry.

[Update] Geoff Keighley is saying on Twitter that The Phantom Pain is a complete game. He could very well be playing along. Who knows?

Another thing I'm finding very perplexing is that the entire Internet seems almost unanimously convinced it's Ground Zeroes and are almost pissed that they figured it out so quickly. It's almost as if Kojima wants people to think it's Metal Gear by adding similarities to build hype and viral buzz, only for it to be something new. If that's really what happened, then he just got the entire MGS fanbase hooked on whatever this new thing he's got cooking is, all by making to appear that it was MGS from the get-go.

I don't for a second doubt it's Kojima or doubt that it's Fox Engine. But it could be Project Ogre, The Phantom Pain, or Ground Zeroes.

Time will tell, but for now, this is the most intrigued I've been about a new game in a very long time.

[Update 2] Well lookie here. Coincidence? This would make it none of the above, and instead be Metal Gear Solid V. Now this is getting spooky. How does Kojima come up with this stuff?

Tell GR: What are your thoughts?

Tags: The Phantom Pain, Metal Gear Solid, Hideo Kojima, Kojima productions, vgas, hot

Comments

Jonathan_Leack
Joined: Jan 2012

Posted: Dec 7th, 2012 at 7:41 pm
He looks and moves exactly like Big Boss.

Volgin and Psycho Mantis are both in the trailer.

The lens flare and lighting effects are ripped straight from the FOX Engine demonstrations.

It's MGS: Ground Zeroes. I'd bet my entire bank account on it.

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Anthony_Severino
Joined: Oct 2010

Posted: Dec 7th, 2012 at 7:50 pm
It just seems incredibly elaborate to me that it wouldn't be separate. The Phantom Pain is an excellent premise for a game. It's the lingering pains you suffer from after having a limb amputated. It fits the premise so well, and could make for an incredible horror game. That said, I would NEVER put it past Kojima to set up an elaborate hoax.

The best part, is that in the end - right or wrong - I'm happy, because I'm actually interested and excited about a game for a change. I don't know the last time this has happened. Things have become too stale for me. Boring almost. Sure I play great games all of the time. But this makes me feel like a kid again scouring through magazines to find out all of the info I can about a game that I really know nothing about.

That right there is the best viral marking I've seen no matter which side it leans toward.

Oh, and I saw the Volgin and Psycho Mantis pics, too, but I'm still not convinced. His age doesn't add up.

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Jonathan_Leack
Joined: Jan 2012

Posted: Dec 7th, 2012 at 8:40 pm
Oh god now my bank account is in jeopardy. You make valid points.

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used44
Joined: Mar 2002

Posted: Dec 7th, 2012 at 10:40 pm
How quickly you've forgotten your intense excitement for Skyrim and The Last of Us!

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TheBigRedPyramid
Joined: Dec 2012

Posted: Dec 8th, 2012 at 7:05 am
Im on the Ground Zerous side of the fence mainly because I cant see kojima spreading himself so thin between projects. I think working on the FOX engine and a GZ is a massive undertaking by itself. If you add project ogre, (which i personally thought was Ground Zeroes) I would assume you would see some loss of focus in these projects. I guess my point is that I dont think kojima would risk putting out something below his normal quality level by focusing on so many projects at once. he has the luxury of taking his time so why tease us with more stuff when he just got everyone exited about Ground Zeroes in august? I think he is keeping up the hype that he started a few months ago personally.

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Anthony_Severino
Joined: Oct 2010

Posted: Dec 8th, 2012 at 9:12 am
Thanks for signing up to GR. Welcome. If you need anything or have any questions, don't hesitate to contact me or someone else on the staff.

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Sammo
Joined: Oct 2005

Posted: Dec 8th, 2012 at 9:06 am
Idk guys, Keighley said pretty clearly that it's "an a completely game."

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Anthony_Severino
Joined: Oct 2010

Posted: Dec 8th, 2012 at 9:13 am
Yeah, that garbled English is definitely clear. :P

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Sammo
Joined: Oct 2005

Posted: Dec 8th, 2012 at 10:18 am
So I just actually watched the trailer and I agree that this seems like it would be a super awesome game. I assumed that the VGAs were all bullshit, but between this and the trailer for The Last Of Us, maybe it doesn't completely suck.

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blake_peterson
Joined: Oct 2011

Posted: Dec 8th, 2012 at 1:13 pm
There are other Snakes. I'm thinking you're looking at Liquid Snake, there, pre-MGS but after he was captured during his sneaking missions in the first Gulf War. I'm guessing this game is MGS V, and is about how Liquid creates the new FOXHOUND unit. That would explain Psycho Mantis.

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Sammo
Joined: Oct 2005

Posted: Dec 8th, 2012 at 1:49 pm
If this is true, than not only did Liquid get screwed over by getting all the pussified recessive genes, but he is also constantly getting his arms switched around. We can hardly blame the guy for going all evil and British.

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HalandDave
Joined: Dec 2012

Posted: Dec 8th, 2012 at 3:21 pm
Actually, @sammo, Liquid had the dominant genes, and Solid Snake had the recessive ones. That twist was revealed at the end of the credits of the Meryl ending in MGS

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Sammo
Joined: Oct 2005

Posted: Dec 8th, 2012 at 8:07 pm
Oh snap. Maximum reply depth and I just got my MGS mind blown by HalandDave.
I always preferred the bromance ending where you don't abandon Otacon in the frozen tundra.

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TheJx4
Joined: Jun 2011

Posted: Dec 7th, 2012 at 8:04 pm
This is all very cool.

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majorcoxsore
Joined: Nov 2012

Posted: Dec 7th, 2012 at 8:10 pm
A surel metal gear is something we all need.

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elmoreoocyte
Joined: Apr 2012

Posted: Dec 7th, 2012 at 8:22 pm
You get a surreal thumbs up.

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elmoreoocyte
Joined: Apr 2012

Posted: Dec 7th, 2012 at 8:21 pm
As I said in the previous link to the video. Never having played a MGS, but having a "bit" of experience on the internet, insomuch as games, I would wager a paycheck this is MGS related.

Whether it is Zeroes or Ogre isn't mine to call. Don't care. It is an awesome video and regardless I love the bearded Ahab with a prosthetic and a killer whale imagery.

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213EDD
Joined: Sep 2007

Posted: Dec 7th, 2012 at 8:32 pm
Moby Game Studios. (MGS)

CEO of Moby Dick Studios is supposedly called Joakim Mogren.
Anagram for Kojima

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213EDD
Joined: Sep 2007

Posted: Dec 7th, 2012 at 9:30 pm
As for Geoff, I wouldn't trust him with a bag of Doritos, let alone my Mountain Dew

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TheJx4
Joined: Jun 2011

Posted: Dec 8th, 2012 at 10:06 am
Why is that "Moby Game Studios" a thing?

You can just substitute words to solve a puzzle.

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xDUMPWEEDx
Joined: Jan 2012

Posted: Dec 8th, 2012 at 2:32 am
I was just thinking of cool/unique/interesting PR campaigns the other day. What came to mind was the recent Twisted Metal "Shoot My Truck" marketing campaign which was awesome. The industry needs this kinda stuff, it has gotten stale lately and creativity will bring it back to its former glory.

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Jonathan_Leack
Joined: Jan 2012

Posted: Dec 8th, 2012 at 9:01 am
Thank for updating the page with new details. This article is a nice reference for the buzz!

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HalandDave
Joined: Dec 2012

Posted: Dec 8th, 2012 at 3:23 pm
Another tidbit to support it being a MGS game - in the original MGS liquid talks about Big Boss being in a coma while his clones were being made. Is this that same coma?

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Jobin_Wendy
Joined: Mar 2012

Posted: Dec 8th, 2012 at 10:40 pm
I think my biggest question is what the deal with the missing arm is. The only character I know of that's missing an arm is Ocelot. Except that they removed Liquid's arm to put on Ocelot when Liquid got killed by FOXDIE. Is it a "post-mortem" Liquid, and Kojima's expanding on the FOXDIE thing or trying to set up another set of games featuring Liquid? Either way, you're all correct: this is ****ing awesome, and the guesswork is just plain fun. Most importantly, I want to replay all the Metal Gear Games now.

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TheBigRedPyramid
Joined: Dec 2012

Posted: Dec 9th, 2012 at 8:34 am
has anyone else considered what the symbolism of moby-dick may have to do with all this? you could see how the symbolism of the white whale would fit quite well in the MGS universe

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cgoodnig
Joined: Dec 2012

Posted: Dec 10th, 2012 at 3:08 am
Yeah I am going with MGS all the way. "From FOX two phantoms are born", Liquid and Solid Snake. Phantom Pain could be the pain they both feel after Big Boss dies at the hands of Snake in MGS1 (he's his clone so its like killing himself in a way, and Solid and Big Boss were just like Naked Snake and the Boss in MGS 3, inseparable.) I am going to bet this game has two parts, like MGS2 where the beginning you play as Big Boss until the Les Enfant Terrible Project/Coma, than take over as a young Solid Snake pre-MGS 1 and maybe even playing through a remade MGS1 plot line. Either way I am stoked!

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cgoodnig
Joined: Dec 2012

Posted: Dec 10th, 2012 at 3:20 am
Or...Big Boss after snake "kills him?" in MG1

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Ivory_Soul
Joined: Nov 2005

Posted: Mar 15th, 2013 at 2:59 am
So when will Link show up? Oh sh!t! Wrong game!....

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