Metal Gear Solid fans know that the original ending of Metal Gear Solid 2 was changed before release. Scenes of a huge ship colliding with Manhattan have been overextended in the post-9/11 world, with images and videos of planes crashing into the World Trade Center constantly appearing in the media.
In an interview, game designer Hideo Kojima talked about the difficulty of releasing a game after a world-changing event and how it almost forced him to quit Konami. He talked about the awkward and difficult situation that arose after Metal Gear Solid 2, which was supposed to be released in the fall of 2001, images of the World Trade Center and other objects that were attacked on 9/11 surfaced.
“September 11, 2001 happened right before the release of Metal Gear Solid 2. We just submitted the master version, but the game already had images of the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. Releasing the game seemed impossible. I was called to the board of directors, and they all turned pale when I explained the situation. No one could tell me what to do, except for Mr. Kozuki, who took care of the matter.
While I was thinking about what to do, I went to talk to Mr. Kozuki about possibly leaving the company. Then he said to me: “When this game comes out and the public has their say about it, they will talk about you, its creator, and about me, the person who sold it. I doubt they will say anything about anyone more. What will you do? I am ready for any developments. “
