Konami’s upcoming stealth sequel Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain is the latest triple-A release to be put under a microscope, having sparked a debate regarding the game’s graphics, which have purportedly been downgraded in the time since its first unveiling.
It’s a controversy that is by no means exclusive to The Phantom Pain, though taking to Twitter, producer Ken-ichiro Imaizumi has categorically denied that the studio’s open-world title has been subject to visuals compromises, and that the process of making games means that any alleged attempt to rein in the ambition of the graphics would have been noticed years ago.
[zerggaming]Here’s what Imaizumi had to say about the allegations, and rubbished any reports claiming that the color palette wasn’t up to snuff in the most recent gameplay trailer.
If you know game making process. We normally don’t change or downgrade in this phase. Always have to be comes first. https://t.co/SgT3p6hj48
— Ken-ichiro Imaizumi (@Ken1555) July 8, 2015
We don’t change grade system in last phase, it have to be done long long time ago. Should be just lighting tuning. https://t.co/fVW1UMncY9
— Ken-ichiro Imaizumi (@Ken1555) July 8, 2015
Are you sure you are watching High Res and 60fps mode? https://t.co/ca191nTJDN — Ken-ichiro Imaizumi (@Ken1555) July 8, 2015
Visual downgrades are a common complaint that often rear their ugly heads due to a prolonged development window. Ubisoft’s Watch Dogs, for instance, was announced far too soon, leading fans to vent frustration – and understandably so – at how the finished product paled in comparison to the original vertical slice.
It appears to be a different scenario for Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain. Jumping between the most recent demo and the initial trailer and there is evidence of lighting disparities, but as Imaizumi notes, this is merely the nature of development, and the fact that there were no clear downgrades should put any unfounded allegations to bed. The Phantom Pain opens on September 1.