Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots

The one that started as a "PC when?" joke in 2008 and stayed one for 18 years. MGS4 — Solid Snake's final mission — is finally off the PS3. The Master Collection Version launched today (Aug 27, 2026) on Steam, Xbox Series X|S and Switch. It's $29.99 on its own, or part of Master Collection Vol.2 at $49.99.

What is MGS4: Guns of the Patriots?

It's the last story of the original Solid Snake. Set five years after the Big Shell incident, war has become a business — private military companies fight each other for profit, and Liquid Ocelot is building the biggest PMC of them all. Snake, old and burning out, gets pulled into one final mission to stop him. It came out on PS3 in June 2008 and stayed a console exclusive for 18 years — that's the whole reason "MGS4 PC when?" became one of gaming's longest-running memes.

This Master Collection Version is the same game, ported off the PS3 for the first time: 1080p screens, achievements, trading cards, cloud saves and full controller support (DualShock and DualSense both work). KONAMI confirmed the release on its site as "available for the first time on modern platforms."

How it plays

• Third-person stealth-action. The classic Metal Gear loop — sneak, knock out, hide bodies, or go loud with a full arsenal. Marking and the radar keep it approachable by 2026 standards.
• The OctoCamo suit. Snake's outfit texture-matches whatever surface he hugs. Blend into walls and floors — it's the game's signature toy.
• CQC and bosses. Close-quarters combat is back, and so are the fights against the Beauty and the Beast Unit. Big, theatrical, very Kojima.
• The war-economy setting. You're a lone soldier in a battlefield run by PMCs — allies drift in and out, and the war itself is the antagonist.
• Single-player only. No co-op, no multiplayer. Steam lists it as single-player with no online features.

Release date, platforms and price

Released August 27, 2026. On Steam (standalone, $29.99), as part of METAL GEAR SOLID: MASTER COLLECTION Vol.2 on PC, Xbox Series X|S and Nintendo Switch. There's no launch discount on either SKU today.

The Vol.2 bundle is $49.99 and throws in Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker (HD Collection version), a digital soundtrack and Metal Gear: Ghost Babel as a bonus. If all you want is MGS4, the standalone is $29.99 — twenty bucks cheaper than the bundle.

Quick facts & FAQ

• When did it come out? August 27, 2026 — today. First release of MGS4 outside the PS3.
• What platforms? PC (Steam), Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch for the standalone. PlayStation 5 players aren't left out — Master Collection Vol.2 (which includes MGS4) launched on PS5 too, per KONAMI's official announcement. MGS4 just isn't sold as a standalone PS5 SKU.
• Is it the full game? Yes — the complete 2008 MGS4, with achievements, trading cards, cloud saves and controller support added for the modern release.
• Is there co-op or multiplayer? No. Strictly single-player.
• What are the PC requirements? Steeper than you'd expect for an 18-year-old game: Windows 11 64-bit is required — Windows 10 is not on the official list. GTX 1650 minimum, 16GB RAM, 25GB SSD. Full spec sheet here.
• How long is it? Around 18-20 hours for the main story — the same game, so the old HowLongToBeat numbers carry over. Full breakdown here.
• What languages? English, French, Italian, German, Spanish and Japanese — full audio only in English and Japanese, subtitles for the rest.