Board Thread:Questions and Answers/@comment-212.35.14.225-20150704132426/@comment-26638644-20150906092509

Unfortunately for those diehard Portable Ops fans out there, the sad truth is that the game is now considered outside the main saga of games by Kojima, Konami and the fanbase in general. For a long time even this wiki was confused about what was included in the canonical saga, but thankfully with the release of The Phantom Pain, the situation has clarified to the point where the wiki admins have decided to group together only the Metal Gear Saga games apart from the spinoff games like Ghost Babel, Portable Ops and the Ac!d series, which are all part of a separate timeline canon. To clear up any remaining doubt, I have compiled a comprehensive list of evidence supporting this stance such that it can all be read in one place. Without further ado, here are the facts:

Exhibit A: The Metal Gear Timeline

Kojima recently released this picture showing the officially recognized timeline of games. Notice that it only includes the Core8 games.

http://i3.endoftheinter.net/ i/n/26035f588b83cd7ea3bf78078e0c9c4f/ Metal-Gear-Snake-Timeline.jpg

Exhibit B: New Kojima Interview

In a recent interview, Hideo Kojima spoke briefly about this topic and said the following: "I always say 'this will be my last Metal Gear,'" Kojima said, "but the games in the series that I've personally designed and produced -- Metal Gear on MSX, MG2, MGS1, 2, 3, 4, Peace Walker, and now MGSV -- are what constitute a single 'Metal Gear Saga.' With MGSV, I'm finally closing the loop on that saga."

Thats right Kojima confirms that the Core8 games are what constitute the single "Metal Gear Saga". This interview is the most recent interview where Kojima discusses the topic, so it obviously supersedes the old interview where he said that it was partially canon.

Source:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WMlZ-HQY4jQ

Exhibit C: Old Kojima Interview was mistranslated

One of the main reasons this myth has been so tough to kill is because of an old interview where Kojima supposedly says that Portable Ops is canon. Even if it were true, it would be moot now anyways since he has since gone on record saying the opposite (See exhibit B). However it actually turns out that this interpretation was in fact caused by an awkward translation.

It turns out that Kojima was really trying to emphasize that he views the major difference to be whether or not the game was "directed/written/designed" by him or simply "produced". He goes on to specify that the former classification are games that fall under the "A Hideo Kojima Game" banner, and that just happens to be the Core8!

Portable Ops does not in fact carry this distinction which is one of the earliest indicators that it was outside the main saga. Compare the box art for POOPS and PW:

PoOps Cover:  http://i4.endoftheinter.net/ i/n/75f3f9708e14d1d7dfb 18b116a7eb0b2/75892_front.jpg

Peace Walker Cover: http://i2.endoftheinter.net/i/n/13b549ded0f79fff52422379e48452cc/7[1].jpg

Source:  http://solidkenny87.tumblr.c om/post/97125545680/clearer-tran slation-of-kojimas-mpo-answer

Exhibit D:<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:12.6666669845581px;line-height:normal;"> Ground Zeroes Deja Vu mission

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:12.6666669845581px;line-height:normal;">In Ground Zeroes there is an unlockable bonus mission called "Deja Vu". In this mission every logo from every Metal Gear game ever made was scattered around the map. Using a special gun you could try to erase certain logos. However,  ONLY<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:12.6666669845581px;line-height:normal;">the Core8 game logos were erasable. Kaz will say certain positive things when you erase a Core8 logo, such as "You can erase the image, but the memories will live on". However when you try to erase a non-canon game he will say things like "Metal Gear... Something Something" and "I don't remember that one." <span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:12.6666669845581px;line-height:normal;">This is Kojima being a bit tongue in cheek about the status of the Core8 games.

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:12.6666669845581px;line-height:normal;">Here is a pretty funny video showing this part of the game: https://youtu.be/_e4BrZepC1w?t=6673<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:12.6666669845581px;line-height:normal;"> (if the time url doesn't work the time is 1:51:13)

Exhibit E:<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:12.6666669845581px;line-height:normal;"> MGSV Guide Book

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:12.6666669845581px;line-height:normal;">The recently release MGSV guide book was personally approved by series creator Hideo Kojima who provided input for many of the books sections. In particular there is a section that discusses the history of the game series and has a detailed timeline. The timeline makes no mention of Portable Ops other than a reference under 1970 about Ocelot securing the other half of the Legacy. However no mention of the San Hieronymo Incident or any other details from PoOps are present.

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:12.6666669845581px;line-height:normal;">Additionally there is a page detailing the devents of the early 1970s, when PoOps is said to have taken place. However, the article makes absolutely no reference to PoOps at all, confirming that it is not included in the timeline of the series.

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:12.6666669845581px;line-height:normal;">Timeline Image:  https://i2.endoftheinter.net<span class="m" style="position:relative;height:10px;font-size:6pt;margin-right:1px;margin-left:1px;padding-left:10px;border-bottom-width:2px;border-bottom-style:dotted;border-bottom-color:rgb(0,0,153);top:-3px!important;"> /i/n/d4e82ed2e88db6a 9768bd4998fa85349/unnamed.jpg

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:12.6666669845581px;line-height:normal;">1970s Page Image:  https://i4.endoftheinter.net<span class="m" style="position:relative;height:10px;font-size:6pt;margin-right:1px;margin-left:1px;padding-left:10px;border-bottom-width:2px;border-bottom-style:dotted;border-bottom-color:rgb(0,0,153);top:-3px!important;"> /i/n/fd002ecbe566e6a c8817a304114ac3ba/oceshot.jpg

Exhibit F<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:12.6666669845581px;line-height:normal;"> Metal Gear Solid Legacy Collection

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:12.6666669845581px;line-height:normal;">PoOps is not included in the MGS Legacy Collection, which is advertised as containing all canonical games in the series.