Some time after the release of Metal Gear Solid: Ground Zero, John's life remained as busy and fulfilling as ever. Beyond regularly updating fans with the latest development progress of Metal Gear Solid: Phantom Pain, he was also deeply involved in coordinating work on Red Alert and several other ongoing projects.
However, when it came to promotional efforts, the focus had gradually shifted toward Resident Evil 2 and a handful of smaller, more conventional titles. After all, PixelPioneers Games was no longer just an independent game developer. With its acquisition of distribution channels and the establishment of its own platform and development studios, it had grown into a fully integrated ecosystem.
Although the company's original intention had been to release only its own titles, the reality had changed. As long as third-party developers were willing to publish their games on the platform and the quality met a reasonable standard, those titles would almost always be approved and signed without much hesitation.
"The players' complaints are practically breaking through the wall," Luna said as she scrolled through the account on John's phone, casually chewing a piece of gum. The comment sections under several recent posts were flooded with impatient voices, all asking the same question: When exactly would Metal Gear: Phantom Pain finally be released?
"It's fine. If they complain long enough, they'll eventually get used to it," John replied calmly, not even lifting his head as he reviewed the latest updates from the team working on Red Alert.
There wasn't the slightest hint of panic in him. Even if a crowd of players were to storm into PixelPioneers Games' office and demand an explanation face-to-face, he would simply stand tall and give the same composed answer. After all, he had already made it crystal clear during the original press conference that the release date for Metal Gear: Phantom Pain was set for next year. What was this called? Confidence.
During this period, the combined momentum of Metal Gear Solid: Ground Zero and the comic Metal Gear Solid: Messenger of Peace had ignited widespread attention across both gaming media and the player community. The timing couldn't have been better. There were hardly any true blockbuster titles on the market at the moment. The only notable release was Moondustries' Alien Crisis.
And it was precisely because of Alien Crisis that John had strategically pushed out Metal Gear Solid: Ground Zero, along with a series of related content, capturing the spotlight at just the right moment.
As of now, total sales for Metal Gear Solid: Ground Zero have surpassed 3.6 million copies. Meanwhile, pre-orders for Metal Gear Solid: Phantom Pain had already broken past the 2 million mark and were still steadily climbing.
What made this even more impressive was the lack of heavy pre-release marketing. Aside from a playable demo of Metal Gear Solid: Original Burst Point, very little concrete information about Metal Gear: Phantom Pain had been revealed. The game remained shrouded in mystery.
Moreover, this wasn't a sequel to a massive established franchise like The Elder Scrolls: Skyrim, nor was it part of the Resident Evil series. It was an entirely new IP. Achieving such results under those conditions was nothing short of remarkable.
One of the most talked-about aspects among players was the game's cinematic presentation. Before John, no developer had truly managed to merge filmmaking techniques so seamlessly with gameplay. While interactive movie-style games had existed before, they were often little more than branching narratives with limited player agency, essentially films with occasional choices and QTE sequences.
But Metal Gear was fundamentally different. It didn't just imitate film; it integrated cinematic storytelling directly into gameplay mechanics, creating a uniquely immersive experience that players had never quite seen before.
Still, the ultimate effectiveness of this approach remained to be seen. After all, Metal Gear Solid: Ground Zero was only a short experience, lasting just over an hour, hardly enough to fully demonstrate the system's depth. In the gaming industry, there were countless examples of titles that started strong but faltered later.
However, the reverse was also true. Some games that stumbled early managed to stage incredible comebacks. As for Metal Gear Solid: Phantom Pain, it was widely regarded as a potential masterpiece in the making. Whether it was the ambitious concepts John had revealed during earlier press conferences or the trailers and playable segments showcased through Metal Gear Solid: Ground Zero, everything pointed toward something extraordinary. In fact, industry players seemed even more eager for its release than John himself.
At the same time, John continued leading the development of the THEBOSS storyline in Red Alert. Meanwhile, promotional plans for the Resident Evil 2 series were also being steadily rolled out, including the introduction of a new Resident Survival mode, all designed to build momentum through coordinated marketing.
Elsewhere, in an online chat group known as "Game Online Group," discussions were reaching a fever pitch. As the name suggested, this was a fan-driven community centered around PixelPioneers Games, essentially a place where players gathered to discuss, complain, and passionately debate all things related to the company. Most members were loyal players or long-time fans. Nearly everyone in the group owned at least one PixelPioneers Games title.
"Ahhh, when is my Metal Gear finally coming out? Mr. John posts tiny, meaningless updates every day!"
"That's not even the worst part! There's no big news in the industry, so every time Mr. John posts something, they just repost it as if it's breaking news!"
"I don't care about that. I just want to know what happens next in Metal Gear! The Messenger of Peace comic updates so slowly, and the THEBOSS storyline in Red Alert isn't even out yet. This is torture!"
"It's already the end of November… doesn't it feel like something's off? There's barely been any news about Metal Gear recently."
"Yeah… shouldn't development be almost finished by now? Why not just release it already?"
"Could it be financial issues? Mr. John sells his games way too cheaply. The Elder Scrolls: Skyrim was heavily discounted, and now Metal Gear has huge pre-order discounts too. Plus, their earlier games didn't even have pre-sales…"
"Exactly! And don't forget, they've been acquiring publishers and comic companies and even setting up motion capture studios. That's a lot of spending. Maybe they've expanded too aggressively?"
The conversation quickly escalated, and before long, concern began to replace impatience. For the players, this wasn't just idle speculation; it was genuine worry. After all, compared to most companies in the industry, PixelPioneers Games had always stood out for its incredible value-for-money. To many players, it was nothing less than the conscience of the gaming industry.