Fans of tactical shooters and classic espionage titles are in for a treat: iconic soldier Solid Snake from Metal Gear Solid is joining the roster of operators in Ubisoft’s Rainbow Six Siege. The collaboration, teased earlier this year, brings the stealth action hero alongside Sam Fisher of Splinter Cell, adding new depth to the game’s tactical gameplay.
The addition of Solid Snake arrives with the launch of Operation Silent Hunt on March 3rd. A key question surrounding the crossover was whether David Hayter, the original voice actor for the Konami character created by Hideo Kojima, would reprise his role. The recently released trailer confirms his return, much to the delight of fans – though some have expressed disappointment that Sam Fisher’s voice actor, Michael Ironside, was not also brought back due to budgetary constraints.
The trailer showcases Snake employing his signature tactics: utilizing cover, eliminating targets with silenced weapons, deploying smoke grenades, and executing precise takedowns. Sam Fisher makes a brief appearance, and the two characters exchange a nod reminiscent of the iconic scene from the film Predator. Snake quips that “soldiers like us” never truly get a break as a new alert flashes on his communicator.
Rainbow Six Siege currently features a lineup of over 70 operators. Sam Fisher, known as “Zero” in the game, was introduced in 2020 as part of the Operation Shadow Legacy update. This isn’t the first time Siege has crossed over with other franchises, having previously included content from Assassin’s Creed, Resident Evil, Tomb Raider, and Halo. This strategy reflects a growing trend in the gaming industry, where licensed cosmetics and collaborations can generate significant revenue beyond a game’s core universe.
The timing of Snake’s arrival coincides with renewed interest in the Metal Gear Solid franchise, fueled by last year’s remake of Snake Eater and the upcoming remaster of Metal Gear Solid 4, slated for release as part of Metal Gear Solid Master Collection Vol. 2 in August. While Konami’s future plans for the series remain unclear, the franchise continues to maintain a presence on modern platforms. The same cannot be said for Splinter Cell, as the announced remake remains unreleased and it has been over a decade since the launch of Blacklist.
This article has been translated from Kotaku US by Agustín Azcarate. Here you can uncover the original version.
